> PITTSBURGH (UPI) -- The tie rod on a classic car at the Pittsburgh
> Vintage Grand Prix apparently snapped, causing the vehicle to go out of
> control and killing the driver.
This was really a tragic accident. My wife and I were there.
After further investigation, it was determined that the tie rod had *not*
snapped, that the broken piece was actually a sway bar. So, the cause of
the accident is still unknown. There were some reports from spectators
that the driver was slumped over just prior to going off-course, but an
autopsy revealed no evidence of a heart attack or any other condition.
I suspect that the car and driver were OK, but that the driver was leaning
down, looking at his feet for some unknown reason.
> David Kuhn, 50, crashed his 1953 MG-TD Sunday after completing a 90-
> degree left turn in Schenley Park on part of the race course where there
> were no spectators.
We were watching at the Westinghouse pond, which is on the outside of the
Turn 10 hairpin. Exiting from 10, the cars go uphill to a fairly tight
90-degree Turn 11. The exit of 11 then goes out of sight of any spectator
areas. After exiting 11, there is a short uphill straight which is guarded
on the right-hand side by a short stone wall/high stone curb. Over the
wall are lots of trees on a steep drop.
> The car went over a 2-foot stone retaining wall and traveled along it
> for about 50 feet before falling over a 10-foot drop. Police say Kuhn's
> neck was pinned between the car and a tree.
>From what I could see, Kuhn was extremely unlucky. He couldn't have been
going very fast --- reports said that exit speeds at Turn 11 were less than
30 miles/hour. More speed would have been scrubbed off climbing the wall,
and then Kuhn had the misfortune to miss getting caught by any of the trees
guarding the drop-off over the wall. His car exactly fit through a narrow
gap in the trees, thereby allowing the car to drop all the way down the 10
feet or so, at which point the car rolled part of the way over.
> Kuhn's car was the only one involved in the wreck. It was the first
> fatal accident in the 11-year history of the race.
The accident happened on lap 4 of an 8-lap race involving about 15-16 MGT
cars. Kuhn's car was attracting a lot of attention, because he started
fairly far back in the field (about 8th, I think), and was working his way
up pretty well. I think he was up the 4th place when the accident happened
(although the newpaper reported that just prior to the accident he had
slowed and dropped back several places).
> An estimated 90,000 people attended the Grand Prix, which was
> canceled after the accident.
This is a great event. On Saturday, there is a big vintage car show. Over
1000 cars all together, with about 400 of them being British. Sue and I
showed our TR6, along with about 40 other TR6's. Lots of MGT cars, Jaguar
XK's (including a stunning never-restored XK120), E-types, TR3/3As,
TR4/4A/250s, Spitfires. A lone TR2 and only one bugeye sprite (though
there were several sprites. Tons of AH 3000s and a few 100s. I was very
impressed with very nice Sunbeam Talbot (actually, there were two, but one
was in pretty rough shape). Sue has a particular affection for the Tigers.
Lots of Mini's, Morris Minors, TR7's and 8's, MGBs, Morgans --- really a
great collection of cars!
The Marque of the Year this year was the Corvette. It's really amazing how
well the old (pre-stingray) 'vette's have held up. They really looked
good.
Did any of you manage to make it down? I know I ran into at least one of
the netters...
Peter
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