This is one of those stories that will really make you cringe. For starters, we are glad that the man involved will be OK, if not completely intact. While details about how this whole mess got started are sketchy at best, we do know that Peter Badgero was operating a tractor at the Tri-City Speedway in Auburn, Michigan when is managed to hit a truck that was on the course. This caused Badgero to fall off the tractor and in the process, his leg got caught up and ultimately mangled by the tiller that was on the back of the rig. Unfortunately, it did so much damage that Badgero lost his foot. Doctors could not save it.
It is basically at this point where the video comes into play. Shot by a fan in the stands, we see the beefy tractor used to groom the track as a rudderless ship, driving around the facility, banging off the walls, skidding around, and actually making some pretty good speed at points. There are a couple of moments of levity, particularly when the thing is making a line at the stands and the announcer starts begging people to get away from the fence and then admonishing them for their stupidity to be anywhere near said fence as equipment was running around the track without an operator.
The track operator finally gets the situation handled after getting into what looks to be a Case backhoe. Heck, even that process has a couple of seemingly unbelievable moments but he does get the wayward tractor stopped but not after it eats concrete a time or two.
We hope Mr. Badgero recovers as best he can. News reports state that he is in good spirits and only wants to get on with the rehab in order to get back to the facility he has loved working at for the last few years.
We told you…this is a weird one!
Kill Dozer!