Jim Pace (in black driver suit with peace sign) looks on as the Shadow DN4 is removed from the track | Steve Zautke photo
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It was a beautiful day Saturday for historic racing at Elkhart Lake’s Road America for the WeatherTech International Challenge vintage races. However, Jim Pace, driving a 1974 Can-Am championship-winning Shadow DN4 may have had the wildest ride of the day.
Pace Chases Bennett | Ryan Davenport photo
As part of the festivities, the featured marque for the weekend is the 50th Anniversary of Don Nichols’ Shadow cars. Many of the great cars from the mysterious career of the late Can-Am, Formula One and Formula 5000 constructor were on display and were running in the afternoon qualifying session.
The Shadow begins to lift at the hump | Larry Fulhorst Facebook video
Coming up the straightaway at close to 180 mph, Pace was tucked under and behind the other DN4, driven by Craig Bennett. As the cars came up the hill and crested the hump under the bridge, the air came off Pace’s Shadow and it “flew straight up, did a half turn, landed on the roll bar and skidded for 150 yards,” according to eyewitness and local Wisconsin radio personality Steve Zautke.
Bodywork begins to fly off | Larry Fulhorst Facebook Video
Unbelievably, Pace, clearly shaken, walked away from the total wreck, which had to be winched off the straightaway. It was just four years ago that Craig Bennett had a suspension/brake failure going into turn twelve tire wall at Road Atlanta in a DN4, causing life-threatening injuries to his spine and limbs, injuries from which the driver since has recovered and returned to the cockpit.
The remains of the Shadow DN4. The Tub looks intact | Steve Zautke photo
Aerodynamics have been one of the most effective developments in motorsports in the last 60 years, but they also have been the cause of some scary crashes. Think Brian Redman in 1977 at Mont Treblant and Yannick Dalmas in a Porsche 996 GTi at Road Atlanta in 1998. Dalmas walked away, but Redman suffered life-threatening injuries from which he, too, recovered.
Shadow Bodywork lays in the middle of the straight, which shows how far the car travelled beyond the flagstand | Ryan Davenport photo
The Shadow DN4 driven by Pace and owned by Jim Bartel, a long-time Shadow collector, is a complete wreck. However, the DN4 crashed by Bennett was rebuilt. There is probably a future for the damaged car to be fixed and run again.
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