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Sports

This Is What a 130 MPH Race Car Crash Looks Like From the Inside

Jan. 17, 2012 8:01am Jonathon M. Seidl

This is what Pete Tryce’s classic Cobra race car looked before he crashed it on the track:

This is what it looked like after:

And here’s how it got from picture “A” to picture “B.” Basically, while opening the car up on the track, something breaks, the car turns violently to the right, and Tryce starts tumbling. And tumbling. And tumbling:

Here’s how he described what happened in the YouTube description of the video:

On the front straight doing 130mph, something breaks. The cobra veers hard right and off track. The car leaves a 6O foot gash in the asphalt as it veered before leaving the track and continued for an additional 500 feet off track to its resting point. I received only minor injuries to my left knee and bruised ribs.

And here’s the video, which was posted on January 7, but is just starting to make the rounds now:

(H/T: Jalopnik)

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Comments (27)

Hobbit
Posted on January 18, 2012 at 8:54pm
No head and neck restraint, no arm restraints, 5 point harness. He’s one lucky bastard.

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jjincbus
Posted on January 18, 2012 at 5:55pm
Never drive faster than your guardian angel can fly.

…Oh yeh, my uncle had a real one. ;-p

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Mr.Fitnah
Posted on January 17, 2012 at 6:12pm
Kitkars like real cars, when they are parked.

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- Patrick Henry II
  Posted on January 17, 2012 at 11:22pm
  This kit car had some real handling problems. At least he tested in a safe fashion. Good thing. I’ve been over 200 in an old Pontiac. It takes a looooooooong time to stop.
  
  Report this comment
Phantom II
Posted on January 17, 2012 at 5:24pm
@CAT.This is a Backdraft replica Cobra made in South Africa, It is the best value out there and the best looking.. It starts at $30 000 and you can dress it up to the north side of $100 000. It is a slightly stretched Cobra, both in length and wheel base so that big guys can get into it without sitting sideways. It rides on a square tube space frame with hard points for the 3 series BMW suspension. It out handels every other Cobra out there, including the originals. It rides better than all the rest by far.
Trouble with these weekend warriors on track days, is that they don’t realize that if you go racing on a regular basis, you not only check on routine maintanence items, but major components as well. If you are going to do this, it is better to update all systems to race car specs.
Chances are that that a lower ball joint failed on the front suspension or a tie rod end. This looney does not even have a roll cage or at least a triangulated roll over hoop. This is the price you pay for ignorance. Unfortunately, he remains in the gene pool.
Shelby Cobras are also made in South Africa also by Superformance. They are beautifully made and are the best quality out there. Expensive, but you get what you pay for. Like most of the replicas, their bodies are made of fiberglass. It is possible to get a aluminum bodied Shelby replica, but it is imported from Poland. No steel ones are offered. To see real Cobras racing, you will have to attend the Goodwood or Sanoma festivals.

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- Cat
  Posted on January 17, 2012 at 7:58pm
  Phantom II >
  
  Saw a few real AC’s at Sebring, Florida 24-hour endurance in 66, 67 & 68
  They did poorly, Porsche cleaned everyone’s clock
  
  Real AC’s in the states can run at or over $135,000 these days.
  Have a close friend in Palm Beach who has two CSX AC’s professionally packed and garaged in conditioned space since 1977
  
  Went for an all day ride in his British racing green snake in 72
  He had to drive like a wimp on S. Ocean Drive due to speed limits, grumpy cops and babes along South Beach every 50′ that wanted him to stop so they could go for a ride …
  
  I wouldn’t own one
  Like owning a Rolls, too afraid somebody might play bumper cars with their rust bucket Impala !!
  I’ll stick with the sea and professionals who know what they’re doing with powerful machinery …
  
  Thanks for the information:
  CAT
  
  Report this comment
VegasLibertarian
Posted on January 17, 2012 at 4:36pm
I appreciate his note about praying around :30 secs. Most would reach out to God at that moment, including me.

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Secret Squirrel
Posted on January 17, 2012 at 3:30pm
.
I drool over Cobras, and you wreck one?
Glad you’re okay.

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schroeder123
Posted on January 17, 2012 at 12:34pm
Take it to Earl Schib for a new paint job.. $29.95 Back to new in no time.

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RightThinking1
Posted on January 17, 2012 at 10:49am
I’m sure he is a nice guy, but I’m betting he has more money than brains. It was a kit car, and I suspect that relates to the mechanical failure that led to this incident, i.e., in the construction or maintenance something was neglected.
It is worth observing that he was not engaged in a sanctioned event…, his car is the only competition car we see on the track. It isn’t even clear to me that the car is other than a very radical street car. Of particular note is absence of arm restraints, which are REQUIRED in SCCA. He’s lucky he did not have an arm ripped out of the socket.
Bottom line; do stupid stuff, expect to pay a price.

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- Enuff Zenuff
  Posted on January 17, 2012 at 1:43pm
  Did anyone else notice that when he first spun, the moment the car started going down the road backwards, the air got under the trunk lid and ripped it open? (before he’d even hit anything with it).
  
  If you own a Cobra that you drive at extra-legal speeds, you need additional tie-downs on the trunk lid.
  
  Report this comment
Rampart
Posted on January 17, 2012 at 10:01am
I sure hope that was a replica and not a real Cobra 427!

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- Lesbian Packing Hollow Points
  Posted on January 17, 2012 at 10:39am
  You and me both. Either way, that poor Cobra. =(
  
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- LikesToFightGuy
  Posted on January 17, 2012 at 12:10pm
  RIP shelby
  
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- troymac20
  Posted on January 17, 2012 at 2:55pm
  Not a 427. That was a small block when they showed the motor. Most likely the stroked 351w offered for sell at the end of the video. Car looked like it was probably a Factory Five Cobra. They are kit cars that start at about 13,000 and use the drivetrain from fox body(86-95) Mustangs.
  
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- Cat
  Posted on January 17, 2012 at 3:29pm
  Look closely at the after crash photo
  There appears to be exposed shattered fiber on the left side rear wheel hump and the remainder of the front end
  If that’s fiberglass, it’s a replica (kit car)
  Carrol Shelby’s Cobras have steel bodies
  
  The clip also mentions a 426 cid stroked Windsor, Huh? … 426 is MOPAR
  Cobras had 260, 289, 390 (failure) & 427 cid Ford power because GM was using their small blocks engines for their new Grand Sport Corvette line at the time
  I’ve seen 351 Cleveland (Australian) power dropped in Cobra kits
  They have higher rpm capabilities due to shorter rods and produce more power than Windsor blocks
  and due to the lighter weight handle differently then the 427 powered snakes
  
  No production date given either
  Smell a kit car here
  
  Report this comment
- Theleftisda
  Posted on January 19, 2012 at 7:17pm
  @
  Cat
  No such corvette as a grand sport (buick) GS,chevy only has chevy motors in all cars ever made
  
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- Cobranut
  Posted on January 21, 2012 at 9:03am
  CAT: Your ignorance of this subject is immense!
  First off, original Cobras have ALUMINUM bodies, not steel.
  It was clearly stated that it was a Windsor motor, which were built by Ford, not Mopar. This would be a 351W block stroked to 426 CID.
  Cobras were also not originally delivered with 390′s, which by the way wasn’t a bad motor either.
  They had either 260, 289, 427, or 428 Fords.
  You also mentioned Cobras being nose-heavy. For your info, my 427 has a 55% rear weight bias. The engine/trans is set back very far in these cars.
  Aerodynamic lift is the main cause of the high-speed stability shortcomings of these cars.
  Please study on this subject before spreading misinformation. Thank you.
  
  Report this comment
Buddynoel
Posted on January 17, 2012 at 8:54am
Looks like he was using some sort of modified five-point safety belt, which should be the minimum for this kind of race car. He should have been using a Hahn’s device too. The Hahn’s keeps your neck from snapping backward or viciously sideways during the wreck, which is what killed Dale Earnhardt. I bet he doesn’t ride those belts so loose the next time he drives one of these. He’s lucky this time.

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- Gettin Betta
  Posted on January 17, 2012 at 1:15pm
  just nit-picking but the is no “H” or aposthrophy in HANS devise. Its an acronym for head and neck support.
  
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txwheels
Posted on January 17, 2012 at 8:54am
Uh..Could someone please tell me which way is up…

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Cat
Posted on January 17, 2012 at 8:50am
Good to see Pete is ok
(Mr. Selby … Don’t look)
Cobras, especially Kings, are notorious for being squirrelly due to the heavy iron up front.
It’s a shame that this piece of machinery was completely lost.
On the bright side, the price of the remaining Cobras just went up.

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planeboy
Posted on January 17, 2012 at 8:23am
Clean shorts please….

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itsmyfirstday
Posted on January 17, 2012 at 8:18am
Thank God he is okay. Looks like God loves the 1 percent also…

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ANOTHER ISOLATED INCIDENT
Posted on January 17, 2012 at 8:16am
His head made an awesome roll bar.

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- Zipit
  Posted on January 17, 2012 at 9:52am
  Oh my God! The’ve killed Kenny….
  
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marthasusan40
Posted on January 17, 2012 at 8:16am
This driver surely has a connection with God, I hope he realizes that he is alive for very specific reasons. May he make very good use of the rest of his days…..God Bless him.

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