This was posted on Header Flames but since you can't read that and this is the true story. Thank you
The Addict wasnt even going to go to Pomona but with Rocky not being well NHRA asked to have the car come out as it was the runner up to Warren-Coburn-Miller in 68.
Long time friend of mine Rod Hynes who worked for Rocky at Childs & Albert for 20+ years and is like his dad took the car out with Jim.
Every thing was fine Saturday on fire-up , no problems.
On the push start Sunday down the track toward the starting line , then making the sweeping right hand turn onto the return road, Rod told me somthing wasnt right.
Ellen & I were in the stands about 1000'. I went down to the fence. Rod was coming down & I could see he was shaking his head.
He pulled over right in front of us just tipping one of speakers over , getting it up by the gaurdrail out of traffic. I could see he was pulling on the brake franticly and his other hand waving at the NHRA official he had a problem. He then would reach down as he kept trying to get the fuel shutoff to work. The NHRA offcial gave him a sign to get the hell off the pushroad.
By this time the clucth pack had locked up and he was burning the brakes up trying to keep it from moving.
HE DID NOT TAP THE THROTTLE.
I listened to a few old racers sayin he could have -should have.
One famous old racer reeking of booze said the car was **** the driver ****.(go back to the north).
Some said he should have put it into or along the gaurdrail.
Promblem is it would have just picked up speed running along the gaurdrail into the big speakers along there & into a crowd that gatherd under the score board.Maybe the speakers could have hit the throttle jamming it open .
A lot of what if's.
What if that NHRA official had a small halon extinguisher to give the Injector a puff & put it out.
Coulda-woulda-shoulda
Rod chose to stuff it under a pick up truck. Dereck Bowers truck who's with the Mondello & Matsubara Fiat.It drove under his truck picking it up. The Addicts tires started smoking pushing Derecks truck forward spinning it 180 degrees around hitting Pure Heaven & denting the bumper on a 61 Chevy wagon pushcar.
Derricks friend Monique was in the back of his pick up and got knocked down hitting her head & leg. She was takin to the hospital for ck out & x-rays.
Ellen talked to Dereck and said she is ok but bruised & sore.
Coulda-woulda-shoulda
Everyone has an oppinion.
When Cory Mack popped the blower at the Winters years ago and couldnt shut the car off waving franticly he put it in the sand at somthing like 180mph helplessly.
Rod has driven funnys cars, dragsters & fuel altereds.
Hindsight is easy after the fact when you can rationalize everything for 5-10 minutes , make a game plan to do this or that.When your not the one strapped into a 1200 hp nitro machine its easy to second guess.
Coulda-woulda-shoulda
Ironic.
I see 1000 hp cars driving through the pits after coming down the return road. The pits are filled with 1000's & 1000's of people. What if one of those cars has a throttle mal****ion?
On the brakes,trying to shut it off, steering it into God knows where.
At least the Addict was out on the track area.
Rod chose to sacrifice the car rather than people
And this is when his life long friend Rocky is very sick & could not make the show.
Coulda-woulda-shoulda
Everyones an arm chair quarterback on monday.
Jeff, please do not think I'm directing this toward you.
I know your resume, you've been there & done that.I am only giving my oppinion from one who had a front row seat & talked with Rod & Jim. And letting everyone know what I witnessed.
No one was in the car except Rod for those scary 10-15 seconds
Coulda-woulda-shoulda
THE FUEL SHUT OFF & BY-PASS 3 WAY WAS IN THE OFF POSITION!
Crap even the TV news had to get the blood & gore on their 11 o clock worthless news. Sorry 11 0 crap news, no blood-no gore. Keep looking though for other victims you can exploit.
Stormy