Sad but true racing story, well told.

[m610]

It's not about Opels. It's about the deadly 1955 Le Mans crash.

Link: https://youtu.be/22I7yJiOu0s

Mike

[GTRoy]

Mike, Good Show ! I wasn't expecting a 'cartoon' and almost didn't watch it, but glad I did.
The 'story' was well told. The problem ; watching YouTube is like potato chips, I can't have only one.
So Monday eve was spent, gone forever. I didn't say wasted.... There were other videos about 1955.
..One is Mike Hawthorn driving the Circuit in '56 (?) at speed with local traffic on the road, almost funny.
Another has Juan Fangio at Laguna Seca in 1985, He was my hero in the '50s-'60 and I missed seeing that.

John Fitch was featured in that '55 video, He did a lot for racing and highway safety in the following years.
Maybe you have seen 'A Gullwing at Twightlight, The Bonneville Ride of John Fitch".
...I think I recorded that back when copying from cable TV was easy, it was on PBS. It's still available.

[soybean]

It was a good "Video" I was amazed that Mercedes pulled out for so many years. Neat to find this piece of "Racing History". Thanks Mike, Jarrell

[dpre]

Interesting I to wasn't expecting a cartoon, but captured my attention and oddly enough I watched until the end.
Thanks Mike

[MikeNotigan]

The cartoon was tastefully done, avoiding the carnage that occured. For that, there are the British Pathe news pieces on youtube that show the crash in real time. Literally 1 or 2 seconds; those in the crowd never had a chance avoiding the caterpaulting engine block, hood or rear axle, literally mowing down the crowd.

There is an alternate view of the race cars up to the point where the Mercedes was cut off and becomes airborne as it hit's the dirt embankment near the stands. The film cuts out the moment the race car is hurtling towards whomever was behind the camera. I can't imagine who filmed this scene, survived.


A few years back, Carl Edwards in his Ford Nascar race car, got airborne after being nudged at near 200 mph at the Talledega Super Speedway. Amazingly, the tall catch fence and the wall prevented his car from going into the crowd. I differ with those who think motor racing is not a sport. It's one of the few events where a paying spectator can come and watch where life and death is just a couple inches away from both driver and race fan.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G7lfK7IOmk4

[opelbits]

It's amazing how many people interested in motorsports do not know about the 55 LeMans. The film from it is horrible to watch and even changed the attitude of a couple people I know that like to watch 'crash' videos. I suppose someday someone will feel compelled to make a movie about it.