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Randy Walls started
the first Funny Car session like any other. Burnout, backup and
leave. That would be the only normal thing about this pass!
The event happed
early - like at the 300' mark. Now here's how it looked from
the starting line as captured by Bob Brown. This shot was taken
about the instant the fuel tank erupted.
Note
the yellow flames - that isn't oil sports fans - that's nitro.
This
is how it looked from the finish line as caught by Tim Hanaseth.
How it
looked from the top end stands as shot by John Ewald.
Some commentary
is compelled here as the guy on the right (behind Tim Hanaseth)
is Dan Kaplan who, after 2 hours on the wall took this time to
take a relief break and coming back all he could do was look
at his camera bag (on left) and Walls going by knowing he'd missed
the photo op of the weekend. Dan's a great guy and has taken
a lot of ribbing over this.
As seen from
1500' by Don Ewald - talk about up close and personal ... the
shot below is full frame - no cropping.
With
Walls still in the car, the Safety Safari were all over it.
First
it was water in the cockpit.
As Walls
climbed out (to many's amazement) they focused the spray on him.
Once out of the
car, Walls was escorted to the truck by Don Irvin to get the
very warm firesuit off.
The first thing
Irvin did was to check Randy's mouth and throat to make sure
there was no evidence of burns or inhalation. As bad as the car
was, the fire bottles did their job.
Time
to get this thing outta here, clean up and get back to racing.
Check
out the fuel tank - no need to ask why this fire was so intense.
With
Randy in one ambulance, the car goes on the other.
The entire
crew jumped in to get the track cleaned.
Blake
Bowser hauls ashes to the other side of the guardrail.
Steve Gibbs supervises
while John and Blake Bowser burn off the remnants of the clean
up.
These
are they guys you want at the top end when you're in trouble!
Back
in the pits - not much left.
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