Help For An A-Body Racer

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D

Dago Red

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Joined
Nov 25, 2005
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Location
Saginaw, TX (DFW area)
Ken Etter destroyed his Demon at a division points race. I don't have the exact details, but apparently hit the wall so hard it wedged the front wheel and tire between the door and the rocker panel. Ken had just been laid off and therefore lost his insurance. He's beat up pretty fair and will need some surguries. The gang at www.classracer.com have started a fund to tide Ken over. Please check it out and, if you can, help a A-body brother.
 
Ken got beat up pretty bad and realizes he's LUCKY (full face helmet and a GOOD job on the roll bar and frame connectors) to be alive. He hit the end of a cement K-rail as you can see in the pic...at an approx speed of 40-50 MPH. The plot thickens as it wasn't his car...he was driving for someone else. I don't know Ken, but I do know a few Div 7 stock racers and his rep is golden...great guy.

As a sub-subject, CHECK YOUR SAFETY EQUIPMENT. It's not up to the track, or the sanctioning body, it's up to YOU.

The cause? The brake pedal pushrod fell out during the run.

Here's a pic of the end result. They had to cut the roof and roll bar to get him out.

The good news is he is alive and in pretty good spirits considering. He appears to be tough guy and a true racer. He's already thinking of when he'll be back.

THANK YOU for bringing this to the FABO board's attention.
 
I thank you for the updates and corrections there Doug. I hadn't realized Ken was a hired gun for that weekends event. The bad news is that a pristine A-body is now scrap, and Ken faces some extended mending time.
 
I'm going to send a donation tomorrow when I pay my bills. I hope Ken recovers and makes it back to the track. What a shame to see the car all smashed up, knowing it will never be fixed but it looks like Ken is one lucky guy!
 
First I want to thank each and every person for the well wishes I've received. Somehow I survived this crash,i dont know how but I did. It happened at Fontana during the second round of eliminations. coming up o the lights I went to scrub some speed and the pedal was rock hard. Rod must have come out at the launch. There was a stop to prevent that but obviously it failed. I killed the fuel pump and downshifted the car. I sorta remember going to the left lane to try and scrub speed on the wall. I atempted to make the turn out but was going too fast and the front tires started sliding. My guess is 80 or so mph. I dont remember anything after that except waking in the ER wanting to know if I won. I later found out I broke out by a few thou. My only hope is that this acident is a wake up call to all my fellow racers. Check your cars out on a regular basis. dont assume everything is ok. Inspect your track and have a plan of action in your head in case of emergency. dont go chea on safety. Look at the pictures of my car. Many safety features failed. The rool bar where the belts attached moved 8 to 10" forward. The seat buckled and moved. The car had 2x3 steel fram connectors which helped keep the car from folding up more. If it had a cage with forward bars to the from frame I feel I would have been better protected. I think race seats and better mounts would have held me in place better. The battery was in the stock location per NHRA rules and explded on impact and caused a fire. There is no excuse to have a battery in front anymore. Aftermarket seats arent that expensive. I have kirkey's in my SS car and the fit great. If you are thinking of doing a roll bar,upgrade to a cage for a few hundred bucks. Much cheaper then the 100,000+ in medical bills I am facing. Like I said I hope we can learn from this and make ourselves safer so we can continue to enjoy our sport for years to come. Thank you I'll get off my soap box. Ken Etter
 
I do not know what to say......I am glad you are still with us. Good luck in your recovery....
 
My wife was racing a Pro Mod here at an 1/8th mile track in Fort Worth Texas a few years back and crashed it @ 158 MPH, flew thru the air, rolled, barrel rolled, tumbled rolled a few more times and came to a stop right where the Ambulance parks at the end of the track. Saftey equipment if done right works and it was my $400 Simpson crash helmet that saved her, nothing left of the car but one valve cover and the time slip.
 
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