"I shut my eyes before the impact because I thought I'd be better Off Without The Image In My Mind. When I Opened Them, I Was On Top Of The Wall." -Brian Robbins
Along for the Ride
Brian Robbins had reported some tire shake in Keith Engling's '72 Oldsmobile 4-4-2 during the first time-trial at the Milan Dragway Race Wars II. On the second run, an air switch shook loose and fell to the bottom of the trunk, where it shorted out the switch to fire the parachute. When Robbins went for the brakes at 227 mph, the rotor shattered and sent the car into the wall, destroying the steering. After that, he was along for the ride. The car caught fire after it came to rest balanced atop the retaining wall, forcing the safety crew to use six bottles to extinguish the flames. The most amazing thing about the wreck was that afterward, the crew put the doors back on, and they latched like nothing had happened. The driver's compartment was mint, and fortunately, so was the driver.