Sad News in Champ Car Racing, unbelievable...

[SharkmanBMW]

Christiano Da Matta seriously injured in testing at Elkhart Lake, Wis.
Hard to believe, but he struck a deer on the track......

http://www.speedtv.com/articles/auto/champcar/30253/

[GJPinAU]

It makes you wonder how wildlife gets anywhere near race tracks.
I know we've had a couple of close calls at Bathurst with roos and once with a horse from a local property galloping down the straight in the wrong direction - terrifying!

[Nick.Hay]

Deer...

I hate deer!!

[wingman]

Yeah that footage of the roos is SCARY!!! we use to get them at Police driver Training. There's nothing better than screaming around the track and seeing a big roo at the apex...

[Reckless_Kelly]

It makes you wonder how wildlife gets anywhere near race tracks.
I know we've had a couple of close calls at Bathurst with roos and once with a horse from a local property galloping down the straight in the wrong direction - terrifying!

If you've ever been to Road America, you can easily see how this would happen. the last time I was there for a motorcycle trackday, they had to stop the day for about a half-hour to chase some deer away. The track is located in the woods about 5 miles from ANYTHING (has to be in America or people with whine about the noise). It's a wonderful 4mile long road course though, takes all day just to learn every corner!!!

[Ross]

Yes, especially on a test day when the crowds aren't present. I hope this doesn't jeopardize RA's future with champ cars.

[nizmainiac]

lets hope he gets well soon

[Jeff N.]

Actually, tracks are like mini wildlife sanctuaries. For the most part, they have a large acrage and are vacant for large periods of time. Perfect for deer.

In the drivers meetings before a lapping day here in the Seattle area, we routinely remind drivers that a "Bambi" encounter is quite possible and to be very alert for activity at the edge of the track.

We've had to red flag more than one session until a corner worker or someone can go chase Bambi back into the woods.

[Lennyz525i]

Poor guy...

When reading the title I thought the series had finally folded.

[SharkmanBMW]

update:

"This is an account via someone who had a friends at the track:-

DaMatta was at full tilt through turn 6, the deer darted out into the
track as he was coming out of the turn. The car caught the deer at the
legs with it's front wings, and the body of the deer nailed the roll
hoop, disintegrating itself, the bulk of it's carcass missing DaMatta
(Thank goodness he's known as 'Shorty', if it had been a driver the
height of Justin Wilson...). DaMatta, naturally lost control
immediately, whether conscious or unconscious at that point is open to
debate, and veered first into a tirewall, and on into a concrete wall.
The safety crew was stationed at turn 5 (It's normal staging location
for CC races at RA). They got there within seconds, and the car was at
full throttle still, although the drivetrain was no longer engaged with
the rear wheels. In the only, somewhat, humorous moment came when they
called in the injuries, DaMatta was a "2" (Requires ambulance) and the
deer a "10" (1 lowest visible injury level - 5 Normally the highest).

They medivac'd him to the closest level 2 trauma center to the track,
and did a cat scan, finding a subdural hematoma (Brain bleed). They
drilled some holes to relieve pressure and went in to fix the bleed.
He's in ICU and in a medically induced coma, and will remain so for a
few days at least, to prevent swelling. The CCWS doctor put him under
during the helicopter flight to prevent him from coming to and flailing,
etc. as brain injured patients are likely to do, this might have been
the biggest factor in DaMatta still being alive, as it also prevented
anymore swelling, which the docs at the hospital said was rapidly
increasing.


Update
The telemetry supposedly shows that DaMatta braked just prior to hitting
the deer, and was at between 100 and 150 mph when the impact occurred,
his foot then came off the brake and onto the gas (?). So that may
support the unconscious just after hitting the deer theory.

No broken bones to the head or face, and the helmet was pretty damaged,
so it did it's job."