Hillary Will Crashes (1 Viewer)

[afx421]

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.

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!!!!!

 

[90-percent]

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

 

[Sully]

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.

 

[nick name]

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.

 

[T-Bone]

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

 

[Jenn]

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.

.

I was wondering if that first wiggle wasn't a cross wind. It looks like there was a wind running cross the track.

 

[none]

I was wondering if that first wiggle wasn't a cross wind. It looks like there was a wind running cross the track.

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.

 

[MOB]

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!!

 

[Bubba]

I'm very glad Hillary is okay. That looked like one scary ride.

 

[r2]

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.

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...

 

[BaldyLochs]

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 Paul]

Bob Dumont Photo--

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v439/SongasRacing/hillary1a.jpg



Did the Mater do away with the IMG tags??

 

[.]

Bob Dumont Photo--

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v439/SongasRacing/hillary1a.jpg



Did the Mater do away with the IMG tags??

Thanks for the picture Paul!!


Yeah, I think I read a post from Shannon saying he had to disable the image tags for now because he’s trying to make this site more secure.

I’m no computer expert so I have no idea how posting pictures would make the site not secure.

 

[Jim Oberhofer]

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.

 

[r2]

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...

 

[The Counterfeiter]

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.

Jim - thanks for updating us! I'm sure you were just sitting around with nothing else to do -
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".

 

[Just Paul]

Thanks for posting Jim!

 

[RAPID]

Jim O, thanks for coming on and posting. Pretty cool of you in my opinion.

Rapid

 

[farmje]

Jim, thanks so much for the update. I am so glad Hillary is ready to get back on the track.

 

[JL]

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.