In the last Ramona Drag Strip post the comments talked about, John Wenderski and his "Black Beauty" Top Fuel Dragster. Unfortunately, the car in this image and the video, was destroyed and he was killed at Ramona. You can go back and look at Jack Freitas' comment in this post about witnessing the accident.
The music in this video takes me back to Dobie Gillis, Maynard G. Krebbs and Zelda.
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I remember the Wenderski accident like it was yesterday. I was standing back from the fence but moved through the crowd just as he started his run. I looked up the strip and saw the car wiggle and then a huge puff of dirt exploded. One of the front wheels went straight up in the air about 75 feet or so. The long steering drag link was in the air as well and slowly came down like a shimmering fish as the cloud of dirt receded.
ReplyDeleteWe tried to go out into the field to see what happened but were stopped. We then waited for a long time in the stands quietly and then an ambulance came down the center of the strip driving slowly. Everyone knew what the slow speed of the ambulance met.
i understand ramona was prone to high gusty winds! john wenderski was my father. he was qualifying for a race against don garlits at lions! anyone who has any stories/comments/info please feel free to contact me at jimista22@verizon.net michael john wenderski.
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