Did Force and KB Crash? (1 Viewer)

[possum]

What rotten luck , i hope he heals quickly. That was horrible to see but sure could have been worse if it was the back half that got into Bernstein.

It's hard to tell in the video but it doesn't look so much like a tire or the body blowing apart as it does a chassis failure. I can't really see if the bellhousing is still on there as the front half of the car goes past but it looks like the chassis made a clean break at the front of the cage, too far back from the bellhousing for that to have been the cause.

I'm sure they will figure it out and make changes if needed.

 

[Cymon Sez]

If you watch the footage closely you can see John's feet hanging in the air when the car was coming to a rest. Glad the car came to a stop as fast as it did or it could have been a whole lot worse.

 

["Dr. Dirt"]

My first concern is for John and his health. Another concern I have is the location of the chassis separation. I put two of my sons in Funny Cars often and we're all aware of the risks but I've never seen a F/C chassis that was designed to separate immediately in front of the cage leaving the legs fully exposed as so many have mentioned already? A failed clutch that somehow exited the Titanium Can would have cut the bars forward of the cage but this one looked to separate immediately in front of the cage? After we hear the Boss is on his road to recovery, it will be quite interesting to hear John Medlen describe what caused such an abnormal separation at such a vulnerable location.
As Billy noted, it may have been a blessing to have stopped so abruptly with the chutes into the wall opening?
This was just too weird for me.

 

[farmje]

If you watch the footage closely you can see John's feet hanging in the air when the car was coming to a rest. Glad the car came to a stop as fast as it did or it could have been a whole lot worse.

I saw the same thing Steve.

I will be the first to admit that I know nothing about the chassis of these cars, but wouldn't there be a safer place for the chassis to split? To leave the drivers legs exposed like that seems very unsafe. Any thoughts?

And, please, I reiterate, I know NOTHING about anything...but it looked like one of his tires was flat in some of the video. Any thoughts on that?

Mike Dunn seemed concrete on the blocks knocking his tire out in the broadcast.

Our prayers are with the JFR racing team. A friend of mine earlier told me he swore John would be back in Virginia. I know if it's at all possible, he'll be there.

 

[chsbldr]

I know anything we can say at this time is of course pure speculation, but after watching the videos of the crash if you watch on one of the shots taken from a rear angle, it seems that the right slick went down. I then noticed sparks coming from under the car just before it broke in half, which may have been the chassis draging on the ground. Like I said before just speculation, I am sure John Medlen will be all over this and we will find out just what happend... As for the chassis designed to break, as for most designs the upper frame rails in that area are doubled and have larger tubing. From my experience, they are not designed to break in that area.

Our Prayers are with John and hoping for a speedy recovery!!!

 

[JL]

My thoughts and prayers are with the boss and his family. Thank God he still has legs, but most importantly, his life.

On the positive side, I though Ashley really had a shot today. The big man had a different plan.

God speed John.

 

[Silly Savage]

Being a racer I don't like to see all the speculation going on here(I heard plenty after my wreck) and all I'll ad to this is that the chassis shouldn't come apart at the seat like his did. It should break apart just in front of the motor and just in front of the motor plate....John's came apart just in front of the seat which left him exposed. It seems (I don't know for fact) that the new belt sytem did everything they were designed to do and that probably saved John from a worse fate. This looked bad but it could have been so much worse. In the replays you can see the rear of the car roll over and John's legs flinging through the air. In those same replays you will see fragments of Kenny's body going into John's path from hitting the blocks...and that would cut a tire instantly. I hope John a speedy recovering and since I am only a few miles from his shop here we may go by to take get well cards......My oldest daughter met John at his Christmas party and is a big fan....

 

[racer4rw]

It looks to me like the car came apart, and the front half of the car went into KB's lane, and the back half stayed in JF's lane and came to rest against the wall. Is that right?????

Thats the way it looked to me.

 

[The Counterfeiter]

It's hard to tell in the video but it doesn't look so much like a tire or the body blowing apart as it does a chassis failure. I can't really see if the bellhousing is still on there as the front half of the car goes past but it looks like the chassis made a clean break at the front of the cage, too far back from the bellhousing for that to have been the cause.I'm sure they will figure it out and make changes if needed.[/QUOTE]

Looked to me like the bellhousing was intact when the front of the chassis slid to a stop. It would take an incredible clutch failure to compromise a titanium housing (which, I believe, has a Ti liner). If the housing failed, it probably would have amputated John's legs. Also appears that frame tubes extended past the housing on the front of the chassis, which would support your observation. After JFR knows the Boss is OK, I'm sure they will be all over this before Ashley and Robert run at Richmond. It will take a medical miracle for a man of John's age to recover from this in time to make the next race. Prayers go out to everyone at JFR. - Jim

 

[corvette racer]

Is John still running a slip tube chassis? Could that have caused the chassis to come apart when the chutes caught the retaining wall?

 

[d'kid]

Is John still running a slip tube chassis? Could that have caused the chassis to come apart when the chutes caught the retaining wall?

the slip tubes are in the Front, and would have no bearing as to where the tube split in front of the last main uprights... almost looked like a server twisting, shaking force ripped the tubes...

 

[turbo ken]

The chassis should have broken apart at the midplate between the engine and the bell housing, Not right in front of the rollcage like it did.

 

[d'kid]

The chassis should have broken apart at the midplate between the engine and the bell housing, Not right in front of the rollcage like it did.

At the tubing step up... that would have been understandable...

 

[turbo ken]

At the tubing step up... that would have been understandable...

You are correct Karl, there is no rhime or reason at all as to why it broke where it did

 

[jackass]

Is John still running a slip tube chassis? Could that have caused the chassis to come apart when the chutes caught the retaining wall?

Rusty.. the car apart before the chute lines caught the wall...

Billy

 

[turbo ken]

Rusty:
On the slip tube chassis, all the slip tubes are all in front of the engine, and no where else.

 

[Paul]

As we go to bed tonight, please pray for John!

 

[turbo ken]

As we go to bed tonight, please pray for John!

Amen Paul.

 

[TAFC 5 81]

When was the last time Funny Cars crashed into each other (serious crash) at a NHRA National Event? I remember 1984 (Ace and Collins) at Cajuns and 1969 (Foster and Schwartz) at old Dallas.

 

["Dr. Dirt"]

When was the last time Funny Cars crashed into each other (serious crash) at a NHRA National Event? I remember 1984 (Ace and Collins) at Cajuns and 1969 (Foster and Schwartz) at old Dallas.

Frank Pedregon into the back of Scotty Cannon comes to mind?