Robert Hight - Topeka
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Le Mans Master
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From: New Blue 9.80 @ 142MPH stock motor
St. Jude Donor '03-'06-'07-'08
Robert Hight - Topeka
Anybody see Robert Hight's car explode on fire on Sunday. 
That was some explosion/fire. It burned bad for a while. Than goodness for those fire suits.
One story was that John Force was trying to get robert to take off the suit to see if he was hurt between the fire and smacking the wall twice.
Amazing to put the car back together in 75 minutes and a smart move not to run it if they could not verify that the chassis was 100%.
That was some explosion/fire. It burned bad for a while. Than goodness for those fire suits.
One story was that John Force was trying to get robert to take off the suit to see if he was hurt between the fire and smacking the wall twice.
Amazing to put the car back together in 75 minutes and a smart move not to run it if they could not verify that the chassis was 100%.
Last edited by asmokegars; Jun 4, 2007 at 10:35 AM.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Mar 2001
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From: Parkland Florida
Corvette Challenge Champ-01
Dragster Challenge Champ-06
Watched it last night on ESPN2 Alan. That was some fire. A lot of credit goes to the safety equipment that NHRA mandates. You could see Robert Hight was just amped to get that car to the line for the semi final race against Jim Head. I have to give them a lot of credit getting that car back together in 75 minutes. But the smart thing was not to run it even though they showed several fluid leaks from the car.
I also saw that Force was very upset that they could not change the chassis but that NHRA rule has been in effect forever.
I also saw that Force was very upset that they could not change the chassis but that NHRA rule has been in effect forever.
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From: Melbourne Florida
Cruise-In IV Veteran
I saw the interview with John afterwards...he made no sense...wth was he talking about, changing the rules?....he knows better than that...there is a big discussion going on about this on another board...the consensus over there is the rule should be if you hit the wall you are out of the competition...period...no one knows if the welds were cracked (hairline) or the chassis was bent...
The NHRA should make this change in the interest of safety...allowing a car to be rebuilt and run is a recipe for diasaster after it has hit the wall...
The NHRA should make this change in the interest of safety...allowing a car to be rebuilt and run is a recipe for diasaster after it has hit the wall...
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Le Mans Master
Joined: Aug 2003
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From: New Blue 9.80 @ 142MPH stock motor
St. Jude Donor '03-'06-'07-'08
I saw the interview with John afterwards...he made no sense...wth was he talking about, changing the rules?....he knows better than that...there is a big discussion going on about this on another board...the consensus over there is the rule should be if you hit the wall you are out of the competition...period...no one knows if the welds were cracked (hairline) or the chassis was bent...
The NHRA should make this change in the interest of safety...allowing a car to be rebuilt and run is a recipe for diasaster after it has hit the wall...
The NHRA should make this change in the interest of safety...allowing a car to be rebuilt and run is a recipe for diasaster after it has hit the wall...
I think he was talking about being able to use a completely new car since everything but the chassis is new. Then he caught himself and said he did not know how that would be fair to the guys who don't have full back up cars they can use. Glad he did not make that pass - Force claims he was not going to let them run anyway but I wonder if they did not have that hydraulic leak what would have happened.
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From: State of Confusion
I saw the interview with John afterwards...he made no sense...what was he talking about, changing the rules?....he knows better than that...there is a big discussion going on about this on another board...the consensus over there is the rule should be if you hit the wall you are out of the competition...period...no one knows if the welds were cracked (hairline) or the chassis was bent...
The NHRA should make this change in the interest of safety...allowing a car to be rebuilt and run is a recipe for disaster after it has hit the wall...
The NHRA should make this change in the interest of safety...allowing a car to be rebuilt and run is a recipe for disaster after it has hit the wall...
I 'hope' representatives from JFR told NHRA Officials, in-adavnce, that they had no-intention of making a pass in that car, hoping to induce Head into a foul-start/center-line crossing DQ, etc.:
that was a recipe for the unthinkable.....
I read where John Medlen had to 'talk John back from Mars' afterwards.....
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From: Melbourne Florida
Cruise-In IV Veteran
I couldn't decifer it but a lot of folks are saying that Force's rant was to say the NHRA should either let them change the chassis or just not let them run period...if that is what he was saying, I vote for the latter...you hit the wall your day is done...real simple...I would have to think about some sort of dispensation if your opponent came over the line and knocked you into the wall while you were going straight down the track....
