[1]Benny Alfonso moments before his crash at E'town. Photo: Click Click Boom Photography
This past weekend’s Shakedown @ E’town may have been one of the most anticipated events for the entire racing year as it is one of the very few quarter mile outlaw style races in the country. From 8.50 Index to 5-Second Pro Mods, they offer a variety of cars for anyone’s liking. The event went off with great success but as in any type of racing there is the chance that the unthinkable will happen and accidents occur. Thankfully for the great safety equipment that is available drivers emerge unscathed or only with minor injuries.
Benny Alfonso behind the wheel of his Modzilla Firebird was making the last qualifying pass on Saturday night. The car left the line just as any other pass and was making a good run. As Benny neared the finish line it appeared that the car made a slight move to the left nearing the centerline. It as then that the car shot right into the retaining wall head on at 215mph. The impact was severe and emergency personnel were on the scene quickly assessing Benny’s condition. Reports minutes after the impact were that Benny was alert and communicating with track personnel. The process was started to extricate Alfonso from the car and transport to a local hospital. His injuries were to his back and he has undergone surgery for disc fusion. After the surgery Benny is resting comfortably and his long term prognosis is excellent according to a press release from his team an chassis builder Nick Montana.
Fortunately and hopefully Benny will be back behind the wheel one day and in the situation his chassis builder Nick Montana was able to examine the car and the damage thoroughly. Nick stated that he was “pleased to see how well the car and chassis handled the impact”. It is truly a testament to the safety equipment and how well these cars are built for a driver to be able to withstand this type of impact. Best wishes from Dragzine to Benny and his entire crew and we hope to see you back at it soon.
Official Release:
Update: Benny Alfonso recovering after crash at Shakedown
As many of you know, Benny Alfonso had a horrific crash at the ADRL.us Shakedown at E-Town on Saturday evening. The following is a statement released by Nick Montana of MBRC Pro Chassis Design on Benny Afonso’s behalf.
“Of course as the builder of these powerful machines, the major factor is safety. I attended the Shakedown with Benny to assist on the crew of the Modzilla/Amato/Cannonball Racing team. After witnessing the crash, I was extremely concerned, yet pleased to realize how well the car withstood the severe impact it took when hitting the wall. We are fortunate Benny’s injuries were not more serious. Benny sustained injuries to his back. He underwent surgery for disc fusion. He is now resting comfortably in Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital. His prognosis for the future is excellent. He will next be transferred to a Neurological Rehabilitation Center before returning home to Long Island. On behalf of Benny and his family, I would like to thank everyone for their well wishes, and would please ask you to respect his privacy at this time so he can concentrate on his recovery. ”Stated Nick Montana
On behalf of Modzilla / Amato /Cananball Racing , we would like to thank the Safety crew at Raceway Park, for their quick and appropriate response to this situation . We would also like to thank Dave Hance as well as Eddie Krawiec for their assistance and concern.