I had a pretty scary crash today at Pacific Raceways. I'm OK but might not have been had it not been for the Hans. I'm a little sore now but it could have been a lot worse. This was only the second time I had worn the Hans and thank goodness I had it on.

Everyone driving a dragster really needs to get a hans.

The car can likely be saved but we won't know for sure until the chassis builder comes over and looks at it. Regardless, we are commited to being back out there buy the beginning of June.

Rich Bailey
CapRacing Home Page

Glad your OK Rich ... cars can be replaced.

I am happy you are here to tell us about it Rich... What happened?

glad your ok bro...

same here , good to hear your ok!

At the hit I drove into some horific tire shake. I have had this happen before and always drove right through it. But then at about 800 feet after the shake cleared I had the same feeling you would have if you hit some ice on the highway as the car instantly went into the other lane, I tried to save it and the car got crossed up, was nearly airborne, went across the track hit the wall then (and I kid you not) it did a complete 180 in the middle of the track. It then flipped on its side and slid down to the finish line. When I slid It was sort of like Micheal Brotherton's crash in the Coors Light car here about 12 years ago.

The track was cold and was one of those things. It was the first time in 10 years of racing that I ever crossed over into the other lane in competition. And hopefully the last.

good to hear you're okay rich....you never know how valuable the safety equipment is until you need it!!!!

good luck puttin your car back together

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August 13, 1973 - March 23, 2007
R.I.P. Eric

Wow! That did sound like a scary run and crash! I'm really glad all the safety equipment worked and you're "just" sore. Good luck putting your car (or its successor) back into race condition.

Nothing like a first-hand account that shows how well the Hans works. I'm just sorry you had to test the device that way!

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Still BurkartFan!
RIP Eric Medlen and Scott Kalitta I need more ice cream...

Man Rich, I hate to hear that. Glad your ok though.

Rich, glad you got outta that one... I love it when people ask 'how hard is it to drive in a straight line?'
Rest up and take care

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Not So Comfortably Numb- Fly Navy, Build SEABEES
A friend helps you move, A Real Friend helps you Move Bodies

Wow, sounds like a scary incident. I am glad to hear you are OK!

Thanks for everyone's kind words. These cars are dangerous when something happens it happens instantly. Its easy to second guess what I could have done differently and I did a lot of second guessing but sometimes your just a passenger and fate is going to go one way or the other. We ran last weekend at Woodurn and the car went streight down broadway and ran a 6.85.

Glad you're okay, Rich.

Rich,

I'm so glad to hear that you're okay. And way to be smart by wearing the HANS device. That was a great move.

Get some rest and get rid of all that soreness.

Rich glad your OK, was it windy at all? Either that or some liquid was left on the track is what I think. From what you described is exactly what happened to Jim Whitely at the Winternatls. his car slid on it's side for about 200'!

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Shift for Brains!!!!