the roll bar that saved my life(no Flip Over)

stanger66 · 05-05-2006, 09:30 PM

Back in april of 2003 my brother in law just got the saleen SR and I challenged him to a road race on Georgetown pike Rt 193 in Great Falls, VA. I was driving my 03 cobra and we racing on a 2 lane road about 10:30am from I495 to Rt. 7 Leesburg Pike and see who would be first. My car was pushing about 625 rwhp and I beefed up the suspension and added nos. so I fiqured I could beat him with no problem so we are driving between 40 and 160mph down this old twisty road and it rained for 3 days straight and sun finally came out and it was the day to race the road was mostly dry.

But we had raced about 3 1/2 miles and hit this stretch of road that is straight with no turns but has these hills that you can get air off them if you are going fast enough. On this stretch he got ahead of me and was pushing my car to catch up with him and the road finally flatten out right before the turn.

We I hit this stretch I started the brake and down shift for it the safety speed sign 15mph and I was going about 145mph but when I went to downshift it sent me into a spin. I thought I spun about 4 times but my brother in law said I spun about 6 times. And the reason he knows that is because passed with nos on that straight of way prior to this.

I finally got it going straight but it was in reverse at about 140mph.
All I know is that I looked in my rear view mirror and saw this tree coming towards me so I dropped it into 2nd gear and slammed the gas to try to slow down some. I think I was doing about 130mph when I hit the 2ft thick tree down the center of my car.

When my brother in law finally got me to wake up (out for 20mins.) He and I had to peel the conv. roof back for me to get out. I got out and looked at my car and it looked like it had wings with a tree in middle.

The ambulance showed up and checked me out I had my right arm broken and broken collar bone, 2 fingers broken, and concusion.
The cobra was cut down the middle (hit at the license plate).

The damage consisted of split gas tank, rear end snapped in half, driveshaft looked like a curly fry, trans snapped, engine pushed about 6 inches forward, and I even bent the steering wheel. The only things I could save were the rims and tires, the hood, r/f fender, head unit and front speakers.

The medict told that if the roll bar wasnt there I would probably be dead. The tree ended up about 1 1/2 inches from behind my seat.

ross

stanger66 · 05-15-2006, 08:45 PM

Sorry I have the date wrong it was april of 04'

84LX89GT · 07-11-2006, 04:07 AM

man, you almost naturally selected yourself! crazy story....you're lucky to be alive....wow!

StormsofAres86gt · 07-19-2006, 10:30 AM

sounds pretty fun...until the last bit at least. good to hear u made it tho. and poor, poor cobra lol

Krash · 02-20-2007, 03:00 AM

Not that I drive that crazy, but it IS the reason I want to put a roll bar in my 2007 GT California Special ragtop... That cloth doesn't do much to protect your noggin!

GoneIn60Seconds · 02-22-2007, 12:12 PM

So I gotta ask, do you have any pics of the Cobra from the wreck?

stanger66 · 04-17-2007, 01:09 PM

unfortunately I don't all the pictures I did take were lost in one of the many moves to new houses I lived in. (at that time I moved alot)

1SVT2NV · 05-27-2007, 11:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by stanger66

Back in april of 2003 my brother in law just got the saleen SR and I challenged him to a road race on Georgetown pike Rt 193 in Great Falls, VA. I was driving my 03 cobra and we racing on a 2 lane road about 10:30am from I495 to Rt. 7 Leesburg Pike and see who would be first. My car was pushing about 625 rwhp and I beefed up the suspension and added nos. so I fiqured I could beat him with no problem so we are driving between 40 and 160mph down this old twisty road and it rained for 3 days straight and sun finally came out and it was the day to race the road was mostly dry.

But we had raced about 3 1/2 miles and hit this stretch of road that is straight with no turns but has these hills that you can get air off them if you are going fast enough. On this stretch he got ahead of me and was pushing my car to catch up with him and the road finally flatten out right before the turn.

We I hit this stretch I started the brake and down shift for it the safety speed sign 15mph and I was going about 145mph but when I went to downshift it sent me into a spin. I thought I spun about 4 times but my brother in law said I spun about 6 times. And the reason he knows that is because passed with nos on that straight of way prior to this.

I finally got it going straight but it was in reverse at about 140mph.
All I know is that I looked in my rear view mirror and saw this tree coming towards me so I dropped it into 2nd gear and slammed the gas to try to slow down some. I think I was doing about 130mph when I hit the 2ft thick tree down the center of my car.

When my brother in law finally got me to wake up (out for 20mins.) He and I had to peel the conv. roof back for me to get out. I got out and looked at my car and it looked like it had wings with a tree in middle.

The ambulance showed up and checked me out I had my right arm broken and broken collar bone, 2 fingers broken, and concusion.
The cobra was cut down the middle (hit at the license plate).

The damage consisted of split gas tank, rear end snapped in half, driveshaft looked like a curly fry, trans snapped, engine pushed about 6 inches forward, and I even bent the steering wheel. The only things I could save were the rims and tires, the hood, r/f fender, head unit and front speakers.

The medict told that if the roll bar wasnt there I would probably be dead. The tree ended up about 1 1/2 inches from behind my seat.

ross

I call bullshit

05-05-2006, 09:30 PM	#1
stanger66 dreaming about mustangs Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: laurel, md Posts: 178	the roll bar that saved my life(no Flip Over) Back in april of 2003 my brother in law just got the saleen SR and I challenged him to a road race on Georgetown pike Rt 193 in Great Falls, VA. I was driving my 03 cobra and we racing on a 2 lane road about 10:30am from I495 to Rt. 7 Leesburg Pike and see who would be first. My car was pushing about 625 rwhp and I beefed up the suspension and added nos. so I fiqured I could beat him with no problem so we are driving between 40 and 160mph down this old twisty road and it rained for 3 days straight and sun finally came out and it was the day to race the road was mostly dry. But we had raced about 3 1/2 miles and hit this stretch of road that is straight with no turns but has these hills that you can get air off them if you are going fast enough. On this stretch he got ahead of me and was pushing my car to catch up with him and the road finally flatten out right before the turn. We I hit this stretch I started the brake and down shift for it the safety speed sign 15mph and I was going about 145mph but when I went to downshift it sent me into a spin. I thought I spun about 4 times but my brother in law said I spun about 6 times. And the reason he knows that is because passed with nos on that straight of way prior to this. I finally got it going straight but it was in reverse at about 140mph. All I know is that I looked in my rear view mirror and saw this tree coming towards me so I dropped it into 2nd gear and slammed the gas to try to slow down some. I think I was doing about 130mph when I hit the 2ft thick tree down the center of my car. When my brother in law finally got me to wake up (out for 20mins.) He and I had to peel the conv. roof back for me to get out. I got out and looked at my car and it looked like it had wings with a tree in middle. The ambulance showed up and checked me out I had my right arm broken and broken collar bone, 2 fingers broken, and concusion. The cobra was cut down the middle (hit at the license plate). The damage consisted of split gas tank, rear end snapped in half, driveshaft looked like a curly fry, trans snapped, engine pushed about 6 inches forward, and I even bent the steering wheel. The only things I could save were the rims and tires, the hood, r/f fender, head unit and front speakers. The medict told that if the roll bar wasnt there I would probably be dead. The tree ended up about 1 1/2 inches from behind my seat. ross Last edited by stanger66; 05-05-2006 at 10:56 PM..

05-15-2006, 08:45 PM	#2
stanger66 dreaming about mustangs Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: laurel, md Posts: 178	Re: the roll bar that saved my life(no Flip Over) Sorry I have the date wrong it was april of 04'

07-11-2006, 04:07 AM	#3
84LX89GT Mustangs Join Date: Jul 2000 Posts: 1,938	Re: the roll bar that saved my life(no Flip Over) man, you almost naturally selected yourself! crazy story....you're lucky to be alive....wow! __________________ 2005 Suzuki Hayabusa GSX1300-R 1980 Ford Thunderbird - 255 V8 ported heads, 5.0L ported stock headers, O.R. H-pipe and Flowmaster 2-chambers, dual roller timing chain hi-po Mack Truck hood emblem 1985 Mustang GT 5.0L T5, F-303, GT40p, headers, off-road h, flowmasters, MSD stuff, etc. Sold 02/06/04 1989 Mustang GT ET: 13.304@102.29 mph (5-24-03) Sold - 1998 Mustang Cobra coupe, 1/4 mile - street tires: 13.843@103.41 (bone stock)

07-19-2006, 10:30 AM	#4
StormsofAres86gt black and blue Join Date: May 2005 Location: cinci. Posts: 84	Re: the roll bar that saved my life(no Flip Over) sounds pretty fun...until the last bit at least. good to hear u made it tho. and poor, poor cobra lol __________________ '93 3.0L SHO 5spd. '89 5.8L lx 5spd. 351W(349hp/384tq)-tfs twisted wedge(stage 2), rpm air-gap, comp cam(294/294:518/518) and lifters, kb .060 pistons(11.5:1), mac shorties, pypes o/r X, mac 2.5" all the way back, holley 750, march u/d pulleys...it's alive..it's back together and running strong -zach

02-20-2007, 03:00 AM	#5
Krash Krash Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: South Lake Tahoe/Sacramento, California Posts: 2	Re: the roll bar that saved my life(no Flip Over) Not that I drive that crazy, but it IS the reason I want to put a roll bar in my 2007 GT California Special ragtop... That cloth doesn't do much to protect your noggin!

02-22-2007, 12:12 PM	#6
GoneIn60Seconds Okie Stang Driver Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Tahlequah, Ok Posts: 7	Re: the roll bar that saved my life(no Flip Over) So I gotta ask, do you have any pics of the Cobra from the wreck?

04-17-2007, 01:09 PM	#7
stanger66 dreaming about mustangs Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: laurel, md Posts: 178	Re: the roll bar that saved my life(no Flip Over) unfortunately I don't all the pictures I did take were lost in one of the many moves to new houses I lived in. (at that time I moved alot) __________________ Ross 06 Saleen S281SC Convertible 6spd 04 Freestar(wife) 66 mustang w/orig. Carroll Shelby racing 7 spoke 14X7's aluminum 02 pontiac sunfire 2.2 ecotec(great gas mileage) still GM junk

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