Brainerd, MN : Driver dies in high-speed crash at BIR on Sunday, 11th November 2018

A Trans Am racecar driver is dead after crashing head-on with a concrete wall at high speed Sunday afternoon at Brainerd International Raceway.

The driver was identified by track officials as Mel Shaw, 70, of New Jersey. Several online sources describe Shaw as a veteran of the racing industry who began racing nearly 50 years ago.The crash occurred on Turn 3 of the 2.5-mile Competition Road Course during a Sports Car Club of America race. The smaller 12-lap race took place between two Trans Am Series events as part of the PleasureLand RV Show and Go at the racetrack.

The turn at which Shaw's car lost control is at the end of the fastest straight-away on the track, Copham said, where vehicles reach speeds of 150 mph. Copham said in addition to its high-speed entry, the turn is fairly tight.

Witnesses to the crash described Shaw's car as moving noticeably fast for the conditions. They said it sounded as though the throttle on the vehicle was revving and accelerating instead of slowing down for the curve.

"We heard the cars coming and it was very obvious that this particular car was not slowing down soon enough," said Larry Gau, race spectator from Dayton. "He was downshifting, trying to slow down, but as soon as he came back on the gears the car would accelerate and the throttle would advance again. He basically went straight off the end of the track with the throttle accelerating, and went almost straight into the wall."

Gau said he'd attended many racing events, but had never witnessed a crash like Sunday's firsthand.

"It was one of those accidents that made you sick to your stomach," Gau said. "It was very obvious he was going to be injured pretty badly."

Steve Hindman of Baxter was also among the dozen or so spectators watching the race at Turn 3.

"Before you know it, he was head-on into the fence," Hindman said. "It just, it happened so fast. I kept thinking he was going to make the curve, but his car kept revving up."

Hindman said he thought the driver was traveling at more than 100 mph when he struck the concrete barrier. He wondered whether a sandy area or a tire barrier, known as "tire pillows," could have lessened the impact of the crash.

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