Few things can stop an out-of-control racing car, and a tire barrier sometimes is not of them.
In a sport where the outcome is influenced by a plethora of factors, nothing is usually left to chance, but even so, there are countless, unpredictable, and tragic scenarios that could happen.
Take for instance the Nurburgring incident, where a Nissan GT-R LM Nismo went airborne over the catch fence at Flugplatz and killed one bystander.
Something similar almost happened last Sunday at the Wallerfield International Raceway in Trinidad and Tobago during one of the final races of the Caribbean Motor Racing Championships, after a car went airborne over the track’s incline/tire barrier and smashed into a crowd of spectators.
A few seconds earlier, a Mazda RX-7 had gone off track in the same place, clearing the path for the incoming car. The gruesome accident seriously injured four people, including the driver, and at least one woman ended trapped under the vehicle as spectators rushed to lift the vehicle.
Fortunately, the four victims are said to be in stable condition, as Loop reports. When asked about the proximity of the stands to the track, Jameer Ali, Vice President of the Trinidad and Tobago Automobile Sports Association (TTASA), said that although the stands were at the adequate safety distance, the committee will now re-examine their position and consider moving the stand where the accident took place.