Vinicius Maschio's Fatal Crash @ Curitiba 2010
The 17º Festival Brasileiro de Arrancada, one of the most traditional drag racing events of Brazil, was held on the drag strip of the Autódromo Internacional de Curitiba between 10 and 12 December 2010. Organized by Força Livre, the 17º Festival was the last competition of the 2010 drag racing schedule in Paraná State. The Curitiba dragstrip, likely the prime drag racing facility in Brazil, uses the start/finish straight of main road course and its timed section measures a quarter of a mile.
One of the competitors taking part on the Festival was Vinicius Maschio, who drove for the teel Limit Performance team, based in São Paulo. Vinicius was considered one of the most experienced competitors on his class, and the black Opala he drove was a constant presence in the main drag racing events in São Paulo and Curitiba.
At approximately 17h00 of Friday, 10 December, Maschio participated with his 1970s Chevrolet Opala in that day's second and last practice session. Maschio used the right lane of the strip, and was making a solo run. Approximately 300 meters down the strip, just under five seconds after departing, the Opala waved to the left, so Vinicius slightly lifted the throttle to regain control of the car. Maschio steered the car to the right, but that made the right rear wheel lose contact with the pavement. Maschio fought to regain control of the machine, but it entered a pendulum and flipped over, sliding down the track. Still on its roof, the car hit the grassy area run off on the right side of the track, some 75 meters after the pitlane exit, and violently barrel rolled three times. It then hit the guard rail that runs along the straight; unfortunately, the blunt of the impact took place near the roof and the driver seat. The black Opala #551 rolled twice over the guard rail before bouncing back to the grassy area, flipping two more times and finally ending on its wheels. The car was completely destroyed in the accident. Maschio suffered extensive injuries, including several fractures - including a skull fracture - and massive head trauma.
In coma, Maschio was transported to the intensive care unit of the Hospital Cajuru in Curitiba, where his death was pronounced at 19h30. The organization of the Festival decided to continue with the proceedings as homage to Vinícius.
Vinicius Maschio lived in an unknown city in the state of São Paulo. He was survived by his wife and their three daughters.
According to some competitors present at the Festival, the pavement of the Curitiba drag strip has an irregularity close to the place where Maschio's car first swerved off its normal trajectory. It has been therefore suspected that such irregularity could have unsettled the Opala, triggering the accident.
R.I.P
One of the competitors taking part on the Festival was Vinicius Maschio, who drove for the teel Limit Performance team, based in São Paulo. Vinicius was considered one of the most experienced competitors on his class, and the black Opala he drove was a constant presence in the main drag racing events in São Paulo and Curitiba.
At approximately 17h00 of Friday, 10 December, Maschio participated with his 1970s Chevrolet Opala in that day's second and last practice session. Maschio used the right lane of the strip, and was making a solo run. Approximately 300 meters down the strip, just under five seconds after departing, the Opala waved to the left, so Vinicius slightly lifted the throttle to regain control of the car. Maschio steered the car to the right, but that made the right rear wheel lose contact with the pavement. Maschio fought to regain control of the machine, but it entered a pendulum and flipped over, sliding down the track. Still on its roof, the car hit the grassy area run off on the right side of the track, some 75 meters after the pitlane exit, and violently barrel rolled three times. It then hit the guard rail that runs along the straight; unfortunately, the blunt of the impact took place near the roof and the driver seat. The black Opala #551 rolled twice over the guard rail before bouncing back to the grassy area, flipping two more times and finally ending on its wheels. The car was completely destroyed in the accident. Maschio suffered extensive injuries, including several fractures - including a skull fracture - and massive head trauma.
In coma, Maschio was transported to the intensive care unit of the Hospital Cajuru in Curitiba, where his death was pronounced at 19h30. The organization of the Festival decided to continue with the proceedings as homage to Vinícius.
Vinicius Maschio lived in an unknown city in the state of São Paulo. He was survived by his wife and their three daughters.
According to some competitors present at the Festival, the pavement of the Curitiba drag strip has an irregularity close to the place where Maschio's car first swerved off its normal trajectory. It has been therefore suspected that such irregularity could have unsettled the Opala, triggering the accident.
R.I.P