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Terrible Crash- Steve Read
- Thread starter Just Paul
- Start date
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Nitro Member
....And it's the car Bid Daddy Don Garlits was driving when he went 300mph for the first time in his career.
Actually, I can't guarantee it's the EXACT same chassis but BIG was driving a Spirit Of Las Vegas car with a Summit Racing Equipment vinyl wrap when he went 300. Can anyone confirm if this was indeed the same car?
Wes
Nitro Member
I thought a bit after I posted above....Steve Reed, ANDRA, and WSID may have inadvertantly helped NHRA and track owners here stateside with some tough decisions. Ponder this....
If a track-no matter if it is 1/4 mile, 1000', or 1/8 mile-has less than 1950 feet of usable shut down area, said track must back up their finish line to accommodate a minimum of 1950' of hard surface and 350' of sand/pea gravel trap. Wherever the finish line ends up, so be it. Some NHRA national event tracks could go back to 1/4 mile. Some would be fine at 1000' feet. Others might have to back up all the way to 1/8 mile. And, some could have a unique length all their own. Would make for some interesting record keeping, huh?
The new NHRA design for the trap area is great in my opinion, but why stop at the length they have now? Why not 350 feet...or more? If you've got the real estate, use it wisely. Imagine how long a trap at Firebird could be! As scary and potentially tragic as Reed's excursion into the WSID sand was, it should be pretty eye-opening for those working towards a real solution to our issues here in America.
If a track-no matter if it is 1/4 mile, 1000', or 1/8 mile-has less than 1950 feet of usable shut down area, said track must back up their finish line to accommodate a minimum of 1950' of hard surface and 350' of sand/pea gravel trap. Wherever the finish line ends up, so be it. Some NHRA national event tracks could go back to 1/4 mile. Some would be fine at 1000' feet. Others might have to back up all the way to 1/8 mile. And, some could have a unique length all their own. Would make for some interesting record keeping, huh?
The new NHRA design for the trap area is great in my opinion, but why stop at the length they have now? Why not 350 feet...or more? If you've got the real estate, use it wisely. Imagine how long a trap at Firebird could be! As scary and potentially tragic as Reed's excursion into the WSID sand was, it should be pretty eye-opening for those working towards a real solution to our issues here in America.
Nitrohaulic
Nitro Member
Yeah but, that's one car hitting it the way it did. So many variables. Didn't they say the top of the sand at Englishtown wasn't level with the track? If you vault it, doesn't matter too much how long it is. Throws all the other numbers out the window.
Like when engineers determine how much weight a certain design bridge will hold, with a margin of error. Once you HAVE a margin of error? If you didn't know how to definitely give us the first number, why should anyone trust the second? Shouldn't margins of error have margins of error? You might as well say "We're not worth a sh*t with that first number but, we're real good with the margin of error TO that number." Yeah, right.
Like engine explosions at startup or wheels and tires falling out of the sky due to broken wheel studs. They'll stand there watching bullets flying all around. When one makes contact and kills, it's time to change.
You gotta agree with both sides at once. It would be ridiculous not to try to make it safe but, it will obviously never be "safe." What's a safe life? Dead?
Like when engineers determine how much weight a certain design bridge will hold, with a margin of error. Once you HAVE a margin of error? If you didn't know how to definitely give us the first number, why should anyone trust the second? Shouldn't margins of error have margins of error? You might as well say "We're not worth a sh*t with that first number but, we're real good with the margin of error TO that number." Yeah, right.
Like engine explosions at startup or wheels and tires falling out of the sky due to broken wheel studs. They'll stand there watching bullets flying all around. When one makes contact and kills, it's time to change.
You gotta agree with both sides at once. It would be ridiculous not to try to make it safe but, it will obviously never be "safe." What's a safe life? Dead?
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So he's the one who ended up with Clapshaw's old Dragster, I knew it was down in Aussieland jst wasn;t sure who drove it! I'm just glad he's OK! I met Steve back in '93 when he brought his Alky Dragster to Dallas and Pomona and even went to the Final at Pomona.
Just Paul
Nitro Member
Same car- built by Brad Hadman
As for not getting on the chutes right away, easy to say now when it's not your azz in the seat. After saying "holy sh!t!!..." then maybe 1 try at getting the throttle unstuck with the toe loop, you used up a lot of race track.
Nitrohelper
Nitro Member
Driving into them was before the 300+ speeds ,that's why Garlits and Amato had the problems with their eyes.
Pull them just before the lights, lift at the finish line, and push the fuel shut-off next.
BigTuna
Nitro Member
Another view I found on youtube.
YouTube - Pommy Steve Read Top Fuel stuck throttle crash
Goes to show how well a long sand trap works...
YouTube - Pommy Steve Read Top Fuel stuck throttle crash
Goes to show how well a long sand trap works...
Driving into them was before the 300+ speeds ,that's why Garlits and Amato had the problems with their eyes.
Pull them just before the lights, lift at the finish line, and push the fuel shut-off next.
I'll never forget at Indy '94-95? Wayne Bailey had a stuck throttle and before Indy put up those walls he spun the car out in the grass and hit the sand backwards. The Motor was still running when it high centered in the sand. That was genius!
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Nitro Member
Yes. It also helps to not have cement walls, steel polls and boom lifts in the sand trap too.
Just Paul
Nitro Member
I'll never forget at Indy '94-95? Wayne Bailey had a stuck throttle and before Indy put up those walls he spun the car out in the grass and hit the sand backwards. The Motor was still running when it high centered in the sand. That was genius!
Lucky for him is was on the burnout, and he was going much slower.
On the other end of the spectrum, Carrie Neal was killed in her a/fuel car when she had a stuck throttle on the burnout also.
I believe that is the differents here.... Scott hit more than sand at the end of the track.
Nitrohaulic
Nitro Member
Driving into them was before the 300+ speeds ,that's why Garlits and Amato had the problems with their eyes.
Pull them just before the lights, lift at the finish line, and push the fuel shut-off next.
I thought driving into the chutes was supposed to soften the hit?
It couldn't soften the hit if you're at full speed, I could be wrong, but I would think it would maximize the hit. I think the instant you lift in a fuel car the speed starts decreasing, driving into the chutes was probably a technique to make sure they blossom, but again, I may be all wrong.
Nitrohaulic
Nitro Member
If you're off the throttle, the chutes are going to decelerate you more suddenly since there's less resistance to slowing? I thought you drove into the chutes under power to lessen that hit. What I've heard. Thought it was from a manufacturer.
Wes
Nitro Member
I'll never forget at Indy '94-95? Wayne Bailey had a stuck throttle and before Indy put up those walls he spun the car out in the grass and hit the sand backwards. The Motor was still running when it high centered in the sand. That was genius!
Wayne did that top-end grass spin out at Norwalk...I'm thinking it was '91 or '92 because I was still living and racing there. I might have it on a crash and burn VHS tape somewhere.
ANDRA Top Fuel...correct me if I am wrong but isn't that class devoid of nitro limitations, rev limiters, insanely high minimum weights, and other NHRA-style restrictions?
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Nitro Member
You're right, it's on "And They Walked Away" number 4 or 5.
I also owned the tape but left it my my friends motor home when we went to Phoenix on 2004. He sold the motor home shortly after that and I never saw the tape again. I bet there is a retired couple parked at a campground somewhere in Florida watching it right now.
mike
Nitro Member
