Radial versus The World standout Norm Bryson was uninjured after a wild ride on Saturday evening aboard his nitrous oxide-assisted Corvette.
Bryson, who qualified in the bottom half of the field at Keith Berry’s Wooostock race at the Darlington Dragway in South Carolina, earned himself a date with No. 2 qualifier Kevin Rivenbark in round one of eliminations. In that matchup, Bryson’s mount broke traction just before the 60-foot mark — as evident by the the header flames, Bryson briefly pedaled and then got back into the throttle.
According to his account, the throttle hung wide open on his second slap of the pedal, and using his quick reactions, he climbed hard on the brakes to slow the car’s momentum, to little avail, as it spun around and slammed into the wall tail-first. The glowing-hot brake rotors, believed initially to have locked up, were clear evidence of Bryson’s instinctive attempt to reign in the out-of-control machine. Said Bryson after the incident: “Thank you to all of the folks that have taken the time to check on me. The throttle hung and we messed up our car, but God protected me. I’m a little sore and I have a headache, but over all I am okay.”
Bryson was to have participated in Donald Long’s COVID-8 event in Orlando, Florida next weekend.