He is a lucky man!! No brakes at 150mph and still live to tell about it.
Ever wondered what happens when you lose your brake pedal at 155mph?
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From: Maryland
Eurocharged 2004 E500, Eurocharged ECU/TCU 2005 SL600, 2010 Caddy SwaggerWagon
Ever wondered what happens when you lose your brake pedal at 155mph?
I'm not talking about your brakes failing, I'm talking about physically losing your brake pedal. Let me draw it up for you...
Saturday, the day after our MIR rental, my brother took is SuperPro El Camino up to Captiol Raceway. His car's pedals, has their fulcrum near the floorboard, rather than hinge from the top. Through that fulcrum is a small rod that goes through the pedals bracket, through pedal itself, then out the other bracket. On either end of that rod are $.50 cotter pins that hold it in place. During his very first run, somewhere in that 8 seconds, one of the cotter pins came loose. That caused the rod to vibrate out of it's brackets and disconnect the brake pedal from the floorboard of the car.
After a wheelstand, and somewhat disappointing 8.79@155mph, he does what he always does and hit the brake pedal. Well, it was gone. Literally. He pulled the parachute but it barely had time to deploy before he went off the end of the track, through the brush and into the trees.
The safety personnel were on him quickly, pulled him out of the car, gave him some oxygen, took his vitals, and gave him a clean bill of health. He's fine, but his ego is hurt, and he has some major bruising from the harness. NHRA officials were forced to cut his harness to ensure that he'd replace it, and had to remove his chassis certification stickers, as part of protocol.
His first question to the safety crew were:
1. Did the chute open?
2. What it run?
LOL.... My family....I tell ya....
Here's some pics:
Saturday, the day after our MIR rental, my brother took is SuperPro El Camino up to Captiol Raceway. His car's pedals, has their fulcrum near the floorboard, rather than hinge from the top. Through that fulcrum is a small rod that goes through the pedals bracket, through pedal itself, then out the other bracket. On either end of that rod are $.50 cotter pins that hold it in place. During his very first run, somewhere in that 8 seconds, one of the cotter pins came loose. That caused the rod to vibrate out of it's brackets and disconnect the brake pedal from the floorboard of the car.
After a wheelstand, and somewhat disappointing 8.79@155mph, he does what he always does and hit the brake pedal. Well, it was gone. Literally. He pulled the parachute but it barely had time to deploy before he went off the end of the track, through the brush and into the trees.
The safety personnel were on him quickly, pulled him out of the car, gave him some oxygen, took his vitals, and gave him a clean bill of health. He's fine, but his ego is hurt, and he has some major bruising from the harness. NHRA officials were forced to cut his harness to ensure that he'd replace it, and had to remove his chassis certification stickers, as part of protocol.
His first question to the safety crew were:
1. Did the chute open?
2. What it run?
LOL.... My family....I tell ya....
Here's some pics:
Last edited by Benz-O-Rama; Oct 25, 2010 at 01:20 PM.
Thread Starter
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 8,137
Likes: 26
From: Maryland
Eurocharged 2004 E500, Eurocharged ECU/TCU 2005 SL600, 2010 Caddy SwaggerWagon
I've posted this before, but this is what it looked like when the brake pedal worked.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qRwridLB6dE
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qRwridLB6dE
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wow man, good thing he was ok...
Reminded me of the lambo that rolled this weekend in front of us at the tx mile. He was doing 230mph and had to get cut from the car. He walked away...
Reminded me of the lambo that rolled this weekend in front of us at the tx mile. He was doing 230mph and had to get cut from the car. He walked away...
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2006 E55 Wagon (RIP), 2019 E63S Wagon (Sold) 2023 AMG GT634S
And that is PRECISELY why tracks require a certain level of safety equipment to go that fast.
Anyone flirting with upgrading their car with go fast goodies ought to spend the same amount of money, time and effort upgrading safety.
Anyone flirting with upgrading their car with go fast goodies ought to spend the same amount of money, time and effort upgrading safety.
Thread Starter
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 8,137
Likes: 26
From: Maryland
Eurocharged 2004 E500, Eurocharged ECU/TCU 2005 SL600, 2010 Caddy SwaggerWagon
Just got off the phone with him, and he's feeling great, actually. Just some bruising from the harness, but no concussion, headaches, broken bones, sprains, or anything. As he put it, "My ego is hurt worse than anything, knowing what's sitting out in that trailer."
NHRA does not mess around when it comes to safety. They have very rigid safety protocols in place for things like this, as another member pointed out.
I had my 5 year old son call him and say "Uncle Jimbo, I hear you drive like my daddy, but only worse".
Aren't kids just super?
Thanks for the well wishes, guys.
NHRA does not mess around when it comes to safety. They have very rigid safety protocols in place for things like this, as another member pointed out.
I had my 5 year old son call him and say "Uncle Jimbo, I hear you drive like my daddy, but only worse".
Aren't kids just super?
Thanks for the well wishes, guys.
