Video of my crash at the Mopar Nationals last year
Discussion
Following on from my thread last year (with photos)- http://www.pistonheads.co.uk/gassing/topic.asp?h=0...
I've finally tracked down the guy who captured it on video. It's now on YouTube - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FagIAFwOUzE&fea...
The stripdown of the car revealed that nothing in the drive train was broken (detroit locker and driveshafts are fine), so mechanical failure didn't cause the problem.
The car ran very straight on every other run, putting in consistent 10-second passes. Any waywardness on the rear was easily dealt with by steering corrections. Indeed, for the first half second of the tail stepping out, I didn't lift. When I did lift, it gripped and ran across the strip. You can see the car turn just before hitting the wall. If the strip was just a bit wider, I'd have been fine.
I didn't get out of the car for a long time due to severe pain around my left kidney. The seat had shifted and I'd hit the centre console (despite the five point harness). I still have pain on that side; my Doctor says I've probably fractured a vertibrae. I'm trying to organise an x-ray.
The good news is that only the shell, nearside wheels and front nearside shock were destroyed. I have a new shell for most of the parts. The engine is going into an old dark green Audi coupe, which was 'retired' recently from drag racing.
I've finally tracked down the guy who captured it on video. It's now on YouTube - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FagIAFwOUzE&fea...
The stripdown of the car revealed that nothing in the drive train was broken (detroit locker and driveshafts are fine), so mechanical failure didn't cause the problem.
The car ran very straight on every other run, putting in consistent 10-second passes. Any waywardness on the rear was easily dealt with by steering corrections. Indeed, for the first half second of the tail stepping out, I didn't lift. When I did lift, it gripped and ran across the strip. You can see the car turn just before hitting the wall. If the strip was just a bit wider, I'd have been fine.
I didn't get out of the car for a long time due to severe pain around my left kidney. The seat had shifted and I'd hit the centre console (despite the five point harness). I still have pain on that side; my Doctor says I've probably fractured a vertibrae. I'm trying to organise an x-ray.
The good news is that only the shell, nearside wheels and front nearside shock were destroyed. I have a new shell for most of the parts. The engine is going into an old dark green Audi coupe, which was 'retired' recently from drag racing.
Gassing Station | Drag Racing | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff