Two drivers are suing WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca after a day at the track turned into a nightmare when a worker driving a telehandler crashed into their Nissan Skyline GT-Rs while they were stopped on the track’s front straight during a red flag earlier this month.
According to the complaint, which was filed on Tuesday in Monterey County Superior Court by lawyers representing the GTR owners Artin Nazaryan and Akihiro Fuchigami, the two men were following Laguna Seca’s instructions by safely pulling over to the side of the track after their session was red flagged due to another incident. While they were stopped, a telehandler—a large, forklift-type tractor with an extendable boom—entered the track behind them carrying a stack of tires, drove directly towards them, and struck with both cars with the drivers still inside.
Videos of the crash and photos of the damage went viral on Instagram immediately after Nazaryan posted them in the wake of the incident.
The Drive reached out to Nazaryan, whose lawyer provided the images seen in this article as well as the court filing. A media and public relations representative with Laguna Seca responded to our request for comment with the following statement: “An incident involving a track support vehicle and a racecar occurred at the facility during a privately operated on-track event earlier this month. The track continues to work through the process with diligence and timeliness.”
The collision destroyed the back of Nazaryan’s red R34 GT-R, crushing the trunk and rear bumper, breaking the rear window glass, and toppling its wing. Fuchigami’s purple R32 GT-R was also seriously damaged on its right rear quarter panel.
The lawsuit alleges that “the telehandler operator proceeded without maintaining a safe and clear line of sight ahead and without taking adequate measures to ensure the path of travel was clear,” and that he “failed to perceive both of Plaintiffs’ stopped vehicles in front of him in sufficient time to avoid a collision.” It asserts that the machine was operated in a “grossly negligent manner,” and that precautions of “appropriate communications,” as well as spotters and guidance, were not employed.
Lastly, it claims both Nazaryan and Fuchigami suffered injuries “including, but not limited to, physical injuries, pain and suffering, emotional distress, mental anguish, inconvenience, and such other non-economic losses as will be proven at trial.”
Setting aside the significant monetary value of the cars, they were clearly labors of love for both owners, and Nazaryan’s Instagram profile shows he only bought his R34 in March. It’s not our place to determine the level of Laguna Seca’s negligence here, but what’s indisputable from the photos and videos is that something went terribly wrong that day. Hopefully, someone makes it right.