First 2009 Dodge Ram crash – by Adam Andretti?

Dodge Ram after Adam Andretti crash

Matthew Gaeta sent in these photos of the results of the first 2009 Ram crash.

“On September 5, 2008 I attended a mandatory Chrysler certification course at Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, Fl. focusing on the realease of the new 2009 Dodge Ram and 2009 Dodge Challenger. Upon finishing up the classroom portion of the day the ‘pro’ drivers put on a drifting exhibition in the parking lot comparing our two new vehicles to others in the same class. 

“The following pictures show that the ‘driver gene’ may not necessarily follow suit in the Andretti family! The driver of the ‘09 Ram was Adam Andretti, the nephew of legendary Mario Andretti. Just completing three drifting runs around cones set up in a circle, he got a little wide while exiting the turn and slammed the new Ram sideways into a curb. The wheel/axle/brake was sheered completely off the Ram and also damaged the quarter panel on the bed!

“The picture above shows the aftermath immediately following the incident. The puddle under the truck is the brake fluid that drained out. The other four pictures are from the next day after the vehicle was towed to a local dealership!

“Perhaps he should stick the ‘class-room’ portions of the event!”

Professional drivers have been known to crash vehicles in the past; at one press demonstration with a BMW M-class, the professional driver managed to spin off the track, putting the car out of action for a while. This is, though, probably the first reported accident involving the 2009 Dodge Ram.

Update: to clarify, the pictured Ram has disc brakes; the visible shoes belong to the parking brake inside the rotor. Visible are the four nuts that hold the axle bearing; what looks like a bearing cap is the part of the axle where the studs were (thanks, Jody H. and “surveyorjp” from rv.net)