Earlier this week, I shared a video memory of some wild pro mod action in Atlanta, well today I’m fast forwarding to the St Louis NHRA event and a run that went very, very wrong. The St Louis race was similar to all of the other J&A Service Pro Mod series events of the year where dozens of cars were vying for just 16 qualified spots. The caliber of all the machines is world class and because of that, competitors can nary afford to throw away or give up on a run. This causes some wild stuff to happen when drivers hang in there through circumstances that they normally wouldn’t. This was one of those times.
You’ll see from the head on camera angle that Payne’s car was working itself left very early in the run. The 3,000hp blown hemi in the front of the car was making big power and unfortunately he got out into no man’s land where traction ain’t like it is in the middle of the groove. With little warning the car begins to rotate and then makes a sickening 90-degree turn.
In the other lane, New Hampshire’s Chuck Little is running for his life as the calamity unfolds behind him. Payne crosses directly behind Little and smashes the wall with the car up on its side. with the front end destroyed and no steering, he heads back across the track and the car ends up next to the wall, torn to shreds.
Payne was OK and walked way from the crash with nothing more than a strong feeling of annoyance that it happened. Reportedly when offered water by a safety safari worker, Jay asked for a beer instead. I would have done just about the same thing.
That was a very nasty crash with no one injured! I give a lot of credit to you Brian for keeping it together announcing this catastrophic split second situation. I was watching on All Access so I know this was no voice over. For me the viewer I was stunned and speechless. Keep up the great work!
Thankfully Jay survived this crash. This crash, the top end at indy, the tree at vegas divisional, the wall at vegas nationals come to mind of recent crashes.
Jay has always taken time out to talk when I come by his trailer. Even made Shelly laugh and smile a few years ago at phx divisional the year Brad was tuning the pm in comp. I think Roland was pitted close with the nfc. Three legends talked to within a few minutes. Only in drag racing.
The left lane is crash happy in St Louis. At this year’s scsn, the guy that bought Carl stevens jr px crashed almost exactly the same way and walked away.