Reported by ABC15,com:
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A boat driver is expected to survive after a crash Saturday afternoon at Firebird International Raceway.
The accident happened during a qualifying for the 2008 International Hot Boat Association NAPA World Finals.
The boat flipped several times towards the end of the quarter mile run and fell into pieces.
The driver, James Ray of Midland Texas was airlifted to a hospital.
A Firebird spokesperson says Ray was alert when he was pulled from the water and was complaining about back pain. He is expected to be OK.
The boats race on the water way, going from zero to over 200 miles per hour in a matter of seconds.
"It is scary," said spectator Rob Funk. "You know there are family members of these racers in the crowd and it gets to you."
The pilots of the boats sit in a capsule that can eject like in an airplane. Those capsules have about five minutes worth of air in the event the capsule should go under.
1 comment:
Here is a link to my blog with photos of the entire crash. I am the only photographer to capture the accident from start to finish.
http://markjrebilas.com/blog/2008/11/one-driver-learns-that-at-200mph-water-isnt-as-soft-as-it-looks/
Mark J. Rebilas
www.markjrebilas.com/blog
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