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Picture
Information
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| URL:
http://riceornot.ricecop.com/?auto=12254 |
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| Comments: 4 (Read/Post) Favorites: 0 (View) |
Submitted
on: 10-06-2002
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Category:
Other Vehicle |
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Description:
Le Mans, 1955, The Jaguar of Mike Hawthorne leaves the pits after a fuel stop, and passes the burning wreck of a Mercedes that only minutes before, somersaulted into a spectator enclosure and burst into flames, 80 people were killed by the flames and flying debris. Mercedes withdrew their cars from competiton, but the race continued |
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| #1 |
10-06-2002 @ 04:30:05 PM |
| Posted By : Low-Tech Redneck |
Reply | Edit | Del |
The driver of the Mercedes, Pierre Levegh, also died in the crash, he had complained at a pre race driver's meeting that the cars were too fast for the track, each of the 3 laps prior to the accident had been consecutively higher speed records for the course. Following the accident, many safety improvements were instituted, but Le Mans, like Indianapolis and other major races, still continues to claim lives of the participants
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| #2 |
10-06-2002 @ 11:45:41 PM |
| Posted By : blackcat77 |
Reply | Edit | Del |
Levegh's car had hit another, much slower, car and ramped into the crowd. Complicating the problem was the that Mercedes had many magnesium components which made it impossible to put out the flames. Within a week after this tragedy, Switzerland banned auto racing and the ban remains in effect today.
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| #3 |
10-06-2002 @ 11:48:17 PM |
| Posted By : blackcat77 |
Reply | Edit | Del |
One more thing -- the previous year, Levegh's car had been WAY out in front with just a couple hours to go, but he had refused any relief drivers. He was exhausted to the point of being just about unresponsive during pit stops and finally messed up a shift and destroyed his transmission.
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| #4 |
10-06-2002 @ 11:50:46 PM |
| Posted By : Low-Tech Redneck |
Reply | Edit | Del |
Hawthorne's pit stop precipitated the crash, his crew waved him in, and in entering the pits, another driver had to check up to avoid him, and that's the car that Levegh's car hit
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