This is the scariest drag racing mishap I’ve seen in a while. Erik Peterson is at the Vegas drag strip, driving a 1969 Pontiac Firebird. Soon after he launches, he gets squirrel-y and hits the wall. This knocks Erik unconscious and breaks the brake master cylinder loose, and it falls, pulling the throttle cable with it. Having the throttle stick WOT in a very powerful car car would be terrifying. I had the throttle stick at WOT in my old ’65 Pontiac. Turns out topping out a Le Mans with a 40-year old 2-barrel carb is a bad idea. I know, I’m surprised too. Luckily the highway was empty, and there were no turns before I turned the ignition key. The car sputtered, died and coasted and I bought a new carb the next day. Not in this case. Click to see the luckiest, most amazing drag racing accident I’ve seen in a long time. (more…)















