A violent accident involved drivers Doug Kalitta and Tony Stewart following a race reaching speeds of 540 km/h (335 mph) during the eliminations of the NHRA Nationals at Maple Grove Raceway in Pennsylvania. Although both drivers were able to exit their vehicles on their own, Tony Stewart admitted having no memory of the impact.
A Violent Impact After the Finish Line
The race itself had proceeded without incident. Doug Kalitta won it with a time of 3.787 seconds and a top speed of 540.3 km/h (335.73 mph), ahead of Tony Stewart’s time of 3.809 seconds and 525.7 km/h (326.71 mph). The drama occurred during braking, when the parachutes deployed. Kalitta’s car veered violently to the left, hitting Stewart’s car.
Tony Stewart Dazed but Conscious
Stewart’s vehicle was thrown sideways before straightening out and hitting the tire wall. Immediately interviewed by Fox Sports 1, the 54-year-old driver, visibly dazed, stated: “Honestly, I have no fucking idea. I really don’t remember anything. The first thing I remember is them waking me up.”
However, Stewart wanted to reassure everyone about his condition: “I have a hell of a headache and I banged my left hand. But I’ve been in sprint car crashes much worse than this, I’m pretty sure. It’s okay. We’re good. I promise it’s okay.” He also praised the sturdiness of his race car, built by PBRC.
The Worst Accident of Kalitta’s Career
For his part, Doug Kalitta, a 27-year veteran of Top Fuel competition, mentioned in an interview that this collision was “probably the worst [he has] ever experienced” in this type of car, attesting to the exceptional violence of the impact.
This spectacular incident serves as a reminder of the extreme dangers faced by NHRA dragster drivers, despite the immense progress made in terms of safety.