Facebook Live Captures Wreck Of Race Car Driver Devin O’Connell

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Anytime, anywhere and under any circumstance, including rates of speed surpassing 185 miles per hour.

That’s the mantra of TVU Networks, which powers high-quality video transmission, towards professional race car driver Devin O’Connell and his Facebook LIVE video stream that kicked off Friday night at Claremont Speedway in New Hampshire.

“This is the most insane thing I think I’ve ever done, and I’ve done some pretty insane stuff,” said O’Connell in the car garage as he tested out the transmitter prior to the race.

O’Connell, who races in the Granite State Pro Stock Series, streamed the 100-lap race on the social platform via a TVU One transmitter situated in the race car cockpit.

Around the 41:40-minute mark in the stream, the 19-year-old ran into some trouble and sustained a minor wreck, which can be seen through the cockpit camera.

Following an inside pass of No. 72 Scott MacMichael, O’Connell sped up and appeared to have another inside pass on the No. 28 car Mark Lunblad. However, O’Connell clipped Lunblad’s side as the latter drifted into O’Connell’s lane.

O’Connell’s car came to a screeching halt as listeners heard a brief muffled conversation and an agitated O’Connell. After sitting idle for about 30 seconds and now with a busted up front hood, he restarted his car and headed off the track to have his car inspected.

“Rip the whole front end off. The steering is still fine,” he can be heard saying to his team.

A few “calm down” mentions are said, presumably at O’Connell but there wasn’t a way to see the exchange.

After three minutes of being off the track, he finally joined his fellow drivers, eventually finishing in the No. 15 spot by race’s end.

As a current sponsor of O’Connell’s for the 2017 season, TVU Networks will continue to aid him in broadcasting races on Facebook Live for the remainder of the campaign.

“We’re truly impressed with Devin’s accomplishments in the sport of racing at such a young age,” Paul Shen, Chief Executive Officer of TVU Networks said in a statement.

“We are happy to support Devin’s efforts to give racing fans the opportunity to see what racing is like from his vantage point — whether they’re tuning into his Facebook Live from the stands at the race or from their living room couch across the country.”

Said O’Connell in a statement: “I’m super excited to bring this technology into short track racing. I believe it will showcase racing in a positive way and bring new fans into the sport.”