Incidents are a common occurrence in drag racing: with how fast and unwieldy specialized drag cars are, any situation has the potential for spiraling completely out of control within milliseconds. Seeing an old Chevy Camaro take off, fly and land without casualties is frightening and relieving at the same time.
Tim Slavens, who piloted this 1969 Camaro restomod, had it fitted with a V8 and dual turbochargers sized 102mm (4”) across. The power is estimated at 3,550 PS (3,500 hp / 2,610 kW), necessitating a meticulously designed aerodynamic kit to prevent the car from taking off. It seems like the kit had worked until recently: Slavens’ Camaro set a world record for drag cars equipped with radial tires two years ago.
Things played out differently last week, when the ride unexpectedly popped a wheelie at the start line. The driver let off the pedal briefly, but apparently not enough to stabilize the car. As soon as the pedal went to the metal again, the car took off and flew a few dozen yards (meters, if you prefer) and dropped neatly next to the finish line, sliding sideways.
It remains to be seen how bad the damage was, but miraculously enough, the driver has stayed alive and well.