I freaking hate this. All I want is to go through a dang season without losing anyone.

Godspeed, John. We're praying for his family.

Very Very Sad News. Our condolences to the family!!

__________________
Nancy Matter
Nancy Matter Racing, Inc.
http://www.nancymatterracing.com

Very bad deal. I have watched him run for years. Word at the track was he might of had a heart attack. This is just a guess. He went through the lights at 249mph and never lifted. Looked to have banged the motor at about 200' past the traps. No chutes, just full speed into the sand. He definitely must of been out cold. Way too much experience to have all that happen.

My deepest condolences to the family.

Hard to say but from our view point at half track what you report is what we saw also. Full bore, no chutes, no fuel shutoff. View was somewhat restricted because Jim Murphy had a lot of oil smoke as he crossed the finish line. Terrible thing to have happened. I bought the 3rd car that John made way back when for our jr. fuel deal. I'm sick.

I remember watching john run a few times up at woodburn in his TAD.
He will be missed. RIP John.

Always sad to hear of something like this. RIP

__________________
"I got a fever, and the only prescription... is more cowbell!"

Buell's and Hardley's suck!

I just got back from Bakersfield.

I was sitting at about half-track on the camping side and watched the pass.
I knew immediately something bad had happened because the throttle never shut going past the lights.

It was the longest I had ever heard a fuel car WOT.

The mood in the pits was very sad for those that heard.
Lots of hugging and crying.

Others just went about there business.



I am sad for the Shoemaker family and crew.

I can not express my sadness and heartache upon hearing this news. My thoughts and prayers are with John's family and friends.

RIP

My first dragster was built by John back in 1972. It was a very nice car. I got to know John a little bit after the sale. He and his wife often times raced without a lot of crew and were very nice people. This is very sad and hard to understand. It reminds me of when my good friend Don Rhyne drove off of the top end at Tucson and died as a result.

A real bummer to hear about this. John was a great guy and i'll miss him. I've seen him other places but he's been up here to Mission numerous times and they do the flag deal with a Canadian flag or both Canada and US. He did it with the front motor fueler as well as the top alky dragster.

This is a tragic loss of a great man and true friend...
I'm so sorry Judee... My hugs will be a bit tighter next time I see you...

John Shoemaker


From the entire Birky Bunch T/F team-
JoAnne and I are here for you sweetheart...

RIP- John
Thank You, for everything!!

__________________
theDARKSIDE- TOP ALCOHOL DRAGSTER*

This is terrible news. Thoughts and prayers to the Shoemaker family.

S/F
D

Awful, awful news.

My thoughts and prayers go out to John's family and friends.

RIP John.

Michael.

Ray, thinking of you big bro.

My condolences to John's family and friends.

__________________
Track Announcer - Gimli Dragway, Gimli, Manitoba

I'm not giving the official word, but Sorokin called me late last night, and there is speculation that John may have had a heart attack during his last pass. This would explain WOT way on past the finish with no chutes.


God Speed John,