September 4, 2011, Hanover, MD... Broadcast Sports, Inc. (BSI) was in the car with its Panning Roof On-Board Camera as Tony Kanaan traveling at about 180 mph came over the top of Helio Castroneves’ car in an amazing crash at the IZOD IndyCar Series race warm-up session at the Baltimore Grand Prix on Sunday, September 4th.
BSI’s compact, high definition on-board camera featured on NASCAR and Indy Racing League broadcasts caught a unique glimpse into the extraordinary experience of these two drivers and their cars. The camera is capable of panning 360 degrees in either direction as it follows high speed action on the track and it did just that as Tony Kanaan, driving the No. 82 GEICO KV Racing Technology-Lotus car, came into the breaking zone at turn one of the Baltimore street circuit and was met with a mechanical brake failure. About 100 feet ahead of him was Helio Castroneves, driving the No. 3 Shell V-Power Pennzoil Ultra Team Penske car, who was already breaking for the turn. The left side of TK’s out-of-control car went up onto Helio’s car and continued airborne as it flew over the top of it in a scary crash that could have been a devastating scene. Both drivers walked away from the accident without injury.
"Going down to Turn 1, I had no brakes," Kanaan related to ESPN. "Fortunately I ended up hitting Helio. If it wasn't for him, I probably was going to be hurt, but unfortunately I took him out from a mechanical failure that we caused.”
"It was frightening," he added. "Arriving at 190 mph with no brakes is definitely not fun. Helio saved my life today, I have to say. I was just disappointed because a brake failure in a racing car is something that should not happen at any time."
Just after the crash, Helio ran from his car to check on Kanaan whose car was deep into the designated runoff.
"I just felt the impact and then I saw the undertray of a car," Castroneves stated to ESPN. "He really flew, and I was very worried about it because he landed in a very bad position. When I looked he didn't move at all so I ran to make sure he was OK. I'm glad he was OK but it was a very scary accident.”
"It's a shame that we were there, but the way I understand it, he lost the brakes. At least I was there to kind of like soften the crash for him because it would have been really, really bad." Castroneves went on to say: "It's substantial. But it's mechanical. Both drivers are safe, and at the end of that day, that's what matters."
BSI provides IndyCar with the only HD on-board camera system for open wheel racing cars in the world. Not even Formula One has HD on-boards. The 360 degree panning roll hoop camera is also unique to Broadcast Sports. The amazing video caught on tape by Broadcast Sports has taken on a life of its own on YouTube where there were almost one million hits within the first forty-eight hours and the footage is one of the top videos viewed since the crash.
The Inaugural 2011 Baltimore Grand Prix, one of the largest events ever to come to downtown Baltimore took place September 2-4th. The street circuit race weekend featured a spectacular combination of world-class racing by the IZOD IndyCar Series, The American Le Mans Series, and Star Mazda. A world leader in wireless camera and audio systems for over 25 years, BSI provided all of the wireless audio and video systems including the in-car / on-board cameras for the races through the heart of downtown Baltimore on Labor Day weekend.
Headquartered in Hanover, MD, Broadcast Sports provides TV technology for entertainment events around the world. From IndyCar and NASCAR, to the Kentucky Derby, X-Games, World Series, and Super Bowl, BSI is always there with wireless High Definition (HD) and 3DHD cameras and wireless microphones putting fans in the middle of the action.
For more information on Broadcast Sports, Inc. visit: www.BroadcastSportsInc.com.
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Katharine Richardson
Richlyn Marketing, LLC
Kate@RichlynMarketing.com
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