Worst Nascar Crash.

#1
Co. Aytch

Co. Aytch

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#1
I have been getting ready for the next Nascar season and was watching a bunch of old tapes that I have. I remembered this crash at Bristol with Michael Waltrip...What are some other crashes that stand out in your mind after all these years and being awful?

YouTube - Michael Waltrip crash Bristol 1990
 
#3
#3
Both were nasty. Stewart's flip at Daytona in 2001 was dirty. Mike Harmon at Bristol was bad. Carl Edwards at 'Dega was memorable. McDowell's qualifying crash at Texas was sick, also.
 
#4
#4
That Geoff Bodine crash was awful. Cant believe he walked away from that one. Maybe not walked away, I should say survived.
 
#5
#5
VOLnVEGAS said:
That Geoff Bodine crash was awful. Cant believe he walked away from that one. Maybe not walked away, I should say survived.
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I was watching that race with a friend who was in the kitchen when Bodine wrecked. He ran in and I said Bodine was most likely just killed.
 
#6
#6
I've seen some horrendous crashes both on TV and live since I first started going to races about 50 years ago. The two that always come to mind I saw live are Michael Waltrips at Bristol, and one involving Paul Radford in a modified race at the old Asheville-Weaverville track.

Michael's has to be the most destructive looking one ever. The car absolutely disintegrated as it went from about 110 mph to 0 in inches. Darrell said right before he saw Michael was ok that he didn't know how he was going to tell his mother Michael was dead.

Paul Radford was one of the best modified drivers of his time. My dad had a Sportsman car (now Nationwide) that raced along with the modifieds. We were at Asheville-Weaverville for a national points race. During a practice session a slow car moved over on Paul and it launched him end over end at least six times down the front straight, and the body came completely off the car. Paul calmly stood up and stepped out of the car. What made it so memorable was I was standing on the pit wall, and he flipped right in front of me coming within 10 or 12 feet.
 
#7
#7
My dad and I were watching that CTS race with Bodine live as well. We sat stunned for a few seconds and then dad said I think I'm going to be sick - he has to be dead.

We were at Bristol when Michael crashed. It happened right in front of us and we were watching him come through the field at the time. I've never heard anything that sounded quite like that. I hope I never have to hear an airplane crash but I would imagine that is what it would sound like.

Some other accidents that stick out that may not be as obvious in this discussion.......

Randy Lajoie Daytona flip from 1984 - much worse than the Ricky Rudd flip that always gets hyped IMO.

YouTube - Randy Lajoie Flips Wildly At Daytona 1984 LIVE

ARCA crash at Daytona - perhaps the worst flip ever where someone survived in a stock car....

YouTube - Tom Usry's Huge Flip At Daytona 1989

Will try to add some more as I think of them.
 
#11
#11
Another bad one was Johnny Sauter, similar to M. Waltrip I think it was at Indy.

The worst crash I saw on TV wasn't NASCAR, and was on closed circuit TV. It was the fiery crash at Indy in 1965 that claimed the lives of Eddie Sachs and Jim McDonald. It wasn't as violent as some listed, but to see two men burn to death was something you never forget. It led to the use of alcohol as fuel instead of gasoline.
 
#12
#12
As for recent wrecks, I'll throw out Carl Edwards doing his best Bobby Allison impression at Talladega last year and Michael McDowell's header (and subsequent tumble) into the wall at Texas during qualifying in 2008.
 
#13
#13
NASCAR has had some bad wrecks, but they're tame compared to some others i've seen.

google Alex Zandardi. then look at the stills. ugh.

also, there was an F1 accident many years ago, and i forget the names or dates, but a course worker was struck by a car as he was crossing the track to help another driver. the driver that struck him took the course worker's fire extinguisher to the helmet and was killed instantly. the course worker was only identified after all working that section of the track were asked to congregate so they could figure out who was missing. it's on youtube if you're curious and willing to do a little work.
 
#14
#14
doozer said:
NASCAR has had some bad wrecks, but they're tame compared to some others i've seen.

google Alex Zandardi. then look at the stills. ugh.

also, there was an F1 accident many years ago, and i forget the names or dates, but a course worker was struck by a car as he was crossing the track to help another driver. the driver that struck him took the course worker's fire extinguisher to the helmet and was killed instantly. the course worker was only identified after all working that section of the track were asked to congregate so they could figure out who was missing. it's on youtube if you're curious and willing to do a little work.
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Unfortunately I accidentally stumbled upon it awhile back. It was sickening. I don't ever wish to see that again.
 
#16
#16
Russell Phillips crash at Charlotte in 1995. It was a fatal crash that sent the car roof first into the fence, decapitating and dismembering Phillips. I won’t go into any more gruesome detail than that, but you can read more about it on Wikipedia and the video is on YouTube if you have the stomach to watch it.
 
#17
#17
doozer said:
also, there was an F1 accident many years ago, and i forget the names or dates, but a course worker was struck by a car as he was crossing the track to help another driver. the driver that struck him took the course worker's fire extinguisher to the helmet and was killed instantly. the course worker was only identified after all working that section of the track were asked to congregate so they could figure out who was missing. it's on youtube if you're curious and willing to do a little work.
Click to expand...

Because I'm sure I'm not the only one that has a morbid curiosity...

YouTube - Tom Pryce F1 Fatal Crash F1 1977 Kyalami HD HQ New Footage
 
#20
#20
TheSyxxSynse said:
Russell Phillips crash at Charlotte in 1995. It was a fatal crash that sent the car roof first into the fence, decapitating and dismembering Phillips. I won’t go into any more gruesome detail than that, but you can read more about it on Wikipedia and the video is on YouTube if you have the stomach to watch it.
Click to expand...

i youtube'd it. pretty sick i must say, but i didn't see anything near as graphic as the two i listed. you have a link to a better video or some pictures?

asking for a friend.
 
#21
#21
While maybe not as spectacular, any crash which ended in death would have to be among the worst I would think. Whether you are talking about Dale Earnhardt, Tony Roper, John Nemachek, Tiny Lund, Fireball Roberts, or anyone else who has died as a result of a wreck, they have to be among the worst.
 
#23
#23
doozer said:
i youtube'd it. pretty sick i must say, but i didn't see anything near as graphic as the two i listed. you have a link to a better video or some pictures?

asking for a friend.
Click to expand...

No, I don't have or know of anything else. And the video itself may not be as graphic as some, but I guess the worst part for me was reading the details about the crash and then watching it. The fact that the aftermath of the crash included finding the drivers helmet (with his head still inside) and one of his hands hanging on the fence just really messed with me.
 
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