It was about a decade and a half ago now that Eddie Timal took one of the most incredible rides in the history of the vaunted World Street Nationals in Orlando. Timal who was a trailblazer running twin turbos back then in the front of a 1974 Pontiac GTO came off the starting line, whiffed the tires, and headed for the guardrail. No one could have predicted what would happen next when the car was launched completely airborne and then out of the ball-park so to speak, landing on the grass buffer between the fans and the course. The car was a write off and thankfully Eddie was OK.
This was one of the most widely shared videos of a drag racing crash that existed back in 2006 and we had nearly forgotten about it but since we’ll be down at the World Street Nationals this weekend we have ben digging up our history and information on the race to be ready to share it.
Timal came back to drag racing after this, it did not end his career. We do believe it ended the carer of the 1974 Pontiac GTO but thankfully, it was just a bump, albeit and big and traumatic one for Timal.
This is insane.
Hope his friends were sufficiently impressed.
Give it up for that cage tho
You guys should seriously consider covering the yearly Fred Lobster 100 from the Fred Lobster Social Club in Gladewater, TX. Essentially this is a low buck claimer like car race in a cow pasture (unprepared save for bushhogging) in East TX just off I-20 . Essential rules are, aside from safety helmet and belts, each car must be manned by 4 successive different drivers thus 3 pit stops. Each driver must, in addition to driving, consume a six pack of beer during their 25 laps. NO Glass Containers allowed of course. No word on limits of beer drivers can consume in preparation for their assigned laps. Most fun you ever had with your clothes on.
I have a load of DVDs from Powerhouse Video covering Orlando.
What happended why did it stop ?
For me this video highlights just how crappy (and dangerous) those old style guardrails were compared to the modern concrete barriers. Concrete barriers would have kept the car on the track greatly protecting spectators plus limiting the damage to the car. I personally would never race at a track that still uses these old POS rails.