"Trunk Impaired 318" (matteocscaptura)
02/21/2015 at 13:52 • Filed to: None
7
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"Trunk Impaired 318" (matteocscaptura)
02/21/2015 at 13:52 • Filed to: None | 7
| 4 |
Almost everybody knows about the amazing story of Alessandro (Alex) Zanardi who in 2001 was involved in a massive crash during a CART race at the Lausitzring necessitating the amputation of both his legs; the end to any normal humans life let alone racing career but Zanardi made an amazing comeback and went on to continue racing and win multiple golds and a silve at the Paralympic games in handcycling. However, this isnt about Alex Zanardi, it's about Kenny Bräck.
Now by no means was Bräck a nobody, he was the 1998 IRL champion in only his second year and the 1999 winner of the Indy 500. In the 2000 season he made the move to the CART series to drive for Team Rahal and consequently won CART rookie of the year. The next year he finished second in the championship, winning 4 races along with 6 pole positions. Additionally Bräck raced in the 2001 IROC season and achieved an impressive overall 3rd place, the highest place of a driver who had never driven a stock car and finished only 1 point behind Tony Stewart.
In 2003 Bräck returned to the Indy series in what would be his final full season of open wheel racing. In the final race of the season at Texas Motor Speedway, Bräck was involved in a massive crash that should have taken his life. After locking wheels with Thomas Scheckter, Bräck's car launched up into the catch fence at 220 mph. The force of the crash is said to have been measured at 214 Gs, the highest ever recorded that someone has survived, serious injury or death can occur at only 25Gs. As a result of the crash Bräck had suffered severe injuries that included a broken sternum and breaking his sternum, femur, shattering a vertebra in his spine and crushing his ankles. He required immediate life saving surgeries that lasted for over 12 hours and only a month into his hospital recovery he developed a blood clot in his lung which again would have probably proved to be fatal to a typical person, but again Bräck made it through. In all he spent 18 months recovering from the crash. What might be even more amazing is how he views the incident. !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!!
Bräck returned to Indycar to race in the 2005 Indy 500, where he was largely overshadowed by Danica Patrick's attempt to become the first woman to win the race. This basically marked the end of his racing career and he "retired." Retirement for Kenny included competing in the 2009 X Games, competing in a number of rallies and even managing young racing drivers like Marcus Ericsson. He also is rather fond of making the Ford GT40 do whatever he pleases.
Bräck has become a regular name in the Goodwood Revival, taking older race cars such as the GT40, McLaren F1 GTR Longtail, and Shelby Daytona Coupe and absolutely thrashing them. The video above is a qualifying lap in the rain where Kenny displays his absolutely massive balls by going 110% where most everyone else is going around 50% so as not to stuff millions of dollars worth of car. My personal favorite part? He's doing this on cross ply tires. And again, look at how Kenny views the whole thing. He really is a superman.
Sam
> Trunk Impaired 318
02/21/2015 at 13:56 |
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I'm amazed that he was in a crash like that and wasn't paralyzed.
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Trunk Impaired 318
> Sam
02/21/2015 at 14:00 |
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For sure, for him to come out of it and to be able to do what he does now is absolutely incredible
DrJohannVegas
> Trunk Impaired 318
02/21/2015 at 14:05 |
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I remember Brack's crash, and do enjoy seeing him at the Revival. It's a shame that such a talented guy didn't get to realize his full potential due to a combination of sanctioning body issues and horrifying accidents.Great post. One small amendment:
He's doing this on cross ply (radial) tires.
I think you mean "bias" tires here, so non-radial.
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Trunk Impaired 318
> DrJohannVegas
02/21/2015 at 14:09 |
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Right you are