Crashes are never fun and we all know that accidents happen. Some can be avoided and some can’t, that’s racing.

In this video, we see Mark Leach, the driver of the blue Miata, cut to the inside of the track after another fellow UK Spec Miata racer starts to lose control at the apex of the turn. Leach dove to the inside, but it was too late and he clipped the red Miata that lost control. his car jumped up on two wheels and it was all downhill from there.

Believe it or not, this was Leach’s first ever Spec Miata race and he’s lucky to only have broken an arm. His Miata flipped a total of eight times before ultimately landing on its roof and Leach’s arm. From the looks of the video, he was unconscious after the car started violently flipping in the air. The indication is both of his arms flailing with the motion of the car as it flips.

Nowadays, arm and wrist restraints are mandatory, but back in 2011 when the incident happened, they weren’t. Anybody racing a convertible should have the proper safety restraints if an accident like this were to happen. As nasty as the crash was, we’re happy to know that Leach was okay and sustained minor injuries.

At least Leach has a crazy story about his first Spec Miata race! Racers of all kinds, please remember to take the proper steps to keep yourself safe in the off chance an accident occurs. Even if the rules don’t require certain safety restraints, such as a Hans Device or wrist restraints, it is always in your best interest to use them.