In the annals of all-time great saves in drag racing history, this one by European Pro Stock racer Thomas Lindstrom ranks right up there with the best of them. Because what Lindstorm rode out truly defies all logic and laws of physics, and it’s fair to say this was just a crash-gone-wrong.

The Swedish driver, a former champion of the FIA Pro Stock category and last year’s championship runner-up, got crossed up at the FIA European Finals at Santa Pod Raceway last weekend behind the wheel of his Mopar-backed Team R/T Dodge Stratus, and through a little bit of luck and platy of driving skill, managed to bring his race car to a halt without a hitting a single thing.

Lindstrom’s mount made a violent turn just off the starting line, first hooking toward the centerline. Lindstrom attempted to wrestle the car back into the center of the lane, but the car then overcorrected, pointing straight at the left lane guardrail. Realizing he’s in a world of trouble at this stage, he continues to saw the wheel to gather it up, but the car just continues to dance to and fro at a high rate of speed, finally climbing up on to wheels — somehow not digging in and barrel-rolling as it had every right to do — and turning completely sideways, giving those on the starting line who’d already gotten a pretty good look at the sides of the Dodge a point-blank look at its flanks.

Despite all that had gone wrong to that point, Lindstrom got away with this one, righting the doomed ship, if you will, before it could stroke the opposing guardrail head-on, and brought the car to a safe halt. And then, unless he has ice in his veins — literally — he probably went to change his shorts.

Video credit: No1SantaPodShooter