Zanardi crash at National Prelude Meet

fangtl · 18 June 2004

http://www.nationalpreludemeet.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=373

"...Had one 5th Gen smack the wall pretty good on the back stretch, and another one slightly hit the wall. Only car-to-car contact was from a NSX driving up into a BMW M Coupe (Z3) at the corner of an apex, NSX should have never been there (NSX driver proceeded to put the NSX into the wall the following day at the NASA event). "

Picture of the damage with the M Coupe:

http://increasedvelocity.com/members/alvanderp/NPM Photos/Crash/

Supposedly the Saturday crash resulted in a total loss.

nsxtasy · 18 June 2004

Funny how the story seems to change in the telling...

This was discussed on the NSX e-mail lists, where the Zanardi NSX owner posted about what happened. There was indeed car-to-car contact on Friday, and most on the list felt that, based on his description of the incident, the Zanardi should indeed not have been where it was.

Given that the Zanardi owner mentioned that his damage was estimated at $3,000, I think it's safe to say that the statement about the NSX going into the wall the following day never happened. Perhaps it was a different NSX. Or perhaps it wasn't even an NSX at all.

NsXMas · 18 June 2004

So sad to see another Zanardi go down.

If I was the owner of a pristine Zanardi, I'd pamper it like a queen. If I wanted to track, I'd buy another NSX, modify the heck out of it, and race that NSX.

NeoNSX · 18 June 2004

nsxtasy said:
...I think it's safe to say that the statement about the NSX going into the wall the following day never happened. Perhaps it was a different NSX. Or perhaps it wasn't even an NSX at all.

Perhaps it was the face of the other driver that went through the wall?

NsXMas : Just what we need; another Zanardi Garage Queen.

If you had a Zanardi it would be a crime NOT to track it... and take LOTS of photos for Prime.

NSX's need to be free. They have feelings and dreams too.

Back to those accident photos... looks on the surface like just the panels need replacing (hence the 'relatively' low repair costs), along repais to the "love nudge" in the back. rims look ok. tyres are probably flatwalled.

but could have been a lot worse.

NSXTASY : do you know anymore behind the accident/damage?

docjohn · 18 June 2004

afaik there is not another totaled zanardi.Ken summed up the overview as was explained to us by one of the drivers involved.

NoggZ · 18 June 2004

those who play.................:violin:

Meeyatch1 · 18 June 2004

NeoNSX said:
NsXMas : Just what we need; another Zanardi Garage Queen. If you had a Zanardi it would be a crime NOT to track it... and take LOTS of photos for Prime. NSX's need to be free. They have feelings and dreams too.

That's right!! Drive the Zanardi on the track like it was meant to be driven!! The car knows what it was built for and who it was NAMED AFTER!! Alex Zanardi would want you to drive it on the track.

satan_srv · 18 June 2004

I'm sure alex zanardi would say "damn that's some nice rubbin'"

Z18 · 19 June 2004

NsXMas said:
So sad to see another Zanardi go down.

If I was the owner of a pristine Zanardi, I'd pamper it like a queen. If I wanted to track, I'd buy another NSX, modify the heck out of it, and race that NSX.

This is sorry news indeed, especially with only 50 (51?) cars originally... it's a paradox of sorts... the cars are designed to be driven, driven hard, and on the track, yet you run the risk of totalling a classic and an extremely limited edition car.

I feel the same way now that I've got my Challenge Stradale... how hard to I drive it? How many miles to put on it? How many times do I track it? I believe there are only 200 Stradales being made, and I don't know how many are making it to the states.

All that said, despite the sadness in losing a car like this, I'm still a proponent of going for it. The alternative, and forgive the frankness, is that you're a poseur. Drive the car like it was meant to be driven, but, dammit, let's stop crashing them!

Heck, if my wife wouldn't kill me, I'd love to import a new NSR-R and use that for a track car

G.Irish · 20 June 2004

I was at Beaverun that weekend (Saturday and Sunday). The Zanardi in question already had body damage so I assume it happened during the Prelude event. The damage looked to be pretty light and it did not affect the car at all mechanically because he participated in both days of HPDE.

apapada · 20 June 2004

anyone knows which Zanardi it was ? VIN ?

Zanardi 50 · 1 March 2005

NsXMas said:
So sad to see another Zanardi go down.

If I was the owner of a pristine Zanardi, I'd pamper it like a queen. If I wanted to track, I'd buy another NSX, modify the heck out of it, and race that NSX.

My sentiments exactly.

If I were to enjoy a Zanardi NSX like it's meant to be driven, I'd go as far as getting another beater 97+ (coupe if possible), then go to work on stripping out as much nonessentials as possible and slap that puppy with Z-suspensions and rims, replace PS rack w/ manual and there you have it - a Zanardi "clone" without the worries of possibly over-exerting or (gasp) crashing the original. Am I a poseur? You bet! And I wear it proudly like a badge of honor!

nsxtasy · 1 March 2005

Zanardi 50 said:
If I were to enjoy a Zanardi NSX like it's meant to be driven, I'd go as far as getting another beater 97+ (coupe if possible), then go to work on stripping out as much nonessentials as possible and slap that puppy with Z-suspensions and rims, replace PS rack w/ manual and there you have it - a Zanardi "clone" without the worries of possibly over-exerting or (gasp) crashing the original.

And then everyone would say, "Oh, no! So sad to lose another of the few 3.2-liter coupes!"

Meeyatch1 · 1 March 2005

nsxtasy said:
And then everyone would say, "Oh, no! So sad to lose another of the few 3.2-liter coupes!"

Yeah....since the 3.2 liter COUPE is actually more rare than the Zanardi, the trashing of a coupe would be more tragic. :frown:

Zanardi 50 · 2 March 2005

Meeyatch1 said:
Yeah....since the 3.2 liter COUPE is actually more rare than the Zanardi, the trashing of a coupe would be more tragic. :frown:

Not for long!

spotch · 2 March 2005

Zanardi 50 said:
Not for long!

FINALLY, an nsx I can afford!

s2ktaxi · 15 March 2005

Meeyatch1 said:
Yeah....since the 3.2 liter COUPE is actually more rare than the Zanardi, the trashing of a coupe would be more tragic. :frown:

That's true... makes me want to get a spare 3.2l coupe for the track

My 2000 Coupe is one of two made in that color combo for 2000.

Matt Cwieka · 15 March 2005

When I heard about that crash it was indeed a sad day... there are not enough Zanardi's in the world to go around and get into fender benders, heh.

I hope to see some NSX guys in Hallet for the next meet

- Matt
- Coord. for National Prelude Meet '05
- www.nationalpreludemeet.com

Chuck · 16 March 2005

Z18 said:
I feel the same way now that I've got my Challenge Stradale... how hard to I drive it? How many miles to put on it? How many times do I track it? I believe there are only 200 Stradales being made, and I don't know how many are making it to the states.

All that said, despite the sadness in losing a car like this, I'm still a proponent of going for it. The alternative, and forgive the frankness, is that you're a poseur. Drive the car like it was meant to be driven, but, dammit, let's stop crashing them!

I own a Zanardi and have tracked it many times since it was purchased in 99. I also was able to drive a students Stradale last fall and I will say, that car is made to be driven on the track. As an owner if you are not taking advantage of what it offers, you are missing a big part of ownership. That being said, when one tracks a car, you must always be aware of the potential dangers and accept the consequences. Quite frankly though, I'm not sure it's any more dangerous to track your car than it is to drive on the roads here in and around Chicago.

Zanardi crash at National Prelude Meet

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