Veteran small-tire racer Jason Hoard escaped without life-threatening injuries Saturday afternoon in one of the most frightening crashes we’ve witnessed in some time. 

Hoard, from St. Charles, Missouri, a suburb of St. Louis, was competing in the Gangsta 28’s class at the Worldwide Technology Raceway’s WWTR N/T Racers event in his sleek twin-turbocharged C7 Corvette. Hoard was paired with eventual race winner Caleb Cox and his Mustang in the opening round of eliminations. Hoard was inadvertently — but thankfully, it ultimately proved — late off the starting line and was attempting to chase down Cox. As the Corvette neared the 1/8-mile finish stripe at upwards of 180 mph, it quickly lifted off the racing surface and nearly rotated onto its roof in flight before crashing down on its left rear quarter. The impact and the momentum sent the car somersaulting over the guardrail before coming to rest near the 1/4-mile scoreboards. 

Hoard had to be cut by emergency personnel from the mangled wreckage of the car, which is in all likelihood a complete loss. According to reports, but unconfirmed, Hoard suffered broken ribs and a potentially collapsed lung, but was able to recount the incident and reflect on his safety preparations in the hours after the incident.

Said Jason Hoard, as he encouraged his fellow racers to make their safety precautions paramount: “Take this bad situation I went through and use it to get your safety gear in order.  Without a super well-built car by Beilman Fabrication and the Hans [device] and other gear, I wouldn’t be here to say this to you guys. The car did its job and kept me safe.”