When two racing machines teetering on the ragged edge of control are locked together within the confines of two concrete walls situated just sixty feet apart, the difference between a good fortune and a terrifying one in hairy situation is being in the right place at the right time, and the wrong place at the wrong time. For Australian Modified class racer Trent Morrison, it was the latter that he found himself in at the recent ANDRA Westernationals, held at the Perth Motorplex.
Morrison, at the controls of his supercharged CC/AA Altered, had just completed a quarter-mile pass and was going through his standard procedures to power the car down and bring it to a safe halt when, out of nowhere, came his competitor in the other lane, Paul Carey, in his AA/AGA Mazda RX7, crashing up and over his left rear wheel and catapulting up in the air.
We can only imagine how perplexed and downright fearful Morrison was at that very moment as the Mazda, weighing in at well over a ton and carrying some serious speed, buzzes right by his helmet.
According to commentary supplied to the folks at DragNews.com.au, Morrison considered himself incredibly lucky that the rear tire and wheel held up to the impact of the car, as it deflected the momentum and trajectory of the car away from the roll cage. According to reports, Morrison’s Altered suffered repairable damage to the rear portion of the chassis and bodywork, while Carey’s Mazda was a virtual write-off. Morrison is said to be in full-on return mode, with plans to be back on track in April. while Carey is already searching out options for a new race car..
A scary moment indeed.
Credit to DragNews.com.au for the footage