This Honda Accord Race Car Goes Flying in Huge Wreck

Honda driver walks away unharmed after massive rollover.

Jason Fichtner took a wild ride in a massive crash that sent his Shea Racing Honda Accord V6 rolling and tumbling some 10 feet in the air during the first Pirelli World Challenge race at VIRginia International Raceway last weekend. The crash looks extreme and completely annihilated the car, but Fichtner walked away without major injury.

The rollover came at one of the fastest parts of VIRginia International Raceway, the entry to the climbing esses. Drivers typically take the esses at full throttle and where Fichtner flew off at the first curve, speeds were typically more than 100 miles per hour in the TC-class Honda. It’s small wonder that the car leaped so high mid-roll with the kinetic energy of more than 3,000 pounds at 100 mph. Video proved inconclusive if the car slid off from a mistake or if it had been helped with contact from another car.

Thankfully, Fichtner walked away from the wreck, which left the car an unrecognizable heap. His car owner, Shea Holbrook, drove her Accord V6 over after the wreck to make sure Fichtner was alright. A hospital visit came with clear X-rays and CAT scans, though Fichtner had a few bruises and probably would be sore. The Accord and safety equipment (rollcage, safety nets, containment seat, head-and-neck restraint, and inherent crash structure) all did their job in the big wreck.

Fichtner posted this to his Facebook page.

“So I had quite a spectacular end to my race. It was the wildest ride I’ve ever been on but I’d rather not do it again. Massive thanks to Honda and Shea Racing for building an incredibly safe car. I’m also so greatful for our amazing Pirelli World Challenge safety team who took great care of me. And to my teammate Shea Holbrook (mother hen) thanks for stopping your race to check on me! I’m a little sore but Mrs. Piggy (my car) is in a little worse condition.”

It was tough weekend overall for Honda.

For the rest of the Hondas, the weekend proved challenging in Pirelli World Challenge’s Touring Car classes. BMW M235i Cup and TCR-spec Audi RS3 LMS looked unbeatable in the top TC class for the handful of Accord V6s. In the TCA class for stock-engine and stock-suspension cars, the Honda Civic Si had no answer for a cadre of Mazda MX-5s. (How are Miatas touring cars? We’re still not sure.)

Shea Holbrook’s 16th place in the weekend’s second race was the best TC finish for an Accord V6. In TCA, Sarah Montgomery debuted in World Challenge with a sixth-place in the first race with her Civic Si while Paul Whiting matched that in his Civic for Race 2. Ahead of them in both races? All MX-5s. In the TCB class for economy-sized hatchbacks, Jake Pipal took home two podiums in the six-car field.

You can watch the crash in the Saturday highlights as well as the entire race here: