Watch: Driver Survives Terrifying 157-MPH Flip in Chevrolet Camaro Trans-Am Race Car
Onboard video shows the moment Scott Lagasse Jr.’s car lifted off the ground and performed a wild aerial act before landing on its roof.
There's no doubt that modern racing is far safer than any form of motorsport prior to this century, but we've been tragically reminded lately that drivers still take on massive risks when climbing into their purpose-built machines. That was proven once again on Saturday when a Trans-Am Series race at Virginia International Raceway was halted following a major single-car crash in which Scott Lagasse Jr. flipped his No. 92 Chevrolet Camaro at 157 miles per hour. The 38-year-old driver was in pursuit of the lead when he was abruptly taken for a ride in what he described as the "biggest wreck [he's] ever been involved in."
Lagasse Jr. was hunting down TA2 race leader Thomas Merrill on the penultimate lap, traveling through the tricky VIR circuit's Roller Coaster section. Onboard video shows the No. 92 Camaro spinning randomly and violently into the grass, completing a 180-degree maneuver before lifting off the ground.
The V8-powered Trans-Am car then landed on its roof and plowed through the trackside dirt. Another view of the incident was captured by a camera mounted to third-place runner Marc Miller's car, showing Lagasse Jr.'s wild aerial act. The longtime stock car driver escaped unscathed and was cleared by the on-site medical center shortly afterward.
“I am thankful for the M1 Racecars chassis and Simpson for keeping me safe," Lagasse Jr. explained. “I was able to just FaceTime my daughter just now, which, going through the air, I never thought I would again. It was a tough one but I’m still here.”
h/t: Racer
