Brake Failure & Wreck in E36 M3 at VIR

[Eclipsor]

The brakes failed (ABS malfunction) in my E36 M3 race car at the end of the front straight at VIR. This was in the first NASA HPDE-3 session at around 9:30 yesterday morning. I impacted the tire barrier at around 80 mph. Suffered a concussion, 1.5 inch gash on my forehead that required six stitches to close, and severely bruised ribs.

Going frame by frame in the video and doing the math... between the 600 and 500 ft brake markers I was going 113 mph. Between the 100 foot marker and the turn-in arrow, I was still going 97 mph.

Regarding the gash on my forehead, I was rushed and unprepared for this trip to the track. I'm also a forgetful mofo and I thought that my helmet and HANS device was in my car. I was wrong... so I ended up using a NASA loaner helmet. When I impacted the tire barrier with the right side of the car, my head snapped to the right and my helmet came into contact with right side of the seat (the seat is U-shaped at the top and curves around both sides of my head). This impact crushed the helmet into my forehead, splitting open my skin on a sharp piece of plastic in the loaner helmet. I was bleeding all over the place. I may have been unconscious for a second or two, but I really am not sure. I just remember blood gushing down my face into my mouth and checking my rear view mirror to see where the **** it was coming from.

The first track worker who got to my car asked me if I was alright before actually seeing my face. I responded "yeah... I'm alright," then he looked at me and quickly responded "no you're not" and got on his radio and asked for an ambulance. I wanted to get out of the car, but no one would let me. They got me straight onto a stretcher and took me to the hospital for a CAT scan and x-rays of my neck, back, chest, etc.

I try to look on the bright side, though... my neck is alright and if I had remembered my helmet, I wouldn't have this awesome scar to use as a conversation starter. :beer: I really am extremely thankful that my neck wasn't injured. It's crazy that the first time I'm on my track without my HANS device, this **** happens. As I was careening off the track towards the wall, all I could think of was #$%* I hope I don't break my neck. I purposely tried to hit the wall at an angle instead of straight-on; I didn't want to go out like Dale Earnhardt. My neck is sore today, but I'm totally fine with that. Plus, it's nothing compared to the pain in my ribs.

I remember as I was impacting the tire barrier and everything was going in slow-motion, I could feel my ribs crushing. I thought they were going to break, but then after I came to a stop, I didn't feel any pain. I guess that was a result of the adrenaline coursing through my veins. Even on the trip to the hospital on the super uncomfortable backboard, I didn't feel any pain. It took another couple hours before I started feeling it, and GODDAMN was it excruciating. I could hardly move at all without feeling like someone was smashing me in my ribs with a sledge hammer. I also started to feel nauseated as a result of the concussion, which was not pleasant at all. I was so worried that I'd throw up, because the pain that would have caused my ribs would have been ****ing ridiculous. Even a little hiccup was enough to send me through the roof, let alone vomiting. The doctor gave me some anti-nausea pills and that fixed my stomach relatively quickly... thank God.

Manly Scar:




Wreck Only:

<!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bos8YsUWlA8">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bos8YsUWlA8</a><!-- m -->


Full Video:

<!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8XO35pr1H1E">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8XO35pr1H1E</a><!-- m -->

[Apoc]

The perspective of the video made it seem far more harmless than it really was. Crazy.

I've always wondered about borrowed gear, given you aren't the one maintaining it and it may not be properly fitted for you. I guess this shows what could happen, although I guess there's no guarantee it wouldn't have happened with your own gear. Regardless, you got wicked lucky. Heal up fast.

Any idea what caused the failure?

[premiershine9]

Wow, sounds like on hell of a ride- glad you are OK!

-Dan

[Jake]

Well, hey there. Didn't realize this was you. JJ and I were in the yellow pace car that came out to the scene, and he's the one who wouldn't let you get out of the car. Aaron (silver pace car driver) brought your medical/contact info out shortly after. Very glad to hear you're alright -- cars can be replaced, people cannot. Fingers crossed for a speedy recovery for ya.

[BLINGMW]

It's crazy that the first time I'm on my track without my HANS device, this **** happens.

Yes that is pretty wild. And so's the video. Take care of yourself tomorrow.

[Jewels]

Yeah, didn't realize this was someone we knew. Glad you are ok. You gave us all a pretty good scare for a Saturday morning. Be glad JJ wouldn't let you out of the car when he was talking to you, if you had, had something really wrong, it could have been pretty detrimental.

[D_Eclipse9916]

Ow, that was a hard impact. Always a good sign when you are walking around afterwards though. Is yours a 95? Did the ABS fail or did the car go into ice mode?

[SlimKlim]

Wow, glad you're ok. That's a gnarly looking crash. Did the ABS module just fry?

[Steve85]

Yeah, glad you're "OK". A reminder of why I'm not going back out there until I'm done with the upgraded safety stuff.

Interested in the failure too, ABS failure should still allow substantial braking. What is this ice mode DJ speaks of?

[Mike]

The perspective of the video made it seem far more harmless than it really was. Crazy.

ya, for real... looks like a little tap in the video.

as mentioned on 2dp, glad you're doing well.

i suppose nasa will be taking a look at their loaner equipment in the near future?

[D_Eclipse9916]

What is this ice mode DJ speaks of?

Incredibly rare (and will happent to 99% of cars as well). But it does happen. Rare because the wheel speed sensors get so gunked up with crap on them, they malfunction.

[Jake]

What is this ice mode DJ speaks of?

Incredibly rare (and will happent to 99% of cars as well). But it does happen. Rare because the wheel speed sensors get so gunked up with crap on them, they malfunction.

But... what happens in "ice mode"?

Or does total brake failure happen in ice mode?

[JustinG]

Glad your ok, let us know if you find anything out about the brake failure

[D_Eclipse9916]

What is this ice mode DJ speaks of?

Incredibly rare (and will happent to 99% of cars as well). But it does happen. Rare because the wheel speed sensors get so gunked up with crap on them, they malfunction.

But... what happens in "ice mode"?

Or does total brake failure happen in ice mode?

ABS freaks out, shuts down. Some people report getting an extremely stiff pedal but no brakes. Some people say they just lose ABS and the rears lock up first resulting in some tailhappiness.

Why I asked if his was a 1995, is the 95s have a different (not as good) ABS system than the 96-99s and their pumps and relays seem to start to have issues in the 120-200k mile range.

[SlimKlim]

Why I asked if his was a 1995, is the 95s have a different (not as good) ABS system than the 96-99s and their pumps and relays seem to start to have issues in the 120-200k mile range.

...Guess I'm gonna add that to my long term list.

[Eclipsor]

It was ice mode. Stiff pedal.... felt like it should have been working, but nothing was happening. Really shitty feeling. I guess I'll just pull the damn ABS fuse next time I get onto the track with any car. I handled lack of ABS just fine in Skip Barber cars. F1 guys don't use it. Screw ABS if it's gonna try to kill me. It was a 98 M3, by the way.

And yeah, that perspective doesn't do any justice to how hard the impact actually was.

[D_Eclipse9916]

It was ice mode. Stiff pedal.... felt like it should have been working, but nothing was happening. Really shitty feeling. I guess I'll just pull the damn ABS fuse next time I get onto the track with any car. I handled lack of ABS just fine in Skip Barber cars. F1 guys don't use it. Screw ABS if it's gonna try to kill me. .

The proportioning valve within the ABS prevents you from doing that correctly. It sends a LOT of pressure to the rear when you lose ABS.

To delete ABS properly, you would have to delete the pump/stockvalve and run new lines and a proportioning valve.

(or just be real baller and do a Tilton dual master cylinder setup).

[Apoc]

FWIW, I've never been on a track with ABS.

[Eclipsor]

Well, hey there. Didn't realize this was you. JJ and I were in the yellow pace car that came out to the scene, and he's the one who wouldn't let you get out of the car. Aaron (silver pace car driver) brought your medical/contact info out shortly after. Very glad to hear you're alright -- cars can be replaced, people cannot. Fingers crossed for a speedy recovery for ya.

Yeah, didn't realize this was someone we knew. Glad you are ok. You gave us all a pretty good scare for a Saturday morning. Be glad JJ wouldn't let you out of the car when he was talking to you, if you had, had something really wrong, it could have been pretty detrimental.

Thanks for looking after me, guys... and believe me, I have nothing against the people who didn't let me out of the car. I wasn't thinking straight at the time, and I'm very glad that I was taken to the hospital and properly evaluated.

The proportioning valve within the ABS prevents you from doing that correctly. It sends a LOT of pressure to the rear when you lose ABS.

To delete ABS properly, you would have to delete the pump/stockvalve and run new lines and a proportioning valve.

(or just be real baller and do a Tilton dual master cylinder setup).

Thanks for the info. I'm definitely getting rid of it on my next track car (not sure what that will be, yet). I do like the sound of dual master cylinders. One less single point of failure is always a good thing. :wink:

Thinking back now... ABS has tried to kill me one other time in my life. Now that I am well aware of ice mode and what it feels like, I'm pretty sure that I experienced it while driving my Dad's R8 very hard on the street about a year ago. ABS freaked out on me after hard braking over some potholes. I had zero control over the car and was heading straight for a tree and it felt like I was on ice. I let off the brake pedal, got the tires spinning again, got back into it and baaaarely saved it. I hate ABS with a passion. It has never once helped me and now it has tried to kill me twice.

[Dave]

As stated by all, sorry to hear this happened but very glad that you're OK. Could have been much much worse.
It still freaks me out that we talked that morning about dialing it back a little bit since you weren't in your full face helmet/HANS and then this shit happens to you. Hope the recovery is speedy and we get to see you out again soon.

DJ - Have you heard any discussion on ways to prevent this from happening? Sounds like an annual cleaning of the wheel speed sensors might be a good thing to add to the off-season checklist. What else could cause this?