If you want to know how to grab the attention of 1.7 million viewers on YouTube in three days, ask local Roland Linder.

Linder, who’s spent the last 40 years of his life racing motorcycles and exotic vehicles, attracted that level of attention two weeks ago after he and a co-driver crashed a one-of-a-kind Enzo Ferrari into the Atlantic Ocean.

“I remember as we were flying backwards thinking, ‘Oh, this is going to hurt,’” Linder said.

The crash occurred during the 10th annual Targa Newfoundland race in Newfoundland, Canada. Linder said five days into the race, co-driver Zahir Rana drove over a bump in the road and into an unexpected patch of gravel. The loose gravel sent the car spinning sideways past a handful of spectators, through a guardrail and down an embankment into the Atlantic.

Shed no tears, car lovers – the Enzo is fine, albeit slightly wet. Linder and Rana climbed out of the ocean without so much as a scratch either.

A veteran racer, Linder has experienced several wrecks in his career, including a major accident in 1986 when he broke his neck. In 2002, his car hit the wall in Topeka, Kan., which ripped his shoulders out of the socket. Four surgeries  and much rehab later, he jumped right back into the racing world.

“When you race, you always take a chance; it’s unavoidable,” Linder said. “It’s part of the risk you take and you have to be conscious that it can happen and be mentally and physically ready. It’s like when you fall off a horse, you get right back on and ride again.”

As a road racer Linder knew he needed to know a lot more about rally racing before navigating 1,600 miles through neighborhood streets. So Linder spent two days at a rally school before the weeklong Targa event. He said the knowledge he learned there kept him and Rana safe after the crash.

Linder said the school brought up water safety in particular, which came in handy not only in his situation but for a competitor who had crashed into a pond the day prior.

“They taught us to allow some of the water to come into the car so the pressure could dissipate. The Ferrari has doors that open upward, you know, so it took a bit of time to open the door because of the pressure of the water,” Linder said.

Linder said the car went into the water backwards, which actually cushioned the blow. This allowed the car to sustain only minimal damage despite being quite soaked.  Mechanics have, however, entirely disassembled the car to ensure no salt from the ocean corrodes internal parts.

Linder was no stranger to the Ferrari that dove into the water. Seven years ago, Linder picked it up for the owner in California, so he said there was definitely some sentimental attachment, a “love affair” with the car. The Edo Competition Enzo accelerates from 0-62 mph in 3.2 seconds and can hit a top speed of 240 m.p.h.

Crashing didn’t dampen his love affair with racing either.

Having spent most of his career on motorcycles and then road racing, Linder said he’s enjoying this new phase and plans to head back to Canada for the same race next year. He said the rally race is incredibly challenging because it takes a lot of research and homework to know the course.

In his “retirement,” Linder participates in about 40 racing events a year. He also spends a large amount of time instructing others on the nuances of racing exotic cars like the Enzo.

Linder left today on his way to another Ferrari event.