We’re not ones to give in to superstition, but there’s a growing body of evidence to suggest the Nissan DeltaWing racer is cursed. The innovative race car crashed hard at Le Mans when it collided with a Toyota TS030, and many thought the car’s racing days were over. Fans were thrilled when it was announced the car would return to the American Le Mans Series for one more race, this weekend’s Petit Le Mans at Road Atlanta.
As the video below (from HighcroftTV, via ALMS) shows, driver Gunnar Jeannette ran out of luck as he headed into turn 11, the steepest drop-off on the Road Atlanta circuit. It’s a blind corner, meaning that you can’t see the entry until you’re right on top of it, which makes it… entertaining at high speeds. The correct line is essential, as turn 11 ultimately leads on to the front straight.
From what we can tell in the video, the driver of the green Porsche 911 went wide on the entry to turn 11. Given that he abruptly turns into the DeltaWing, causing the crash, we’d say the Porsche driver never even saw the car closing on him. Could that be the issue behind the DeltaWing’s string of bad luck? It’s low profile and stealth color make it nearly invisible?
That makes more sense to our logical minds than the car being cursed. Word is that the car will be repaired in time for qualifying, and it will run in Saturday’s Petit Le Mans. Let’s hope the ALMS is able to address the visibility issue before the race, because we really don’t want to see another DeltaWing crash video.
Kurt Ernst has been passionate about automobiles and driving nearly his entire life. His early years were shaped working in the family service station, though his real passion was auto racing. After graduating from the University of Colorado, Kurt spent a year club racing with the Sports Car Club of America, before focusing on a business career in marketing and project management. Later, his passion for writing and the automotive hobby found him freelancing for a variety of automotive news sites, including Automotive Addicts and Motor Authority, where his work was syndicated and appeared in several national publications. Recognized as an expert in the automotive field, Kurt joined Hemmings Motor News as an Associate Editor in 2013, and in the years since has progressed to Editor, Hemmings Daily; Managing Editor for Hemmings Motor News, Hemmings Classic Car, Hemmings Muscle Machines, and the Hemmings Daily; and now, Managing Editor, Hemmings Auctions. Kurt was instrumental in organizing the Hemmings Motor News Concours d’Elegance from 2013-2019, and has served as a judge at this event and The Vintage Racing Stable Concours d’Elegance. A Skip Barber Racing School graduate and prolific writer, Ernst is also skilled in copyediting, project management, brand development, and public relations.
