Racer killed at Great Lakes Dragaway
09-02-2003, 02:32 PM
#1
Le Mans Master
Thread Starter
Member Since: Apr 2000
Location: Illinois
Posts: 5,532
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Cruise-In II Veteran
Racer killed at Great Lakes Dragaway
I know he wasn't driving a Vette, but prayers go out to his family and friends.
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
UNION GROVE, Wis. — A Will County man driving at a drag racing track in southeastern Wisconsin was killed when he lost control of his car while driving 154 mph.
Clyde Gendusa, 56, of Frankfort was reportedly performing a solo "test and tune" time run when the crash occurred at about 6:40 p.m. Saturday at Great Lakes Dragaway.
Gendusa was driving his modified Chevrolet Camaro in the Modified Super Stock Car Class, according the Kenosha County Sheriff's Department.
"As soon as he crossed the finish line, the back end started to wobble back and forth," said Paris Fire Chief Rich Perkins, who was at the event with an ambulance crew.
The car hit a guardrail, flipped end-over-end several times and struck a light pole, Perkins said.
Gendusa's car produced a puff of smoke after completing the run, and the drag chute designed to slow down the car did not deploy, the department said.
Sheriff's investigators reported there was evidence that the engine had a hole in the block, which contributed to the loss of control.
Gendusa suffered multiple injuries and was taken by ambulance to Aurora Medical Center in Kenosha. He was later pronounced dead at the hospital.
The Labor Day weekend was the largest weekend of racing for the drag strip this year. Racing continued after the crash Saturday.
The last fatal accident at the Dragaway was in 1998, when a dragster veered off the track and killed a freelance photographer who was standing near the guardrail.
This should be a another wake up call to those that bitch about roll bar's, cages and other safety items required by NHRA. I don't know anything about the car (wether it had a rool bar/cage or not), but GLD is an IHRA track and I don't think their tech inspections are as tough as other tracks.
Be safe out there!
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
UNION GROVE, Wis. — A Will County man driving at a drag racing track in southeastern Wisconsin was killed when he lost control of his car while driving 154 mph.
Clyde Gendusa, 56, of Frankfort was reportedly performing a solo "test and tune" time run when the crash occurred at about 6:40 p.m. Saturday at Great Lakes Dragaway.
Gendusa was driving his modified Chevrolet Camaro in the Modified Super Stock Car Class, according the Kenosha County Sheriff's Department.
"As soon as he crossed the finish line, the back end started to wobble back and forth," said Paris Fire Chief Rich Perkins, who was at the event with an ambulance crew.
The car hit a guardrail, flipped end-over-end several times and struck a light pole, Perkins said.
Gendusa's car produced a puff of smoke after completing the run, and the drag chute designed to slow down the car did not deploy, the department said.
Sheriff's investigators reported there was evidence that the engine had a hole in the block, which contributed to the loss of control.
Gendusa suffered multiple injuries and was taken by ambulance to Aurora Medical Center in Kenosha. He was later pronounced dead at the hospital.
The Labor Day weekend was the largest weekend of racing for the drag strip this year. Racing continued after the crash Saturday.
The last fatal accident at the Dragaway was in 1998, when a dragster veered off the track and killed a freelance photographer who was standing near the guardrail.
This should be a another wake up call to those that bitch about roll bar's, cages and other safety items required by NHRA. I don't know anything about the car (wether it had a rool bar/cage or not), but GLD is an IHRA track and I don't think their tech inspections are as tough as other tracks.
Be safe out there!
09-02-2003, 04:00 PM
#2
Team Owner
Re: Racer killed at Great Lakes Dragaway (Arnie)
Thats too bad :sad:
09-02-2003, 04:13 PM
#3
Melting Slicks
Member Since: Oct 2000
Location: Stamford CT.
Posts: 2,524
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Re: Racer killed at Great Lakes Dragaway (Arnie)
That's terrible. You are mistaken about IHRA tracks arnie. No way any of them let a car going 154 run without a cage. But cages won't save you if you hit a unmoveable object. The belts keep you from continueing to move forward, but the internal organs keep going. Terrible injury or death is the result when that happens. Ric
09-02-2003, 04:39 PM
#4
Le Mans Master
Thread Starter
Member Since: Apr 2000
Location: Illinois
Posts: 5,532
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Cruise-In II Veteran
Re: Racer killed at Great Lakes Dragaway (Power Shifter)
That's terrible. You are mistaken about IHRA tracks arnie. No way any of them let a car going 154 run without a cage. But cages won't save you if you hit a unmoveable object. The belts keep you from continueing to move forward, but the internal organs keep going. Terrible injury or death is the result when that happens. Ric
I don't know if the Camaro involved in the accident had a cage or not, he was running 8.50's @150+ mph, so I assume he did. I just wanted to remind people that the rules regarding roll bars and cages are there for a reason, our safety!
09-02-2003, 06:06 PM
#5
Le Mans Master
Member Since: Aug 2001
Location: Bradenton FLORIDA
Posts: 8,145
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Re: Racer killed at Great Lakes Dragaway (Arnie)
:sad: We had a owner/operator of a track die a week or so ago by having the throttle stick and the chute not deploy////he ran off the end of the shut down and into a ravine a WOT. Left 10 & 12 year old sons & a wife...I think it was Byron Dragway if I remember right. The story is on http://www.bracketnews.com
Very sad.....saftey gear is a must...and even then.... :sad:
Very sad.....saftey gear is a must...and even then.... :sad:
