Apologize in advance for CNN's ad-based video intros .... be patient.


http://www.cnn.com/video/#/video/spo....race.crash.ap



bubba

 

Damn, that sucks .... with a capitol "S".

I couldn't hear it, did the dude make it out alright?

 

Yeah - only minor injuries. Just....wow.

Bubba

 

must have been a tundra

 

wth.. the car broke in the middle..

 

the same type thing happened to corey mac two years ago in bristol on a sat. and he had a new car together and was racing in eliminations on sun.

 

i dont think its "the worst crash in drag racing history"

 

I had the same thing happen to an unmanned scale C02 rocket dragster that I built in the Power and Energy class in the 8th grade. Mine was an undetectable mill flaw that weakened the frame. If I'd milled it down probably another .001" then I would have seen it and would have scraped that entire frame. But then normal material would have probably been to weak if it was .001" thinner........ I was pushing the envelop to save weight and win. Hard lessoned learned the easy way.

 

wow, that sucks


BTW, luvin that sig azmidget....
there are exceptions to the 500x100 you know

 

Agreed....

Those frames are made out of very strong, yet very brittle metal to keep it simple... If they have the SLIGHTEST crack, they will just snap in two.

 

that and they flex a ton

 

cant be brittle and flex

made from chromoly which is strong and flexable.
chromoly is not brittle

 

Perhaps "brittle" is not the correct word. It's the only one I can come up with.

 

Amazing that pilot wasn't seriously injured or even killed

 

Exactly, when it tries, then it snaps.

There is a point of rigidity they try to create, but allowing for flex. If there is a flaw either from the mill or if a welder accidently crystlizes a joint, then as it flexes back and forth it will eventually snap.