Comment:

Having done this more times than my wallet liked I can honestly say that after the initial impact I remember little of such accidents.  Others write in detail everything little part of such a wreck, my memory is not that good.  All I can tell you for sure is that in the first frame as a driver you have an, "oh, s*#t moment," and from that point on it is just a thrill ride.

I am glad Del was not hurt, a wreck like this with the primitive safety equipment of the day; the results could have been far worse. 

Of late I have looked at the safety equipment in B&W pics recently posted, especially the Russ Dodge postings.  Look at the "jockey" helmets, the tee shits, no gloves save maybe work gloves, goggles.  The roll cages were most likely black iron pipe (stick welded), restraints two inch nylon.  Small wonder when I said to my grandmother I wanted to drive that her response was, "do you have a death wish?"

Today a driver spends more on a suit, helmet, arm restraints, shoes, and HANS than an entire car cost back then.  And thank goodness.


PS: Do you have pics of Don Kreitz flipping the 69 at Reading opening day 68 or 69?  It was a cold Sunday PM.  In the sequence I have seen in one frame he is holding onto a roll bar, wearing a hunting vest due to the cold.  Luckily he did not lose that arm, it was the days before restraints.