European Drag Racing News
Hill OK, but puzzled.
21st June: UK Jet Funny Car pilot Martin Hill escaped unhurt from a top end crash in his Fireforce 3 FC at yesterday's Japshow at Santa Pod Raceway.
However, Martin has expressed himself mystified at the cause of the crash.
"I went through the top end at 258 mph and then on shutdown the car suddenly veered towards the guardrail", Martin told Eurodragster.com yesterday.
"I tried to steer away from the wall and just missed it, but by then I had full lock on and when the car caught up with my steering it went broadside across the track.
The skid scrubbed off a lot of speed but we hit the rail, which took off almost all of the rest of the speed and then we came to rest against the opposite wall.
I got myself out and the fire crew were there.
"
Martin said that the crash could have been a lot worse.
"The crew were right there", he said,
"and that concrete guardrail in the shutdown area saved a more serious accident.
If it had been armco then I'd have been over.
As it is I am nursing a broken fingernail so I suppose I'll have to see a manicurist!"
The damage could also have been a lot worse, said Martin.
"The body is totalled, and the front A-arms are damaged", he said.
"So the car only needs front-ending and Andy Robinson has already offered to take on the job.
"
Martin is planning to be back on-track in Fireforce 3 in time for July's Bug Jam at Santa Pod Raceway, and Fireforce 1 will take its place at this weekend's SPRC Summernationals, but he says that he will not run the 5.7-second, 336 mph Jet FC again until he knows what caused this crash.
"I ran 265 mph in the morning without incident, and this accident happened at a slower speed", he said.
"We need to know the reason why.
But we'll get it worked out and then we'll be back running the big times and speeds.
"
