(weer) zware crash in nascar
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BRISTOL, Tenn. -- NASCAR Busch Series driver Mike Harmon was involved in a spectacular crash Thursday at Bristol Motor Speedway, after posts required to secure the Turn 2 gate were not put in place.
Amazingly, Harmon emerged from the wreckage unscathed aside from a bruise on his right side.
Workers assist Mike Harmon from the wreckage. Credit: Autostock
Harmon was entering Turn 2 some 10 minutes into the weekend's first practice when witnesses at the scene claimed he blew a right front tire, sending him hard into an outside wall that doubles as a crossover gate.
When closed, the wall is bolstered by six, four-inch by four-inch, 3/8-inch thick metal posts. Those posts were not put in place Thursday, and when Harmon impacted the wall, it gave way.
Hence, Harmon's No. 44 Chevrolet was bisected by the concrete outside retaining wall. He then shot straight down the track and into Johnny Sauter's path. Sauter hit him and came to rest in the middle of the backstretch.
[Workers and drivers survey the damage. Credit: Autostock]
Workers and drivers survey the damage. Credit: Autostock
"I ain't sure. We went out, saw a big wreck," said Sauter, who was also uninjured. "There was nothing I could do and I hit him. I don't have a clue what happened. Something happened to his car. He shot right into the fence and broke into a million pieces. I don't even know what I hit. All I saw was fire."
When the smoke cleared, Harmon's car came to rest on the apron in Turn 2. Meanwhile, his engine and steering column wound up halfway down the back straightaway. The right front clip from his Chevrolet came to rest up the track from Sauter, near the entrance of Turn 3.
Harmon fared better than his No. 44 car after the accident. Credit: Autostock
"That's the worst wreck in NASCAR history," said veteran driver Kenny Wallace.
After being checked out by attending physician Dr. Nelson Gwaltney in the infield care center, Harmon entered an ambulance on his own power and was transported to Wellmont Regional Medical Center in Bristol, Tenn., as a precautionary measure. He was released and returned to the track.
BMS director of communications Wayne Estes would not speculate on who was at fault.
The No. 2 car suffered damage as well. Credit: Autostock
"The gate was not properly secured," Estes said. "I think everybody's so grateful Mike Harmon got out of this car alive. Really thankful."
Eleven years ago, Michael Waltrip was involved in a virtually identical accident in the same corner of the same track. He was flabbergasted that it could happen again.
"It was exactly like mine, only worse," Waltrip said. "A lot of people look back on that day and say that was a bad day. I say no, quite the contrary. That was a wonderful day. For something like that to happen and be able to walk away from it is amazing. Mike, he just did it way worse than I did. I never thought that'd be possible.
"I just got back from laughing with him. I'm so glad that that wall over there didn't cost him his life. We preach safety and just drop the ball occasionally. I'm real disappointed in the fact that it was allowed to happen again.
"I thought I had the worst wreck ever, then Geoffrey Bodine at Daytona, he took over then. But this was worse than that. I couldn't believe it. I'm just so thankful he was able to get out."
Practice was delayed nearly three hours while the track made repairs to the damaged gate.
http://www.nascar.com/2002/news/head...e-crash_xl.jpg
bron: nascar.com
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