Land speed racing is one of the more imposing forms of motorsports in the known universe because you are literally fighting an invisible enemy…air. That pesky stuff that you can’t see will really ruin your day at ever higher speeds. It is the reason why the Bloodhound SSC team is using turbines, rockets, eel farts, and whatever else that they can conjure to go 1,000mph. There’s another enemy at some of the best known LSR joints, too. That’s the very surface on which the car is driving. Bonneville’s salt can be loose, hard, wet, or something in the middle while El Mirage’s silt like dirt has an attitude all of its own as the driver of this very fast Nissan GTR discovered at the last meet of the SCTA season in November.
While on a charge that looked to be tickling the 200mph mark at the finish, the car hooked a rut at 187mph and spun. Like at Bonneville the lack of surface friction and what we can assume was an increased race weight for traction, along with the aero of the car itself kept it tied to the ground. You will see the thing charging along with the turbocharged six banger wailing away and then all of a sudden the mountains are off to the side and then out the side window and then….ruh ro! Thankfully the car comes to a stop on its wheels and all was OK but it had to be a “rather disconcerting” feeling when that baby was headed in a different direction while screaming towards 200mph!
Here’s the language from the video description:
Serenity GT-R catches a rut and spins at El Mirage in November 2014 at 187 mph attempting to break our own 191 mph run from October 2014. Serenity was on a pass and with over 600ft to the finish line, we were on pace for 196 to 197 if she would have staying straight. Follow us in 2015. We are adding 500 hp and hope to run 220 or better!
At least they made it through the traps