Wow.......It's hard to believe it's been 10 years since we lost 2 of Drag racing's most notable competitors. I'll never forget that weekend the rest of my life! The day Blaine was killed, I was wearing a shirt he had signed at Sonoma which was his last win. AS they backed him out of his pits to tow to the lanes on that run, I saw him sitting in the car waiting for the Tow vehicle to back out. I walked over and just asked what he thought the track would hold, Blaine said they were shooting for a mid 4.60. I said Good luck, he said Thanks as they pulled away! When his crash actually happened, like others you always think.......He'll climb out! But when I looked near the Starting line I saw his Sister and Mother Crying Profusely as they walked toward the Tow van. At that Point I just knew this wasn't good! All afternoon I asked various drivers and crewmembers what they heard about Blaine? Everybody told me that he was in a Coma but still breathing. That's the last I heard all afternoon as far as a Report. Later that evening I was at the Hooters downtown and 3 people saw my shirt and asked if Blaine had signed it that day. I told them no of course, about 10 minutes later one of those guys came back and told me he heard Blaine had Died! I was in Total shock!! That's the first time anybody I had ever met and spoke to got killed at a racetrack. I just paid my bill and went back to the motel. I ended up seeing the crash on ESPN's Sportscenter and it just made it harder to accept! The next day was just as emotional, seeing a Huge Banner for fans to sign behind the Trailer with Pictures/Flowers and other gifts. And when the Johnson family arrived at the track all kinds of Drivers/Crew members and friends came by to offer condolences.
As tough as that day was, it got even Harder to bare as Elmer Trett was Killed! Elmer Trett was the "Don Garlits" of TF Bike racing I had always heard of Elmo as bikers called him, I went by his Pit and Met his daughter Gina. My first impression of Elmer was that he didn't look like a Bike racer. You get those stereotypes about how Bike Drag racers look. Elmer didn't fit that stereotype by any means. Anyway less than 2 weeks earlier Elmer had run the Quickest and Fastest Fuel bike pass at Indy during the Prostar race with a 6.05@235 so I was anxious to see him run. On his fatefull pass it looked like Elmer simply fell of the back of his bike near the Finishline. His bike ran a 6.18@232, and seeing that Happen given what had taken place the Day before I just thought "This can't be happening!" To this day I never heard what caused Elmer to fall off his bike like he did!
I can't believe this has been 10 years already, I pray I don't ever witness a Weekend of Drag racing like that ever again!
As tough as that day was, it got even Harder to bare as Elmer Trett was Killed! Elmer Trett was the "Don Garlits" of TF Bike racing I had always heard of Elmo as bikers called him, I went by his Pit and Met his daughter Gina. My first impression of Elmer was that he didn't look like a Bike racer. You get those stereotypes about how Bike Drag racers look. Elmer didn't fit that stereotype by any means. Anyway less than 2 weeks earlier Elmer had run the Quickest and Fastest Fuel bike pass at Indy during the Prostar race with a 6.05@235 so I was anxious to see him run. On his fatefull pass it looked like Elmer simply fell of the back of his bike near the Finishline. His bike ran a 6.18@232, and seeing that Happen given what had taken place the Day before I just thought "This can't be happening!" To this day I never heard what caused Elmer to fall off his bike like he did!
I can't believe this has been 10 years already, I pray I don't ever witness a Weekend of Drag racing like that ever again!
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