NHRA driver killed at Englishtown dragstrip

It doesn't say who it was :(

This is the second time in two years at Englishtown. When will they fix the track! :eek:
 
OLD BRIDGE, N.J.(AP)—A drag racing driver ran through a net at the end of a track and died of head injuries after crashing at a “high rate of speed” during a qualifying round at the NHRA SuperNationals at a New Jersey raceway Friday, state police said.

Neal Parker, 58, of Millville, N.J., crashed at Raceway Park in Old Bridge, state police Sgt. Stephen Jones said. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

Parker was entered in the Top Alcohol Funny Car competition. The crash occurred shortly before noon.

“Parker … crashed Friday at a high rate of speed in the shutdown area during qualifying,” the NHRA said in a statement on its website. “On behalf of everyone at NHRA and Raceway Park, we are deeply saddened and want to pass along our sincere condolences to the entire Parker family.”

NHRA officials and New Jersey state police are investigating.

Spectator David Farrah of Manalapan said it appeared the driver couldn’t stop.

“It looked like the chute just didn’t open and he couldn’t stop,” Farrah said. “The car was just crushed. It was tragic.”

Another spectator, George Tompkins, 63, of Metuchen, said he left the stands shortly before the crash. He didn’t see the wreck, but said he heard it.

“You heard that sound and knew right away that it was bad,” he said.

Racing was suspended for more than three hours while the crash was being investigated.

Parker often drove in NHRA events on the East Coast, but was not among the organization’s top-ranked drivers nationally, NHRA spokesman Anthony Vestal said.

Telephone messages left at Parker’s Millville home and an excavating business listed in his name were not immediately returned Friday.

Friday’s accident comes nearly two years after top racer Scott Kalitta died when his Funny Car burst into flames and crashed at the end of the track in central New Jersey.

Kalitta’s Toyota Solara was traveling at about 300 mph when it burst into flames.

New Jersey State Police investigators determined that “catastrophic mechanical failure” caused the fuel-fired explosion.

The 1994 and 1995 Top Fuel season champion had 18 career victories.

In February, a spectator died after being hit by a tire from a crashing dragster at the NHRA Arizona Nationals. The woman was watching a first-round Top Fuel run when Antron Brown’s Matco Tools/U.S. Army dragster went out of control on the strip and its left rear wheel came off.
 
That track seems to be cursed or something. I think I would just skip that event next time it was on the schedule. Would be worth the points because I wouldn't race there.
 
Now I wonder if they will restrict all the Alcohol classes to 1,000 feet instead of the full quarter.
 
CNN-race-track-accident_20100611114202_3_640_480.JPG


http://www.wlfi.com/dpps/news/natio...illed-in-crash-at-nj-raceway-nt10-jgr_3413629 has a video

Alexis Dejoria and Marty Nothstein (sp?) walked away...reportedly she hit harder than Parker. Watch the first link first, then the second...2 consecutive runs.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NbdIJO84qC0

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hZegY89juh0
 
That sand trap there is pure CRAP.It doesn't scrub off any speed.
Mike, I just editted in another video. Those were pretty wild to walk away from.

I agree, not enough sand. The sand bunker should be a significant amount higher than the track- say 6-8 inches, if not a foot. Hitting a "wall" of sand may be a hard deceleration, but better than barrels or concrete.
 
the new nets seemed to do a good job stopping the cars but what struck me were the parachute failures. marty's didn't deploy at all and alexis's broke loose immediately after deploying. somebody needs to be looking real hard at why the parachutes aren't doing their job.
 
the new nets seemed to do a good job stopping the cars but what struck me were the parachute failures. marty's didn't deploy at all and alexis's broke loose immediately after deploying. somebody needs to be looking real hard at why the parachutes aren't doing their job.

I would put money on Force having somebody on it already.
 
the new nets seemed to do a good job stopping the cars but what struck me were the parachute failures. marty's didn't deploy at all and alexis's broke loose immediately after deploying. somebody needs to be looking real hard at why the parachutes aren't doing their job.

and these are all ALCHOHOL cars. Strange thing- almost never see chute failures in the nitro classes. Makes you go hmmmmmmm.
 
Back
Top Bottom