GM Executive Bins the Pace Car on the Opening Lap of the Detroit Grand Prix

[GTPNewsWire]

This is the discussion thread for a recent post on GTPlanet:

GM Executive Bins the Pace Car on the Opening Lap of the Detroit Grand Prix

This article was published by Joe Donaldson (@Joey D) on June 4th, 2018 in the Car Culture category.

 

[RACECAR]

Being a Exec, driving the hottest new product from GM (in front of essentially their home office in their Home race more or less) and binning it. I'll be massively surprised if he doesn't at the very least get the crap chewed out of him Monday morning.

 

[mustafur]

Did they check to see if he even has a license.

 

[andrew84555]

I'm not a historian of US racing, but I'm pretty sure there is a proud history of people binning saftey/pace cars very publicly at major events...

 

[Liquid]

Pretty much sums up Detroit and the Motor City.

 

[TheGeologist]

If I'm not mistaken, he has driven the pace car at this race for years.

Did he say what happened? What's the estimate of his speed when he spun?

 

[JadTheMad]

**** happens. Still the car shows little visible damage.

 

[cjr3559]

Wonder if the traction control system was accidentally turned off.

 

[Sick Cylinder]

I'm not a historian of US racing, but I'm pretty sure there is a proud history of people binning saftey/pace cars very publicly at major events...

Yes - there is a history of accidents and a history of using celebs, car execs and other unqualified / unsuitable people! I don't know why they don't use a professional in the Pace car. This was the accident in 1971.

 

[Northstar]

I'm not a historian of US racing, but I'm pretty sure there is a proud history of people binning saftey/pace cars very publicly at major events...

It’s hardly limited to the US.

 

[kjeldsen]

Small bump, right where he nails it...

CSA next time..

 

[Joey D]

Pretty much sums up Detroit and the Motor City.

Right in the hometown feels.

 

[gta_bird]

he’s a certified gearhead with the experience to back it up.

He’s a certified pool driver for the Ring. He also carries both an IMSA and FIA C license, meaning he knows how to race at a high level

Right there in the article guys. Start reading the accompanying text.

 

[BadFlounder]

I'm not a historian of US racing, but I'm pretty sure there is a proud history of people binning saftey/pace cars very publicly at major events...

Right, because drivers outside of the U.S. don't make mistakes. He made a mistake (clearly), it happens, everywhere in the world.

 

[Corsa]

Quote from the official statement.

"Many factors contributed, including weather and track conditions. The car’s safety systems performed as expected”

Weather was sunny, track was dry.

 

[Joey D]

Quote from the official statement.

"Many factors contributed, including weather and track conditions. The car’s safety systems performed as expected”

Weather was sunny, track was dry.

I'm guessing they didn't run that past their marketing team. It's not a good look to say a perfectly dry track that's nice and warm isn't the ideal conditions for your race car for the road.

 

[TexRex]

Still the car shows little visible damage.

 

[Rustyhole]

All great drivers have crashed. Schumacher, Hill, Hamilton, McRae. It's racing. It happens. They make it sound like because he had actual racing experience/licences he should be impervious to this. No one was hurt. The car will be repaired. It's one crash.

 

[Tornado]

I certainly wouldn't have crashed mine.

 

[qhobbes]

His role consists of things like oversteering new technologies and making GM vehicles safer across the lanes.

 

[Joey D]

All great drivers have crashed. Schumacher, Hill, Hamilton, McRae. It's racing. It happens. They make it sound like because he had actual racing experience/licences he should be impervious to this. No one was hurt. The car will be repaired. It's one crash.

Except it isn't racing, he crashed it on a pace lap.

 

[Rustyhole]

A pace lap is still fast comparatively and with the bumpy surface, **** happens

 

[Eunos_Cosmo]

Except it isn't racing, he crashed it on a pace lap.

Pace Cars are typically running pretty close to their limit, IIRC. It seemed like he didn't have stability/traction control on, which is interesting.

 

[Corsa]

All great drivers have crashed. Schumacher, Hill, Hamilton, McRae. It's racing. It happens. They make it sound like because he had actual racing experience/licences he should be impervious to this. No one was hurt. The car will be repaired. It's one crash.

Yes he wasn't racing he was pacing.

I wasn't in the car so I don't know but the video looks like that bump unsettled the suspension as he was in that left turn causing the rear to break loose.

It also appears he had decent reflex as you can see him quickly contersteering back right.

I will say this about Corvettes as I had a '99 C5 years back, don't like them.

The TC system in those C5s were absolute ****, it always left me holding the wheel a little too tight anywhere over half throttle while turning.
Obviously improvements have been made in 20 years, but looking closer at that video I don't know.

Maybe I should go test drive one for fun.

 

[-Fred-]

Except it isn't racing, he crashed it on a pace lap.

At least he didn't crash from pole at Indy.

 

[McLaren]

Car was in the 2nd turn of the pace lap. Wonder if the tires were cold.

 

[cudwieser]

A gifted amateur (semi pro) gets it wrong? Here's two pros getting it very wrong



Taki Inoue. You leg end

 

[z71L28]

It was the bump, also if you look closely the pavement has incline. He got on it right at the wrong moment. Bad luck.

 

[Atwork]

Quote from the official statement.

"Many factors contributed, including weather and track conditions. The car’s safety systems performed as expected”

Weather was sunny, track was dry.

It rained earlier? It was not wet but the track was green I suppose. Still embarrassing though.

 

[SiriusR]

Today in breaking news: a human being made a mistake.
Next up: grass is apparently green.