What's new
By:
Filters

Hillary Will Crashes (1 Viewer)

Registered member said:
Hey everyone, Jim "O" here. I just wanted to let everyone know that most importantly Hillary is ok except for a bruise on her right arm. Hillary is one tough girl, all she wants to do is get back in the car. Our Attac race car did everything it was supposed to do and that was to keep Hillary safe. The engine did not blowup, no rods out, no supercharger explosions, nothing. From what it looks like a major amount of tread came off of the left rear tire and took out the rear wing. Goodyear, NHRA and everyone at Kalitta Motorsports and KB Racing are looking at everything to make sure no stone is unturned with this incident. The Las Vegas Saftey Safari did a great job getting to Hillary very quick and for that we all thank them. We will be putting together our spare Attac car and hopefully make some half track runs on Monday before we head for Pomona. Thanks to everyone for their thoughts and prayers for Hillary, I know it means a ton to our whole team.
Click to expand...
thanks for the post jimmy o, hillary sure is 1 tough cookie! im sure team kalitta and team k.b will be kicking butt again soon, thank god shes ok. good luck in 07! and go team kalitta/k.b!!!!!
 
THANK GOD HILLARY IS OK!

Jim O - thank you very much for letting us know how Hillary and the team is doing.

I hope the nitro community learns just a little more from this to help prevent this in the future.

-85% Jimmy
 
Ray,

I just checked and the photo sequence is still there on DRC - just click on the link in my message to Jim O or go to DRC and check the photo section - it's now at the bottom of the front page.
 
By now we have first hand information that a tire failed, but from stepping through the track video I'm not too sure it was the tire's fault.

If you pause at just the right time (at about 1100 - 1200 ft), take a look at the tires. The left side looks to be a considerably different size than the right. The right side is fairly narrow and skinny as would be expected from tire growth, but the left side looks to be fat and short.

The effect is very apparent at 2:13:22:00 as the car makes a wiggle to the left and Will corrects. Though part of the left tire may be shielded by the heat waves, it sure looks to me like there is a difference in diameters at 2:13:21:77 and 2:23:22:03 also.

I am guessing that if the diameters were indeed different, it was due to uneven loading. How that could have happened is beyond me.

I, too, can catch a ghostly glimpse of something moving very fast off to the left. The first debris that I can identify is a strip of tire tread coming out from underneath the right side of the car.

With all the rest of you, I am truly thankful that Hilary is OK in the aftermath of one of the most shrapnel-inducing crashes I can remember.
 
Last edited:
Thank god she's alright!! When I heard this I just felt sick...thanks to all for the good news that everything is ok with her.

T
 
Registered member said:
By now we have first hand information that a tire failed, but from stepping through the track video I'm not too sure it was the tire's fault.

The effect is very apparent at 2:13:22:00 as the car makes a wiggle to the left and Will corrects. Though part of the left tire may be shielded by the heat waves, it sure looks to me like there is a difference in diameters at 2:13:21:77 and 2:23:22:03 also.

.
Click to expand...

I was wondering if that first wiggle wasn't a cross wind. It looks like there was a wind running cross the track.
 
Registered member said:
I was wondering if that first wiggle wasn't a cross wind. It looks like there was a wind running cross the track.
Click to expand...

What I found interesting is that when she corrected from the wiggle, it put her left rear out of the groove. You can then see cylinders go wet indicating the car unloaded. Seems possible that it was spinning and came apart while in the middle of her trying to drive it back into the groove.
 
Kudos to the safety crew. They were already rolling when Hillary was sliding, and with many parts still flying all over the place. Great job guys!!
 
Registered member said:
Ray,

I just checked and the photo sequence is still there on DRC - just click on the link in my message to Jim O or go to DRC and check the photo section - it's now at the bottom of the front page.
Click to expand...
Yeah, I got that there was not any before the incident shots like I thought you were talking about... only the aftermath if you will...
I THINK I have said all I am going to on this subject, and my statements stand unedited and mine...:eek:
 
I was fine with all this until I saw the end of the video... those people you see running, in black, hopping the wall.... that's her crew. Chris, Mac, Jim..... people I know. And seeing the pit bike running down there.... that hit home, for me. Seeing people I care about... no doubt being freaked out. Well anyway... it's over now. So much for the friggin Super Bowl Party at Mr. Black's house!!!!! I know there's alot of work to do; but i hope they get a chance to relax "sometime" today!!! This is just another example of a team growing, bonding, and getting stronger. Now everyone be SURE to check out her next blog!!!!
 
Just to let everyone know we have our backup car ready to test tommorrow, Hillary is also ready to get back in the car, hell she was ready about 10 minutes after the crash. I just wish everyone would quit speculating about the chassis. The car breaking was a result of the tread coming off of the tire. I have pictures of the car and it is clear that tread was missing from the tire and there is rubber flying off of the tire and the chassis is still intact. How bad do you think the vibration was on the chassis as a result of about 10 to 15 pounds of rubber coming off of the tire? Ever drive a semi when the tread comes off of a retread, I have and it isn't pretty. I really don't want to get into all of the particulars, but it is pretty clear & simple as to what happened. The bottom line to all of this is that Hillary is ok and our KB Team is ready to get back out on the track.
 
Exactly what I was trying to say J-O... They put ounces of weight on a rim to balance a wheel/tire... How much harmonics do you think goes on when 10-15lbs. of weight at 270+ mph go missing... I understand J. Thanks, and I hope everything runs safe and straight...
 
Registered member said:
Just to let everyone know we have our backup car ready to test tommorrow, Hillary is also ready to get back in the car, hell she was ready about 10 minutes after the crash. I just wish everyone would quit speculating about the chassis.
Click to expand...

Jim - thanks for updating us! I'm sure you were just sitting around with nothing else to do - :D
In defense of the Maters, I don't think anyone ever questioned the Attac chassis - it did its job by protecting Hillary. It's unfortunate that several sources posted wildly conflicting reports by "eyewitnesses".
 
Jim, thanks so much for the update. I am so glad Hillary is ready to get back on the track. :D
 
Hillary is a sweet girl... Last Sunday at Firebird, Hillary was in her lounge with the door open. lted up my daughter to show Hillary that she was wearing her shirt... She hopped right out of the trailer and came over to take pictures. Maddie gave her a hug and it was very cool... I am happy she is safe and that Attac chassis did its' job.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Ways To Support Nitromater

Similar threads

Terry
Grubnic/Hillary
Replies
15
Views
3K
Dubs
Dubs
N
Hillary Will spotted in Houston
Replies
8
Views
2K
d'kid
d'kid
D
Great '70s Youtube Video
Replies
9
Views
2K
none
none
S
Nice Hillary Will article
Replies
5
Views
2K
d'kid
d'kid
T
Congrats to Hillary Will!
2
Replies
39
Views
6K
aafunnycar
aafunnycar

Users who are viewing this thread

Total: 2 (members: 0, guests: 2)

Back
Top