BangShift reader Nick Lingua sent us a tip on this video from last weekend’s “Night of Fire” at Cedar Falls Raceway in Iowa. The event is a totally bitchin’ match race that has everything we love about drag racing involved. Old school floppers, crazy door slammers, nitro burning dragsters, and small tire action. We’re not sure if this Buick wreck happened during a wheelstand contest or on a pass in one of the many classes being contested that night.
As you’ll see a damned serious 1970 Buick is heading down the strip in near vertical fashion when it rotates 90 degrees, lands on top of the steel guardrail and then violently flips and rolls, ending up on the other side of the wall entirely. According to Nick, the driver in this car walked away from the crash. The car looks pretty torn up with the axle sitting cockeyed in the upside down car, among other mangled parts.
Steel guardrail is pretty much the devil in all situations, although a concrete wall probably wouldn’t have made that much of a difference here. With the car landing directly on top of it, a different style of wall wouldn’t have prevented the ensuing violence. It sucks that the car was mangled, but we’re glad to hear that the driver made it out alive.
Thanks to Nick for the tip! And thanks to Bob for the second video!
Press play below!
all the other buick convertibles on the planet just got a little more valuable..
I have met the driver,Jeff at the GS nationals, a great guy, I heard he is ok, the car is done- too bad, as I understand it was a car he has had since he was in high school
The fool’s lucky to be alive.
It was only a Buick Convertible.
pisses me off to no end to hear the douchebags in the crowd cheering and whistling before the anything was known if the driver was ok or not… glad he’s ok though
yeh, what IS this thing with this clip, but more generally with Americans, to go wooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo’ through EVERYTHING???? Please don’t hate, but it seriously confounds the rest of the world….I mean, not just stuff like this, but rock concerts, movies etc. if you enjoy it, it seems to be perfectly acceptable to go ` wooooooooooooooooooooooooo’ even through lead breaks, quiet bits of songs, quiet bits of films etc. If you did that in Australia you wouldn’t make it through the film or whatever without getting your head kicked in…
I agree ratty.. that bothered me too. Good thing it had a well built cage. Also, to cheer a guy out there enjoying the hobby without sponsorship dollars crashing is morally reprehensible to me.
To update the story. Jeff Wild and 2 other buddies were doing exhibition passes in Power Wheelstanding Vehicles like what is seen at Byron in October.
Here is his response from my Youtube page:
JeffWild here. Had the buick since I was 17. The AntiRoll Bar mount on the Passenger side of the 12blt broke at the starting line! Once I looked to the left the second time and saw Grass and no Track I Knew I Was Screwed!!! Let off the gas, pushed my hands on the wheel, slammed my feet to the floor, and pushed my back to the seat! It was a Wild RollerCoaster from Hell.. Ben Martin from PurePerformance Race Cars 12point Rollcage Saved my Life! Car is Destroyed! Check Out facebook/jeffwildracing1
Also:
Im gonna take all the good parts out and build another 70-72 Buick Conv. Exactly the Same. Thanks to the CedarFalls Track Crew for being for me with in seconds! LifeSavors U are!! Special Thanks to Steve,Greg,Larry, Aj Fiorelli Love u Dudes! Thanks to the “Fans” for the Support!! Us Wheelstanders do it for U!!! Gonna put Your Poster Money Toward the next Buick Conv. Check out Facebook/jeffwildracing1 Be Wild or BeNothing 2012
Was it really worth it?