VIDEO: Scott Sharp's Acura prototype completely destroyed during Petit Le Mans practi

**Autoblog** · #1 09-27-2009, 08:33 PM

Scott Sharp's accident at the Petit Le Mans Thursday practice session - click above to watch the video after the jump

Earlier, we told you about the Patron Highcroft racing team's marathon 20 hour build of a brand new Acura ARX-02a the day before the Petit Le Mans. The reason the crew had to work even harder than normal on a race weekend was a crash during Thursday's afternoon practice that left many observers astonished as Scott Sharp walked away unharmed.

Sharp's LMP1 Acura was heading into turn 3 at Road Atlanta when it apparently made contact with another racer exiting the pit lane. This caused the Acura's front end to lift, and that's never a good thing in one of these high-powered prototypes. Into the air the car went. After makng 3.5 revolutions, Sharp managed to crawl out of the car's remains with just a clump of mud stuck to the top of his helmet.

"I really don't know what happened," Sharp said. "I was heading up the hill in sixth gear and felt a hit in the right rear. The wheel arches are very high with the wide front tires on the Acura - I didn't see a thing - only felt the contact. I knew it was a big one and I am just really grateful to Acura and all the boys at Patrón Highcroft Racing for building such a strong car. I'm shattered for Duncan, all the guys, Brabs and Dario (Franchitti). We went through this last year and I can't believe it's happened again. I was just thinking to myself how much I like this place when next thing I'm headed upside down with a mouth full of Georgia clay."

Heading into Atlanta, Sharp and co-driver David Brabham were tied at 142 points and leading the LMP1 drivers championship race, a position they maintained by finishing sixth in yesterday's rain-shortened Petit Le Mans. The video of the crash is available after the jump. Thanks for the tip, Ryan.

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