One of the key attractions to the National Hot Rod Association is the vast number of classes that vary from amateur to professional. At the lower run of the NHRA class structure is the Top Dragster, which is no slouch still able to break the 200-mph barrier with quarter mile times dipping into the low-six-second range.
Unfortunately, at a recent NHRA event in Brainerd, MN, neither driver in this particular drag race were able to match that performance as both cars ended up shiny side down when all was said and done. It all started when the black and green car of Monte Green got squirrelly as it crossed the finish line eventually ending up barrel rolling down the drag strip.
While the video doesn’t exactly show what caused the second car, driven by Don Kritzky,to lose control, still images posted in a report by KMSP show a minor steering correction upset the balance of the car enough that it too lost control crashing and erupting into a ball of flames. The video released by the NHRA includes a description station that Green was treated and realesed at the track, Kritzky was airlifted to a hospital. The news report adds that Kritzky suffered a shattered pelvis, broken hip and broken right leg.
The report also estimates that both cars were traveling at about 180 miles per hour when they crashed. Though the Top Dragster cars might be easily confused with the professional-level Top Fuel Dragsters, those cars can run the quarter mile in 3.8 seconds topping speeds of more than 325 mph, and such an accident would have been much more sever, if not deadly.
Check out the video below, and be sure to check out some of the amazing images of the crash in the news report.
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