'02 M3 Crash at VIR

Towards the end of a great HPDE at VIR Full in February 2009, i get a little tired and make a mistake in the high speed esses which results in me dropping right rear wheel off the track and loosing control, hitting a tire wall in m 2002 BMW M3 coupe. Lesson learned: Stay hydrated and focused.

[@cgh1]

Oh and kudos to you (and THANK YOU) for being man enough to post the video here so we can all learn from it!! You are the man!

[@jbraslins]

Actually, i was going slower than my previous runs all day long. I was tired, lost focus and simply did not turn in on time into the first one. That messed me up for the rest of the sequence.

[@apexkilla]

I can’t get over how great the sound quality is

[@jbraslins]

Too bad gopros were not invented yet back then.

[@mikojan85channel]

and it sounds even better if you turn the audio off 😁

[@NielsHeusinkveld]

He had the afterburners engaged obviously!

[@NovaScene]

2:30 is where the video starts. I recommend you jump there, nothing special about the other parts.

[@Ejroy09]

VIR is a car crusher, like a little Nurburgring

[@cgh1]

Dude, I was there that unfortunate day and I hate that for you... Made me sick to see your nice car messed up like that. Looking at your line in the video, it seems to have a lot of early turn-ins going on. Fatigue late in the day, dehydration, as you said - mental distraction/relaxation... all enemies and potential key players. I am just glad that you are OK. Cars are WAY easier to fix than people!!

[@djisar-official]

no one races with windows up, no one allows it unless you swap out the glass for polycarbonate or acrylic panels.

[@TheArfdog]

@derbigpr500 You've never driven a Porsche then. Those will fuckin school any and all BMWs. And the Corvette gets a better Ring time (or any road course), so there's nothing more to say. An M3 handles great, big deal when it only makes the same lateral G's. So it gets schooled by any C5 and above which have the same lat G but more power. And C5s handle almost really good too. You just don't know shit, so I can't be too hard. lmao.

[@derbigpr500]

@TheArfdog The difference is, its true about corvettes, and american cars in general. They always handled terribly, and they were always bad driving cars, with a few (2-3 max) exceptions in last few years, and that ONLY applies for sports car. Normal cars still drive terribly. BMW's on the other hand were ALWAYS known as one of the best drivers cars in the world, and THE best when it comes to saloons. No other saloons in the world combine handling, precision and comfort like BMW's do.

[@SVTM3Mike]

I was going to take the cobra over there this upcoming event for 25bucks... i don't want to anymore

[@a4Audi2153]

@jbraslins haha right your correct and thats what a lot of peope try to do... the almost oversteer the corners then they correct themselfs steering away from the turn so they straighten out but they are now faced towards the gras and into the wall they go when they could of just spun out insted lol

[@Normally_aspirated]

Wtf happend? Looked good and then all of the suddent the front end just wanted to go in it's own direction... I think something in your suspension broke. Possibly due to shotty BMW build quality after hitting those curbs :-D

[@fabjonjon]

ouchy I hate to see it but it happens. I am kidding I love to see it. Hope you have the cash to fix it and see you at the track. Look for the silver or red 944turbo passing you. You may just see my tail lights lol

[@UltimateM3]

ouch,, judging from the video the impact didnt seem to bad, hope all is well,, was this the vehicle that was parked down buy the fuel waste shed? Tarheel chapter NickW.#D8 silver 328i w/ one blue door&fender

[@SlyHobbit]

@jbraslins Dude, no offense but seriously, please use gloves. Hands dont grow back, and the tend to not do too well with things like fire.......

[@laikros]

@jbraslins That what I wannted to say about cutting to right side but you already mension it,but you had for it only fraction of time x/

[@acidmatar]

@Cloudstrife1188 fwd and awd cars can have worse crashes in other areas. and a patch of dirt can cause a crash regardless of the drive train ....

[@RMcHawk]

Racing is precision driving... hit the wrong spot and this happens... :\ I hope the car wasn't too damaged and the driver is ok... :)

[@ferrucc1o]

@jbraslins god that makes almost cringe, i have m3 i'd lose my head.....it was going good, what kind of tires were you using?

[@XYZ-g9w4e]

Here is another lesson, auto cross with your car instead of doing track days it is a lot safer and a lot more technical.

[@ravenstylea2]

You went wayyyy to hot into that corner. learn the track first before you go that fast. It could have saved you a BMW M-3

[@jbraslins]

@ncn8ochaser Yeah. I used to do 7..8 events a year on a bike. Toning it down a little now. Went twice this year in a car.

[@Vsa39]

that car is to much for u. u can tell from the driving style. try a smaller engine next time :-s cheers

[@joanuc]

soft driving but slow hands

[@chrisvarns]

@jbraslins What needed fixing after this?? Out of pure interest, as you mentioned it wasn't totalled.

[@chrisvarns]

@jbraslins What needed fixing after this?? Out of pure interest, as you mentioned it wasn't totalled.

[@PaoFootballClub]

Hope you are ok,fck the car,a car can rebuilt,a human not!Cheers

[@TheGreatDimebag]

Cloudstrife1188, yeh your right, an easier car to drive would have made it. Genius

[@505197]

My first inclination was to criticize the end of it, not enough "fighting" it, but then really, you didn't and it wasn't called for, it was pancaking and not much was gonna change that. Pretty big conquence for such a small mistake, it really didn't look all that dramatic when you messed up the first part. Those high speeds are something we just aren't accustomed too. I was watchin yer hands and you were pretty smooth, I bet it hurts the pride, which it should, it's what makes ya good.

[@AeronPhotos]

Its so easy for a small mistake to turn ugly like that. Sorry to see it :o(

[@420gdub]

good driver..know how to take his lines. dirt will do that 2 ya..

[@RenegadeMadeVideoman]

people need to close there windows when they take these vids...

[@jbraslins]

It's policy of most track organizations that all cars have to run with windows down to avoid glass being spread all over track during an accident.

[@LoveTheCity123]

Skip to 2:33 for the wreck.. (Just saving you time).

[@Messier31NGC224]

WHERE YOU HOT????? GOD DAMN THAT NOISE IS ANNOYING!

[@glomfjord2]

@HeDixumsHard haha if m3 isnt a real car, what is?

[@ferrucc1o]

how much damage to the car if you dont mind i ask?

[@Shak333k]

@1maddoggs - Thank you, I learned a lot about safety measures from your reply. The tracks I have been to in Europe had none of that. Pretty wild. Instructors and briefings add to costs but they are definitely more sensible.

[@MechanicalHeart]

you crash it nice way safe driving not kiding :D

[@TheArfdog]

BMW's and corners, they just don't mix. LMAO.

[@Jimothy408]

Was it totaled? If u don't mind me asking

[@bagredositio]

pictures of the car after that?????????

[@KotomiP]

The microphone was finally saved from the popcorn machine at the end

[@jbraslins]

Hehe, I LOLed. Action cams back then were such garbage.

[@vehatebodi]

yaaaaa crush that ugly car

[@Goodiegotthegoods]

Always the same turn..

[@oyousef11]

Hahahahahahahahahahaha

[@maxhasis]

tottalled like hell

[@TheAHTOXA1]

LOW SOUND OF ENGINE

[@jbraslins]

@Tari14 no

[@pmg757]

@RenegadeMadeVideoman Track rules are that the windows are down for extraction purposes if there's an accident. Even if it's raining.

[@RenegadeMadeVideoman]

@pmg757 aaahh gotcha.

[@tylnywachacz]

shit happens

[@jimmykouf]

crash 2:35

[@Tari14]

totaled?

[@505premoto]

Ouch! Those climbing esses are wicked cool but if you mess up the first one it can get ugly. I love that part of the track....done right, it is a nice little swish....can't go flat out there but lift a little on my E36 and just scoot. I was just there this past weekend and can't wait to go back. How are things on Speedzilla? I haven't been there in over a year now.....way into cars now.

[@freakin1random]

No offense, but it looks like you got scared when you got some "air" on the corner before. I'd recommend practicing in a FWD until you're capable of holding slides there, both fwd and rwd will do similar things to what happened there. That, and remember to brake if you start getting off your line.

[@jbraslins]

Maybe if I had you in my car, you'd grab my steering and make me cut over the hill to the right instead. Shuold have signed up for one of the classes :)

[@Scruit]

Sorry to see this. 11-12K damage. Was that out of your own pocket? I can't imagine car insurance would want to pick that up. I did a track day at Mid-Ohio, I know the feeling. I was lucky that the instructors were on top of it and shut me down when they saw me push too hard/make mistakes.

[@bjones27609]

Little late first Apex, missed second Apex, no chance for the third corner... Sorry for the damage to your car. Many before you and many after will do the same.

[@Shak333k]

Wow, just a tiny slip off the side can cause a much more serious loss of control than I would have expected. The video is instructive. Thanks. The skidmarks show that it´s a recurring problem. The track operators could do something about this--like issue a special warning, for example.

[@bobhusaan]

u r the man for posting the vid..at least we can all learn! i knw i wud be hurting if ma baby m3 had dat pain!!

[@LoudestHoward]

OH TIM GOD DAMN IT!!!

[@Rockit181]

Instead of trying to turn left a bit to get back onto line, should have just kept turning right and cut the track. Turning back to the left with your right wheels in the dirt is what caused the car to slide toward the wall

[@jbraslins]

@505197 I should have just went to the right as soon as i messed up. Would have been a nice ride though the grass, a few bumps maybe. I tried to save it and that is what put me into the wall instead.

[@jbraslins]

@ferrucc1o About 12K. The entire drivers side (from from bumper to rear bumper) was crumpled.

[@jbraslins]

Yeah, thats the one. I tried to back off that lap and relax, sicne it was late in the day. Figure i'd finish the day early. I guess my brain relaxed faster than the speed decreased. I just plain and simple messed up the line through there.

[@christians131]

It looked like he couldn't see the turn due to how bright it was. I then read the description. That's always good advice that is often overlooked. Grab some pedialyte and hydrate at least 7hrs before the event and stay hydrated throughout

[@jbraslins]

@ncn8ochaser I did a metric ton of NESBA events. Did 3 WERA races (VIR and Summit).

[@MikeSouzaProjects]

@505197 Man, that was painful to watch. I just drove VIR for the first time, and those esses scared the heck out of me. If you enter the first one too early, the mix up gets worse and worse with each turn, until..... From watching it, I think you went too early into the first turn. That made you a littler earlier for the second, which caused you to run out of track and drop a wheel. Once a wheel drops, all sorts of stuff happens real fast. Glad you weren't hurt.

[@Shak333k]

@1maddoggs - Yes, I agree with you. I was thinking of non-professional racers, who might use a warning :-) I thought the track was open to non-professionals as well. A modification outside of the track might be able to slow the car down more, in order to reduce speed or completely avoid impact. The problem I was thinking of is not skidding out, but crashing. :-)

[@jbraslins]

@op3l I do not think regular HPDEs (high performance driving events) allow that kind of stuff. But they do have track events specificaly for drifters etc.

[@metalgear32]

Just view the last 10 seconds will satisfy you...

[@Shak333k]

@1maddoggs - Definitely, I agree with you. Glad to see precautions that prevent serious injuries. If for nothing else, killing customers at every turn is not good for business :-)

[@rhythmnsmoke]

@LeontariF1 I do both. Sometimes you just feel like getting out of 2nd gear.

[@joanuc]

i'm not saying i have faster or better hands. Im saying you need them to drive an m3 with electronic helps off

[@DofD]

As a M3 driver who tracks, I feel the pain. I race my 2002 at PRW, Portland International and ORP.

[@jbraslins]

@DriftkingS2K I been wondering the same thing since it happened :)

[@DofD]

As a tracker, Seattle, Portland and ORP, glad you are ok! Hope you are well , guess you are, posted it!

[@porsche1314]

that's quite popular there judging by the skid marks

[@Elwood32617]

That sucked, hope everything worked out for you :)

[@jbraslins]

@diddy150 No, but it had about 11K worth of damage.

[@MakuthePOtHead]

nice driving man ! very precisse and delivate... well... shit happens :P

[@jbraslins]

Rear passenger, yes. But wreck was really already in the making :)

[@PeterPorsche1]

WHYYYYYYY ....dam all the laps been so nice and clean

[@Rockit181]

way to make yourself look like one

[@Racerx917]

wireless mic inside a wheel?

[@evolution9mraddict]

2:28 ^^^^ Click for crash

[@op3l]

Have a question about these track days: If you sign up for one and want to instead of driving around as fast as you can, decide to use the corners for power slides and drifting, is that allowed?

[@primerib5350]

BMW's are not sports cars; should really stick to doing grocery runs.

[@RidingYamaha47]

Lol, that officially is the most ignorant statement I've seen on the internet.. Good job.

[@hellobooom]

BMW M3 are you fucking kidding, must be the troll.

[@Drgoldthumb]

The M in M3 stands for "motorsport". Yep that's right motorSPORT