Title: ALMS Sonoma
Post by: DickieAttwood on July 18, 2004, 11:06:35 pm
My mate called from Canada and he was watching the race and told me of a practice crash involving Dale Earnhart Jr...
I wish him well.
I wish him well.
Title: Re:ALMS Sonoma
Post by: Dave H on July 19, 2004, 04:27:34 am
Yeah, watched Dale Jr. grilling out this morning. Scary moments when he first went-up. Those zippo lighters can be a bitch.
Thank God he was in control of his faculties and able to get himself out of that mess. That could have been much uglier than it was. The impact really didn't look that violent - just a fluke separation got all that gas pissing-out. The in-car footage is incredible. He spins, thumps the wall hard and comes to a rest - you see racing fuel literally gushing all over the underside of the car and "whooomp" as soon as it gets to the exhaust. Then it went up like a Playstation Chrysler on the Mulsanne. His dash cam is facing him when it ignites so you can literally see him engulfed in f**k*ng flames. Bizarre, he just sits there - not freaking-out - just roasting casually for a few seconds - probably trying to find his belts and get out of dodge. Seems he's fine other than a few burns to his face and legs - and possible knee injury - he's already saying he's racing next week though!
Fax - I seem to remember watching his old man at Talladega coming past us upside down in a bit of a smoker - don't you? He too got a bit of a scorched moustache in that one. Nothing like the sound of a car's windshield popping-out on the catch fence 20 feet infront of you at about 170 mph. Jeeezus.
Thank God he was in control of his faculties and able to get himself out of that mess. That could have been much uglier than it was. The impact really didn't look that violent - just a fluke separation got all that gas pissing-out. The in-car footage is incredible. He spins, thumps the wall hard and comes to a rest - you see racing fuel literally gushing all over the underside of the car and "whooomp" as soon as it gets to the exhaust. Then it went up like a Playstation Chrysler on the Mulsanne. His dash cam is facing him when it ignites so you can literally see him engulfed in f**k*ng flames. Bizarre, he just sits there - not freaking-out - just roasting casually for a few seconds - probably trying to find his belts and get out of dodge. Seems he's fine other than a few burns to his face and legs - and possible knee injury - he's already saying he's racing next week though!
Fax - I seem to remember watching his old man at Talladega coming past us upside down in a bit of a smoker - don't you? He too got a bit of a scorched moustache in that one. Nothing like the sound of a car's windshield popping-out on the catch fence 20 feet infront of you at about 170 mph. Jeeezus.
Title: Re:ALMS Sonoma
Post by: Fax on July 19, 2004, 01:45:03 pm
Yeah Dave, I remember that vividly. Big E's Chevy riding piggyback on the top of Elliots car..upside down! Those big Talladega tumblers are like watching a plane crash.
Dave, what do you think about the Superbikes at Mid-Ohio this Saturday? Giving it some serious thought.
John
Dave, what do you think about the Superbikes at Mid-Ohio this Saturday? Giving it some serious thought.
John
