Photographer:  Nelson Ivins - Provided by Bobby Pickell Jr.

Comments welcome.

I see Rudy's arm out the window, big as he was he was probably trying to push it back on it's wheels.

Was that the wreck, where on of the wheels hit the motorhomes in turn 2?

This one is from turn 3, with the #24X ending up just past the 3rd turn stands, in that little area between the wooden fence and the chainlink fence that separated the little dirt road from the track, where you could walk between turns 3 & 4.  Scary place to walk while they were racing and here's a good example why.

Question to John and other racers:  When did arm restraints become mandatory?  I've noticed with a couple of these flip sequence photos from what I think was around 1978 or 1979, where you can see arm restraints weren't in use.

Arm restraints became mandatory in NJ in 1979, my first year. Initially, the rules stated that a window net was required on the drivers side. Apparently a bunch of people questioned about the fact that almost all modifieds and sportsman were center seating. The rule was amended to read that center seating required a net on each side, or the option to use arm restraints. I can't remember where I bought mine, but they are Bob's Racing Equipment, I still have them. I only recall ever seeing two modifieds anywhere ever using a window net.

I crewed for Greg Smith 404 in 79 his rookie season. Greg and Emil Baron got together going into 3 with Greg going over the 3rd turn fence. There was a picture sequence in Stock Car magazine that show Greg going over the wall with his arm out the window. I'm 99% sure Greg had arm restraints on at the time, but with a standard mustang body at the time the bodies were narrow enough to still be able to get his arm out the window. Thankfully he didn't hurt his arm but the fire extinguisher in the car broke loose and banged his leg up pretty good. Needless to say when we returned the following week, the fire extenguisher was not going to come loose.. 

I like the fire systems they have now but the fire extinguisher rule back in the day was just stupid. No one was sticking around long enough in a burning car to use it, they were abandoning ship! The best use I ever heard for a fire extinguisher was when Fritz Epright had a slipping clutch one night and he sprayed the extinguisher in there to stop it. Not sure exactly how it worked but it did.

I was on Fritz's crew at the time and got to hang upside down in the cockpit and spray it in . It actually worked and got us thru the night.

An additional thought about in-car fire extinguishers, especially back then (70's/early 80's)...  At a lot of tracks a good reason to have removable extinguishers back then would be for a driver coming to the aid of another driver in a fire situation.  Prior to the 70's, often the first person on the scene to help was another driver.  (It still sometimes happens today.)  This was often the case not just locally, but even at national events.

If my memory from almost 50 years ago is correct, I think Ed Conner got out of his #39C with his fire extinguisher in hand to come to the aid of Frank Klem (sp?) whose #22 coupe had flipped between turns 1 & 2 at Flemington sometime (1974?), and we all watched in horror as flames totally engulfed the cockpit.  Frank, who did suffer burns from the accident, somehow climbed out, but it seemed like forever...  I think Ed was right there with a fire extinguisher at the side of the #22.

Unfortunately, here it is 2023, and I still see some tracks on Flo from different parts of the country where it may still come down to one driver with an extinguisher stopping their car, and running to the aid of a fellow driver before the track's fire crew could possibly get there. 

Dylan Cisney (sp?) had a really bad fire at Port Royal last year where the wing kind of wrapped around the cage a little and I think it was Danny Dietrich and another driver that jumped out of their cars and because they were wearing firesuits, were able to help Dylan get out and help roll him on the ground and pat out the fire on him.  Dylan's injuries were definitely less than they could have been. 

In a somewhat related story, I see that NJ is going to require on board self activating fire suppression systems on most racecars at somepoint this year.  There is discussion on which types of cars have to have them...which cars have room for them... and I think there is also a question of available units due to supply issues.

That's Mel Stettler capturing that wild flip on film. I remember him showing me those wild pics a day or so later..maybe the next day when we all were sat Nazareth. I think the 24 was Billy Smith???

That is Bill Smith from the Phillipsburg NJ area in the 24X. Something tells me it was the first night out with that car. 

who is driving that liss built gremlin. i see by the angle of the front shocks it is one that i built.  ray

Ray - We have it as Roger Furstenberg in the #43.