[coverattach=1]It was supposed to be an 800-foot test lap, but it became history’s fastest Pro Mod Extreme quarter-mile run: an amazing 256.05 mph at 5.740 seconds.
Von Smith said he was hanging on to the steering wheel with one hand while the other hand was pulling the fuel shutoff and tugging hard on the brake when the throttle stuck in the new Al-Anabi Racing 1968 Chevy Camaro . . . and he was along for the harrowing ride at the Qatar Racing Club in Doha, Qatar.
“When that happened, the force of the ‘chutes opening pulled them off the car,” said crew member Terry Hope. “The car was past the finish line when the left front tire blew and the car hit the wall, then it crossed the track and hit the other wall.”
Smith was ready to scramble from the wreckage as soon as the car slid to a halt.
“Tim McAmis builds great race cars and I’m thankful that he does,” said Smith, whose worst injuries were a bruised pelvis and sore ribs. “I’m very lucky. I walked away from two serious accidents in three weeks, and I pray it doesn’t happen again. We still don’t know why the throttle stuck.”
The team’s 1957 Chevy crashed at Bahrain and the Camaro was its replacement.
“I want to thank (Al-Anabi team owner) Sheik Khalid Al Thani, (crew chief) Howard Moon and the team for their support,” added Smith of the Atomic Performance team that is based in Oak Ridge , Tenn. “This was an unfortunate, unforeseen accident and they just want to move forward.”
Smith, by the way, didn’t let the accident keep him from competing. Two days later, he drove a borrowed car that was prepared by McAmis and Moon, ran a best of 5.91 seconds and advanced to the semifinals of eliminations.
Sheik Khalid bought “The Rage” Camaro for Smith to drive in the four remaining Qatar/Bahrain racing series events. “Howard worked on the car before and we will have it wrapped in Al-Anabi Racing colors in time for next week’s race,” Smith said. “We’re also busy building three new motors.
“The doctor said my pelvis is going to be sore for a long time, but I will be ready to go next week. We plan to test our new car before the race.”
Von Smith said he was hanging on to the steering wheel with one hand while the other hand was pulling the fuel shutoff and tugging hard on the brake when the throttle stuck in the new Al-Anabi Racing 1968 Chevy Camaro . . . and he was along for the harrowing ride at the Qatar Racing Club in Doha, Qatar.
“When that happened, the force of the ‘chutes opening pulled them off the car,” said crew member Terry Hope. “The car was past the finish line when the left front tire blew and the car hit the wall, then it crossed the track and hit the other wall.”
Smith was ready to scramble from the wreckage as soon as the car slid to a halt.
“Tim McAmis builds great race cars and I’m thankful that he does,” said Smith, whose worst injuries were a bruised pelvis and sore ribs. “I’m very lucky. I walked away from two serious accidents in three weeks, and I pray it doesn’t happen again. We still don’t know why the throttle stuck.”
The team’s 1957 Chevy crashed at Bahrain and the Camaro was its replacement.
“I want to thank (Al-Anabi team owner) Sheik Khalid Al Thani, (crew chief) Howard Moon and the team for their support,” added Smith of the Atomic Performance team that is based in Oak Ridge , Tenn. “This was an unfortunate, unforeseen accident and they just want to move forward.”
Smith, by the way, didn’t let the accident keep him from competing. Two days later, he drove a borrowed car that was prepared by McAmis and Moon, ran a best of 5.91 seconds and advanced to the semifinals of eliminations.
Sheik Khalid bought “The Rage” Camaro for Smith to drive in the four remaining Qatar/Bahrain racing series events. “Howard worked on the car before and we will have it wrapped in Al-Anabi Racing colors in time for next week’s race,” Smith said. “We’re also busy building three new motors.
“The doctor said my pelvis is going to be sore for a long time, but I will be ready to go next week. We plan to test our new car before the race.”
