What is causing the wrecks at Daytona?

What is going wrong with the Daytona Prototypes?

With two nearly identical accidents with two Daytona Prototypes at the winter testing at the Daytona International Speedway, many people are asking questions as to what the cause could be.

When driver error is involved, most times that accident is not duplicated later in the day.

Damage on the #5 Action Express Racing Corvette DP after a crash

Photo by: Brendan Smith

But with two reported tire failures on two cars that have undergone large amount of modifications prior to these tests, something in the equation does not add up.

Rumors at the track are that either the new diffuser on the car is lifting the car when it gets turned around, or that the relationship between the Continental Tire wearing patterns are being affected by the new aero modifications.

One team currently testing at the track does feel that it is the diffuser causing the issues.

#5 Action Express Racing Corvette DP: Joao Barbosa, Christian Fittipaldi

Photo by: Trevor Horn

I have a feeling that the TUDOR United SportsCar Championship (TUSC) officials are scratching their heads as well as to what the cause was.

With a ton of regulations and rules still to be ironed out by the TUSC brass, if there is a good time to work out the bugs, it is now.

But with that said, it is truly unfortunate that these accidents occurred today, as the Spirit of Daytona team retrieved their car from the track, packed up and went home with only a couple hours testing.

Joao Barbosa’s car was not as badly damaged, but we have yet to find out what his team will do for the remaining testing days.

More to come in the following hours and days.