The Tail of the Dragon is a very well-known driving road for performance car enthusiasts and motorcycle riders in Deal’s Gap, Tennessee. Widely considered to be one of the best driving roads in the United States, Tail of the Dragon usually attracts motorists looking for a place where they can stretch their vehicle’s legs a little bit. This unfortunately means some drivers go over the limit while visiting the area, as one C8 Corvette owner learned recently.
A Corvette Forum member recently shared some photographs showing the aftermath of an unfortunate accident between a Blade Silver C8 Corvette coupe and a ratty-looking NA Mazda MX-5 Miata that occurred on the Tail of the Dragon, which is located about an hour and a half outside of Knoxville. According to the poster, the C8 Corvette “was struck by an older Miata whose driver allegedly failed to control his vehicle in the turns.”
The photos would suggest that one of the vehicles crossed the dividing line in the road and sideswiped the other vehicle, as both vehicles have driver’s side damage. The C8 Corvette appears to have gotten the worst of it, as the impact ripped off the left rear wheel and suspension assembly.
The Mazda, by comparison, only has some front left quarter panel damage and a broken headlight. This doesn’t seem like much of a loss, though, as the Mazda appears to have already been ruined by the current owner, who has covered it in a low-rent spray painted design.
We can’t be sure about this, but the younger man in the blue hoodie may be the driver of the Mazda MX-5 Miata, while the older gentleman in the red polo shirt appears as though he could be the C8 Corvette driver. Judging by the older man’s body language in the photos, he doesn’t seem particularly happy with the younger fellow.
If the C8 Corvette owner had their Performance Data Recorder switched on, they may have some indisputable evidence that this crash was the fault of the Mazda driver. We’d be surprised if there weren’t witnesses around to see this crash, though, as Tail of the Dragon is a very popular destination during the autumn months.
Regardless of the legal outcome from his seemingly scary crash, we’re just happy it seems no one was seriously injured in this crash. If either car was a few more inches to the left or right, this could have been a head-on collision with a very different outcome.
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Comments
Hope the Corvette owner didn’t skimp out on his uninsured/underinsured coverage.
Kid is lucky it wasn’t a younger guy driving the corvette.
If I’m not mistaken, I met the Corvette owner briefly at Biltmore in July. Very kind gentleman, not his first Corvette.
Interestingly, my 8 year old daughter instantly recognized the C8 as a Corvette, despite the fact she’d never seen a C8 before (and there was a C7 Z06 50′ in the other direction).
Great piece of road. Shame, glad everyone is OK.
i’m surprised that kid fit in a miata.
Yeah, Bubba Smith’s Civic trick doesn’t work in a Miata.
thanks for the police academy reference.
The owner of the Miata put up his version of the event up on a Facebook group.
____________________
MIATA HATE THREAD
In case y’all haven’t figured out, I was the driver of the NA that wrecked into the C8 yesterday. Sorry for waiting so long to make a post, just been turning it over in my head. Also don’t really know how to use facebook but figured I’d clarify everything from my end.
Anyways, don’t think I need to really explain what happened. Went into the corner too hot thinking it straightened out earlier than it did. Saw the C8 and tried to course correct but my fronts weren’t up to par (Just old and starting to dry rot, didn’t get to rotate them with my rears in better shape like I’d wanted, no jack) and while I did manage to get it away from a head on collision, you’ve all seen the aftermath, smacked the driver’s side rear fender. Definitely pushed the car plenty hard before without problem, just had poor judgement this time and paid the price. Well, paying the price I should say.
C8 driver was understandably mad as hell, I would be too if some hot shot in a clapped out Miata ruined my brand new Vette. First thing I said getting out of the car was “Oh my god are y’all okay?” and, after making sure they weren’t hurt, when on with insurance and information. Other driver ended up calming down some and we got things worked out with the police and I can assure he will be done right. Should note we were both there for TougeFest, he wasn’t just driving through like I’ve heard some speculate.
Would also like to note that when Lucas said I was fully ready to not come home with it that is true, though by means of selling it (unlikely) or ditching it if broke down (likely). I had no intention of causing a wreck like I’ve heard some of y’all say. I may not be the brightest but I’m not going to purposefully skyrocket my insurance rates and deal with court just for a story or some ill attempt at humor.
On the topic, while I don’t think it’s funny that it happened and obviously feel awful about it, some of the jokes y’all are making are pretty funny and I’d be clowning too if I was a spectator so PLEASE keep it up. Also, for those wondering about the paint, we usually paint the car for holidays and stuff for people to laugh at and we had spray paint lying around while bored and decided to just let anyone come up and paint it if they wanted, which is how you got the monstrosity in the pictures, lol.
Anyways, amends are being made. Selling my daily (2010 Gen Coupe 3.8 6 speed) to cover insurance for a little bit and buying an old truck to make deliveries in for a while (Any recommendations or suggestions are appreciated, thinking about a Bronco). I do apologize for any negative effects y’all may have suffered, certainly wasn’t my intention to bring a bad light to the community. Doubt you’ll see me at the dragon driving for a couple years at least, but I’ll probably hang around for the festivities. Believe me I’m taking full responsibility for it, no need to assume I’m gonna try and weasel my way out of it. Anyways, I’ll probably be responding to comments for a little bit but as you can imagine I have some more…. pressing matters at hand. Keep on clowning, they’re pretty funny. Thanks to Michael F for making me aware of this.
P.S. the cheap-ass New Balances are solid driving shoes, I recommend
Edit: Probably not gonna be responding to much more, appreciate y’all understanding. Have more important problems at hand as I’m sure you can imagine
Dammit man, that sucks. My son and I plan on driving this stretch of road soon, among others in the area. He drives a C7 Zo6, me 1990 ZR-1. Glad everyone is OK, looks like the kid is taking care of business.
Having been there a few times over a period of >20 years, it is so popular now and so filled with unskilled nitwits with something to prove, that it is best avoided unless you are mid-week, and even then, I don’t know. Very dangerous to drive around people treating it like a track.
Stay in your lane. Motorcycles are everywhere on that road, which is not Tail of the Dragon. The road is named The Dragon or Deals Gap. Tail of the Dragon is a website/ tshirt shop.
The most shocking part of the story: a male was driving the Miata.
Glad no one was seriously hurt. Most of the road, tail of the dragon is in North Carolina, it empties out and ends in Tennessee. The ride is still scenic. But you have to turn around and go back into North Carolina. When you cross the state line tail of the dragon begins. Deals Gap is in Tennessee, the portion of the road enthusiasts flock to is in North Carolina.
No, the entire road is The Dragon, in TN. None of the road is “Tail of the Dragon”. DGMR is in North Carolina. When you leave the resort you travel less than a mile in NC. Then 11 miles in TN if you go to the bridge, or make a uturn in about 9.5 miles at the overlook, which is what most riders/drivers do. Many years ago there was a toll that had to be paid to use the trail that is now the road. The family that owned the land had the last name of Deal. The toll was collected near MM3, right near the campsite.
While exploring in our 2500HD DURAMAX we stumbled upon this road. Beautiful, but recommend you drive it with something smaller!
You guys used my photo!
Them dang Auburn fans……don’t you know you got no business on Rocky Top!
That hick is gonna buy a ford ranger next if his dad dont buy him a f250 XD
It is like getting wiped out by a Yugo
Looks like roads were wet too.
Glad no one was injured. I’d rather have that ratty looking Mazda. C8 is so problem riddled
You can have it.
lmaooo!!! be careful what u wish for…. because you can easily go buy a ratty Miatta for like $5,000. Go ahead and do it. LMAOOO!!!!!!
I would happily take a CORVETTE……. you trippin bro
Old man is pissed because his wife put her purse on the hood of his car. He is just letting the other fella know of his displeasure of his wife’s irresponsible action.
That Vette has more plastic clinging to it than the shelves in the toy aisle at Walmart.
The Kid in the Miata summed it up. Bad front tires. When I used to ride sportbikes up in that area and Suches Ga came across bikes down quite a bit. Back tires were usually bald, front tires cupped bad. Keep your tires in top notch shape. cheaper than deductibles etc.
It is not a race track, its a public highway and sooner or later they will ban these car clubs because of idiots like this young kid.