Renna crash

[Edmonton]

http://www.tsn.ca/auto_racing/news_s...me=auto_racing

[BootsOntheSide]

The link suggests that the crash may have been caused by driver error - whcih might be a case of the IRL closing ranks to deny any safety issue. It's easy to criticise someone who can't defend themselves when it saves money.

[csl]

Maybe driver error got the car out of shape. Maybe something broke on the car. Doesn't seem that would explain it getting airborne and going through the fence.

[MichaelH]

but Tony just wasn't the kind of driver to make that kind of error.

I can't think of one occasion where he's crashed prior to this...

[B/Mark]

Not much mention is being made of how cold it was. The overnight temperature was very low and by 9.20am the track and ambient temperatures were still below the operating window for the tyres. Renna was on his fifth lap so not much time for heat build up. The set up at INDY is almost no toe in and very low downforce - much less than other tracks in the series. Why? because they can, at all other circuits the IRL mandate a rear wing setup, but not at indy.
There is also very little banking at Indy to help grip.
One final issue the G force has been designed as a lower downforce/drag car than the Dallara.
So, we have low downforce, low banking, cold temperatures, cold tyres and a young driver keen to show his metal at probably the toughest oval in the series.
Is this driver error? Well renna was behind the wheel, but should he have even been sent out? Maybe excitement and enthusiasm clouded his judgement, but guys he was a racer and virtually all other drivers in the same position may have done the same. It was his bad luck that what followed was a combination of unusual events that cost his life.