(Photos from Greg Lippard’s FB page) – If there has been a race car that we’ve been unabashed fan boys over here at BangShift it is the awesome Wild Rat injected fuel altered campaigned by the Lippard Family. In fact, it was less than two weeks ago that we were telling you how the injected, nitro burning, big block Chevy powered car had run 4.17/170 in the eighth mile to reset its own record as the quickest and the fastest injected nitro fuel altered ever. The season was going to be a big one for the rat because they were going to travel out to Eddyville, Iowa and throw down with all of the other huge altered names in the country to show just how stout their little car is. Unfortunately a massive crash at Jackson Dragway in Tennessee last weekend has seemingly put those plans on hold because the Wild Rat is in rough shape.
Driver Greg Lippard was not hurt in the crash but as you will see in the photos from his Facebook page below, the car is another story. You can see extensive damage to the front end of the car, the engine, the upper body, and basically the entire car. While we do not have video or a sequence of photos that depict the crash, short wheelbase fuel altereds with hugely powerful engines are among the most difficult cars to drive in the sport and while Greg Lippard is one of the best in the business, this one ended badly.
We’re not sure what the immediate plans are for the Lippard family but we do know that they have been running fuel altereds in one way or another for decades now and we’re hoping that they’ll be back with a new Wild Rat or some variant of it in the future. We’re sorry to see the car torn up but we really love the fact that these guys do what they do. The sport is a better place when people like the Lippard’s are involved in it.
Dammit! my hero too! hopefully the car can be salvaged I am glad Greg is ok.
NOOOOOO, Oh Man…… well the most important thing is that Geg is ok. Cars can be fixed or replaced but the people are irreplaceable. Like so many others, We hope to see them back in action soon.