Reporting that Nobuhiro “Monster” Tajima crashed his race car at a hill climb event just doesn’t feel right. Tajima is renowned for his ability to control absolutely ballistic specialty cars on tarmac and gravel, and among other notable achievements, is one of the fastest men to ever ascend Pikes Peak, tarmac or gravel. So to learn that Tajima wrecked out of the Repco Race to the Sky event in New Zealand came as a huge surprise, until you see the footage of the accident. Race to the Sky is an event similar to Pikes Peak, but it’s all gravel. It’s not Tajima’s driving that does him in…his driving is calculated and virtually flawless. Instead, his Toyota Super 86 race car appears to shed part of the main body, which took out the rear wing. Once that happened the Toyota got tail-happy and spun itself off of the course and into the boulders. The wreck looked violent, but Tajima emerged unscathed. He credited the safety gear of the car and remarked, “I need a flying license!” Not too many people would be nearly as calm after an accident like that.
(Courtesy: Autoblog)
What a character!
He might be the world’s fastest pensioner but he’s got a heart of gold and balls of steel!
What a course though – I’d be surprised if there haven’t been a few fatal offskys with that loose surface and sheer drops
No disrespect – but it kind of makes Pikes Peak look like its for pussies!
From someone who used to work at the restaurant on top of Pikes Peak…it’s a very close comparison as far as the drop-offs and turns. Luckily enough for Tajima-san he crashed off at a fairly safe-looking spot…would have hated to see that thing go tail-loose near a Wile E. Coyote-inspired cliff.
“the Toyota got tail-happy and spun itself off of the course and into the boulders”
So where were the boulders?