Dear Editor,
Your November 2014 issue just arrived, and I have to disagree with the report on the death of Mr. Lee Duran (News, Lime Rock Historic Festival 2014). I happened to be watching his race from the false grid area, near the downhill turn. At the apex of the downhill turn, a bump always forms no matter how well the track surface is redone. The forces of gravity and the increased grip that development of tires has produced will always create a bump.
When Mr. Duran came through on the second lap (I believe), his car looked normal. Suddenly, though, the front tires began to shimmy. The shimmy was so violent, that a dust cloud enveloped the front tires. Apparently, the dust was brake dust that was shaken from the drums. The car then ran behind the tree and cut off my view, then the fire truck also cut off my view. From behind the fire truck, I next saw the car in a spin. The car then caught on one side, flipped up into the air, beginning a roll. The car hit the ground with its wheels, then bounced into the air as it rolled. Mr. Duran was held in the car by his belts and his arms were held over his head, but at that instant, all was upside down.
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