It has been widely reported since Monday, but if you have not heard Richie Crampton, Jake Sanders, and Dom Lagana were injured in varying degrees after being involved in a single car accident on Sunday night. The three were traveling on a county road in Crampton’s famed Drag Week 1957 Chevrolet station wagon. The car has been repowered since Drag Week with a twin turbocharged LS engine. Lagana was driving when the accident occurred and while Crampton and Sanders were both hurt, it is Lagana who sadly got the worst of it.
The drag racing community has been rallying around the three guys. Crampton has had surgeries to repair broken bones in his upper and lower body, Sanders was able to leave the hospital on Monday under his own power in what can only be described as a miraculous turn considering the injures incurred by the other two guys in the car.
Lagana’s condition differs greatly from the other two men as he was still in the vehicle after the crash. It is our understanding that there was a fire which Dom was in the midst of until being removed from the vehicle by Gary Pritchett who arrived on the scene after the accident had taken place. All the men could use positive energy but Dom’s most in need of it.
It’s taken a couple of days to even have the stomach to type these words. These are three good guys, two of which we know really well. What happened? How did it happen? There will be plenty of time to get that story factually assembled once there’s been some level of recovery for the men involved. At this moment, factually the only thing to report is that it was a single car crash and three guys were hurt. Beyond that it’s all speculation, guessing, and lacking in productivity to the current situation.
There are kids, wives, fiancés, and family involved here. Please send your best in the direction of Dom, Richie, and Jake. Their lives are altered forever.
Prayers for Mr. Don Lagana, Ritchie Crampton, Jake Sanders and all their Family and Friends. Please get well very soon and know we are all thinking of you all and Praying that your recoveries are complete and everyone stays healthy.
They said speed was a factor Why am I not at all surprised
Not wearing seat belts in a car that fast wow
Are you serious? The speed limit on the road concerned is 35mph. If the sheriff’s department think the car was going over this then they will say ‘speed is a factor’.
As others have said, the “whys” don’t matter a damn at the moment. As Brian said above, there are kids, wives, fiancees and families involved. Send your best wishes to the guys, not smart-ass, finger-pointing comments.
Don’t believe everything you read! I was told otherwise! Media is BS these days!
It gives chills to think of fire involved in accidents. Prayers to all parties.
Thoughts and prayers to each of them thru this recovery process. They are strong and they are fighters. I wish them the very best
Sad, very sad – what about no seat belts from an earlier report? Prayers for all for a quick recovery!
Hope for the best for him. All the whys don’t matter right now.
Terrible, thoughts & prayers to the guys & their families
I was lucky enough to meet Dom and Richie on different occasions when they came to Australia to race. Did a road-trip to Melbourne with Dom to run Calder; never met anyone before whose eyes actually sparkled with mischief and a genuine love of life.
A couple of years later Richie raced with us and again I count myself lucky to have met someone so genuine and down-to earth.
Dom especially has a hard road ahead. Stay strong mate and please come out the other side with the twinkle still there.
Prayers for all involved. The world needs Dom and many more like him.
Get well soon.
God speed my friends see you guys in brainerd minnesota next year all healthy&and ready for some nitro
Car appropriately named the Shit Box of Doom. Praying for their speedy recovery.
The “Shit Box of Doom”
my prayers go out to them. I had the privilege to meet them on the 2018 drag week tour, great group of guys. they were doing what they loved to do.
I’ve seen many wrecks like these in the past over the years. There are varying elements that result in these events. Was drugs or alcohol involved here? Was speed a consideration? Was there a mechanical problem with the vehicle? Did the driver suffer a medical emergency during the event? We’re safety devices used, i.e. seatbelts….? Was the roadway a dirt/gravel road where traction could have been in question? Was it in a corner where it happened? Was there fire involved during and after the accident? What were contributing factors like weather?, Wet or ice covered roadway? These and many other factors should be considered to get to the cause of the accounts of that night.