my car is f%$#ed up!!!

[Jim]

i won first round................i was coming back on the return road and someone lost control on the track at 120mph, came over the wall rolling and smacked me.

we are both ok but i think his car is pretty much done. i'll post pics of mine tommorrow. it's not pretty.

2 more feet and he would have missed me....................or 2 more feet the other way and he would have come right in the drivers door. i'm really sore right now..................

[Fatstang]

Oh man! Sorry to hear that, what are the odds of something like that can happen? Now what? How does **** like that get settled? Or you are both screwed and have to pay out of pocket or does some how insurance can save the day(yeah right). LoL

[347 LX]

Sorry to hear. It could have been worse. It's a good thing your ok.

[Greg@GLD]

Wow Jim! Don't know what to say!! Just glad you made it thru alive. Like I always say, cars can be replaced, daddy can't. Hope your wife and kids are not too shook up by this.

So the week from hell continues it seems... :(

[clayton bigsby]

sorry to hear that. glad your okay.

[Jim]

pics

[scooter]

wow that looks like it was hit pretty hard i take it that the other car is totaled and did it hit the fence? was it at the top end of the track?

[Jim]

he was out of control going through the traps, went on his side, jumped the wall if you can call it a wall, and hit me in mid air. the other guy landed upside down and was on fire. i ran over to his car and hit the off switch. it's all still a blur yet but i think he exited his vehicle on his own. it was a big 'ol yellow coupe.

the worst part about this is i don't think i have any recourse at all and it didn't even happen on the track. good thing i don't own a 2003 cobra or something.

[clayton bigsby]

I thoght there was a cardinal rule when it came to drag racing. that if you lost control and took somebody elses car out that you would have to cover it? it would be the right thing to do.

[bobtodd]

That really sucks Jim!! I'm glad everyone was okay. It's sad to see such a beautiful coupe dinged up like that. I'm sure you'll have it looking good again soon.

[Greg@GLD]

On the phone with Jim right now... :(

[Tim Russell]

Wow Jim! Don't know what to say!! Just glad you made it thru alive. Like I always say, cars can be replaced, daddy can't. Hope your wife and kids are not too shook up by this.

So the week from hell continues it seems... :(

I'm with Greg on this, cars and materal stuff can be fixed or replaced but people arn't as easily fixed and can never be replaced. Glad your alright.

[Ironman]

Man those pics are spooky.

It goes to show that tracks can be dangerous, no matter where you are on them. I am going to say that you are lucky, however, I am glad you are ok. Like what has been said before, there is no where in any performance catalog you can buy a replacement daddy........

-Ironman

[Greg@GLD]

I had a chance to talk to Jim on the phone yesterday, he realizes this and he also said it's not as bad as it seems, he'll be back.

[upngo50]

Well Jim it doesn't look too too bad, but still sucks the same
I got nailed in the pits once @ WIR by another guy and he paid for the damages, but not everyone is as nice as he was. That is how I ended up with a mach1 hood and flames

[Jim]

i'm working on the new rear right now that i got form darrell. new brake shoes, lines, wheel cylinders. then tonight chuck and i are going to get that put up in there. this rear has 3.08's in it right now....................then it goes on the frame rack to check that out. the torque boxes do not look bad at all, but something had to of gotten tweeked. being on the wet grass when i got hit had to of helped too.


after that chuck and i have a guy lined up to put a new quarter on and fix the body damage. it'll probably be in primer for a while..................money is tight in every racers budget right??

i'll keep you all posted.

[Mark302]

WOW!!! Like everyone said, at least you guys are OK! I am still can't believe it! I know Al well too. Did his brakes lock up or something? What other parts are you still looking for?

[NitrousEdge]

Man Red, I am really shocked/sorry to hear what happened!

If you need any help with anything let us know!

[Jim]

if my 4.30's are still ok i'm gonna use those........i hope my diff is ok too. the driver side axel just snapped 5 minuets ago when i was trying to turn the car around in the garage.

i need a rear bumper and cover, one 4 bolt draglite, a quarter panel.......

[LangeStang]

JIM,.....OUCH! Glad to hear your O.K.! Sorry to hear about & see your car!
I have a used rear cover for you if your interested! It's in good shape-you would just have to paint it to match your car-color is dark blue!
I could possibly help you out in the body-work too! I've been a body tech for 14 years & I'm the assistant bodyshop manager @ Greenfield Pontiac Buick GMC Inc. on Hwy 100 in Greenfield! If I can help you out in any way let me know!
LangeStang

[upngo50]

jim do you have stock 28 spline axles? If so I have one for you. Let me know if you need it, yours free for the taking.

[Greg@GLD]

Jim, you're lucky to have so many good friends willing to help. Looks like you're moving fast on recovery, and it won't be long I'm sure before this is just a bad memory.

[Jim]

i think i'll take that dan. thanks man!!!!

are you coming down this way at all soon? pm me your phone number. i'll give you a call and set something up otherwise. i think it'l go to the bodyman after this weekend. i plan on racing saturday if i get my rear back and in by then. the frame looks great.

[Greg@GLD]

i plan on racing saturday if i get my rear back and in by then. the frame looks great.


EXCELLENT. :thumbs_up

[Jim]

dan...........


rich somers said he'd be at your place a little before dark to pick that stuff up. again...........thank you so much!!! your generosity is GREATLY appriciated. if you need anything just ask..........(car related of couse:D:D:D.)

[JORGE]

jim what size draglite?my buddy may have one

[Jim]

15x8 with 5.5" of backspace. let me know.

[Greg@GLD]

Jim, the cover and bumper are on the way!



:rockon: No matter what they say about you Danno, you're a good guy in my book..

But nobody cares what I think anyway...

[Jim]

:rockon: No matter what they say about you Danno, you're a good guy in my book..

But nobody cares what I think anyway...
hell yeah he is!!!!!!!!!!


and greg................i care what you think. i always like getting advice from the older guys. they have been there and know how to take care of things. hopefully someday someone will say that about me.:worshippy

[Greg@GLD]

Older guys?

Groan.... Yea, I guess that is grey there in my temples and beard... :thud:

Thanks Jim. I'm just glad you are well on the way to recovery from this unfortunate mishap.

[Jim]

chuck (andr50)mounted my good tire and one of his good et streets on my spare turbines at lunch time............

then chuck and i got the new rear in tonight, made new rear brake lines, bled them, did some prying on the quarter.................we still need to weld those ssm bar brackets onto the new rear yet...........


and i need to take the sawzall to that quarter yet before i can race it. it's just too close to the tire yet when the rear of the car squats.


and...............i haven't heard a thing from the guy that hit me yet.

[Chuck]

Still looks better than half the street cars there.

[Greg@GLD]

Do you have his contact info Jim? You keeping tabs on all this work/labor?

[Jim]

i don't have his info, but i have his name and he lives in fondy.

i know how much i've spent but it's not real because a lot of this is cash work with no reciepts.

chuck and i figured i would have about a grand of my money in it when it's all said and done not including the help i've had from dan, and the guy who set up my rear in Greenville, and the guy who's doing the bodywork. heck.........having rich somers pick that bumper and cover up tonight saved me about $60 in gas.

[Greg@GLD]

He might be still all shook up and out of it from what happened. Give it a little time.

[Jim]

i was kinda thinking the same thing greg. who am i to say anything when his car is totaled. saturday may bring something.

[Jim]

i'm lucky i can race mine this week.....his is a total loss.

[Greg@GLD]

I think it's amazing that you could be back racing this fast.

I'm sure the other guy's hurting bad in more ways than one. If he's any kind of human he must feel real crappy about your car. Might make him feel better to hear/see you back racing.

[Kool Rock Steady]

Did your 4.30 work? I still have mine sitting here if you need one

[Jim]

we have the new/used rear in the car with new brakes and backingplates from my old rear. that seems to be working like the old one so far. i haven't driven it at all yet besides onto the trailer.

the son of the guy who hit me posted something on the wir site. that is the only thing i have heard from them so far, and i don't expect to hear anything from them either now. my attituded is turning sour about the whole thing, and i'm biting my tounge/fingers on the keyboard hard!!!! the i'm glad i'm/you're ok feeling has worn off now.

[Greg@GLD]

Well that sucks Jim... What did the kid say????

[Jim]

http://www.wirracing.com/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=48&FORUM_ID=1&CAT_ID=1&Topic_Title=Accident&Forum_Title=Drag+Racer%27s+Den

[Greg@GLD]

Glad to say my Dad is OK after the crash Saturday night. He is a little sore and banged up a bit. We hope all is well with you Jim, sure sorry about your car. We still are looking for the cause of the crash. He didn't lift or touch the brakes so we suspect something broke or locked up. As we take the car apart we will try to figure it out. Sad to say that the car is a total disaster, we may never find out what went wrong.
The 40 coupe has been in our family since 1976 so you can imagine what it meant to us. The car was purchased in Milwaukee in 1976 as a basket case. Ironically, the car spent some time at Union grove raceway.
The car started out as a street rod that we would drive across the country to various car shows. In 1985 I purchased my 39 coupe and also built it from the ground up. In 1991 we felt that there was something more than car shows could offer, so we decided to see what the cars could do at the racetrack. Both cars ran in the 14.50 range and needless to say, we were hooked!
Here we are 2004 and the 40 has run a best of 10.73 @ 126 and my 39 has run a best of 11.05 @ 124.
My Dad just purchased another 40 coupe from a friend, it will be a while, but we WILL be back!
I thank God every night that everyone was OK after this wreck, cars can be rebuilt, lives can't.


Do you think it would be out of line for me to ask in that post if they feel any responsibility for your damages?

Perhaps they feel the risk is "shared equally by all parties?"

I'd not stew about this Jim, I'd cut right to the chase and find out if they intend to compensate you for this in any way.

[Greg@GLD]

You did a very tactful job of responding Dan. I replied also.

It's important that nobody get "nasty" if they do reply.

[Greg@GLD]

Agree.
You know, the guy might take the position that all racers share the risk of this happening, and once you sign that waiver and cross the entry line, all bets are off and it's every man for himself as far as accidents/damage. Is that right? Is it plausable and somewhat reasonable? Yea.. It depends on the individual I guess. If someone causes a wreck like this where Jim was doing nothing but driving on the return road, it seems pretty clear that Jim is obviously not at fault here.

[Jim]

i agree with you greg. i'm not expecting anything in return and i understand that these things happen. just glad i guess that i wasn't driving a 2003 cobra and got hit on the return road.

i keep thinking that if it was me that lost control on the track and hit someone on the return road i would offer assistance to the other guy, call him to see if he is ok and ask if there is anything i could do to help fix the car, or maybe at least offer to pay the entry fee to the next race if that was all i could afford.................something to show that i was at least thinking about the other guy.

but it wasn't in the other car, and i have no idea what i would really be thinking unless it really was me in that other car.

[Greg@GLD]

Jim we all know what kind of person you are. Take heart, you're a decent, stand-up kind of person and that means something. Probably sounds empty when it comes to the cost involved with fixing your car, but it DOES matter what kind of person you are.

[JORGE]

jim i asked my friend about the rim he said $90 if you want it to call him at 262 567 9387 ask for darrel

[dave bandt]

Jim,

I'm rather late getting to the conversation.....haven't been on here much lately with the new job. Sorry to hear about your loss. On a more positive note.....I'm also glad to see that it's coming together again so quickly. I hate to be a pessimist....but i wouldn't hold your breath for money from the guy. Most people don't insure their race cars and most insurance companies void your policy when you are on the track. In most instances it's one of those "Do at your ouwn risk" deals.

Good luck to you....and i'll see you at WIR in a few weeks.

[scooter]

where would a person find insurance for at the track? something like this makes a person think, not so much of the car but the medical insurance if you where to injure another driver or spectator in a crash

[Jim]

it's ready to race, but the body work isn't done. we have a break from racing coming up after this satuday...............it'll probably go in then. it was supposed to go in last night but the bodyman hasn't gotten the quarter panel yet, and if it was to go in tonight then i don't think it would be done by saturday.

[dave bandt]

where would a person find insurance for at the track? something like this makes a person think, not so much of the car but the medical insurance if you where to injure another driver or spectator in a crash

There are companies that specialize in racecar insurance. If you're concerned about the medical side don't be.....that's not an issue. It's the liability of the car itself that isn't covered unless you have a specific policy covering the car.

[upngo50]

If you're concerned about the medical side don't be.....that's not an issue.

Unless it is a suplimental like AFLAC. They dropped me due to my racing.

[Chuck]

Did you race this past weekend?

Rained out!