Man survives severe car accident

TEXAS: This is the moment a supercar driver miraculously survived an horrific high-speed smash - with little more than a bruise. The car, which cost more than £150,00, was destroyed.

Richard Holt hit an incredible 235mph in a tuned Lamborghini Gallardo when he applied the brakes and deployed the car's parachute to slow down.

But strong crosswind unbalanced the Italian supercar and it careered off the runway and launched into a series of nose to tail tumbles and barrel rolls as it catapulted through the air.

Spectators at the Texas Mile race weekend feared for the worst as safety teams rushed to the scene and found the Lamborghini destroyed with Richard inside - trapped by his foot.

Amazingly Richard walked away from the crash battered and bruised but otherwise unhurt.

He was flown to the nearest hospital for observation after being cut from the wreck by emergency teams.

Photographer Keith Kaminski captured the dramatic crash on video. The Gallardo's roll cage, sports seats and airbag saved Richard from almost certain death.

Richard, who is in his 40s, was driving the heavily-customized Lamborghini Gallardo Superleggera which had been built in partnership by Underground Racing and John Reed Racing.

Speaking after the crash, John Reed said: "Richard is resting and doing well. He's really sore, but all checked out at hospital and in good spirits.

'Considering the magnitude of the accident - it is nothing short of a miracle.'

One shocked onlooker said: 'We saw a huge clump of dirt fly into the air and then we saw the car fly through the air - it was easy to tell it was airborne even from a mile away.

'There was just silence after that, except for the crew members running to get in their vehicles so they could get to their driver.'

The twin-turbocharged Lamborghini - with 1,900 horsepower - has twice the power of a Bugatti Veyron and is nearly four-times as powerful as a standard Gallardo.

At full stretch, the Italian supercar is capable of reaching top speeds in excess of 260mph. The smash took place on Saturday at the twice-annual Texas Mile event where petrolheads turn up and see what speed they can reach on a one-mile straight.

Motorcyclist Bill Warner was the winner - hitting an astonishing 278mph on a tuned Suzuki Hayabusa superbike.