May 12th, 2012 I was racing my coupe at the HOT ROD RUMBLE in Albuq. NM. I run an 850 HP Nascar SB2.2 engine that Dale Jr. ran in Michigan back in 2003. It runs 9's in the quarter. I was on a single NHRA Comp licensing pass when a dry sump AN-16 oil line broke loose spewing 5w10 Mobile 1 under my back tires just when I slammed 3rd gear. All hell broke loose. I started in the left lane, it got loose, REALLY LOOSE, and crossed over into the right lane. Came around again and headed back toward the left wall. Got sideways and I saved it again but now it was heading back toward the right wall! Saved it a third time and thanked "The big guy" for keeping me off the walls. Moral of the story; NEVER GIVE UP THE SHIP!! I stuffed the same rod in the wall two years ago and it hurt my old body and my toy fund big time!! I didn't want to repeat that crash so I was cranking on the wheel like a mad man, and it worked. Interestingly, humans and animals alike have an instinctive phenonima that happens when we know for sure we're going to die. Instead of sheer panic like you would expect, it's actually a VERY CALM EXPERIENCE!! Ask anyone who has experienced a near death situation. When the jazelle knows the lion is eating them their last seconds are actually very tranguil. YOU MUST FIGHT THIS INSTINCTIVE REACTION and "fight back" to save yourself!!! Don't ride out a crash and do nothing. This applies to everyday driving on our streets also! I've known friends who told me when they saw the car in front of them, they jammed on the brakes and closed their eyes until impact!? A better option might have been to turn the wheel and avoid hitting them. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y3iQ8uV4d-I&feature=youtu.be If the link doesn't work search Otto'sStuntRace.mov on You Tube. This video of the HOT ROD RUMBLE shows the crash from previous years. The crash I didn't want to repeat this year. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VoAD8ZaSmJk&feature=related
thats a hell of a motor. nice save! most people just brace for impact. frantically slapping at the wheel cant do any harm.
I've steered myself out of a lot of potentially bad situations. I'm not giving up till the car stops moving. Glad you kept it off the barriers.
Great job. Looking back at the times when I was badly out of shape it seemed like I had all the time in the world to make those decisions, but everyone around me did not think so. Amazing what the fight or flight deal does to your mind.
Fancy piece of driving Otto! Maybe it's time to bolt on the "God is my Co-pilot" license plate... CTJ
You have solved "the riddle of the sphincter". Funny how time compresses and slows down to a crawl and everything gets unearthly quiet. The time slowing thing is what gives you the time to pull the gig out of the fire... or prepare to meet your maker. Good job! Bob
The Jalopy Journal
