1.5 Liter Hydro Blowover at Cambridge

[Mark 72@E]

Update Friday, July 31. Pics #11 and #12 from the series added to post #2, just below this one. Total elapsed time from the first photo to photo #10 is four seconds. Five seconds passed from #11 to #12 and still no sign of the driver. From Cambridge, Maryland 2009.

[Mark 72@E]

Driver Update

My initial report that the driver in this flip was ok turned out to be optimistic. As I post more photos you'll see that he was sitting on the boat when the rescue crew arrived. He told the rescue crew he was fine. On shore he told his family he was alright. He told everyone who asked that he was ok.

Then, as one race fan commented, "the adrenalin wore off" and the discomfort in his back became evident. He went to the hospital to learn that he had a fractured vertebra in his back. But the fracture is far enough away from his spine that it poses no serious threat. According to the senior Mr. Shaw, his son John will have some discomfort but will be fully healed in 6 to 8 weeks.

As you look at the photos I'll be posting of the flip, and you look at Dan's close-up photos of the broken capsule you'll have an idea what happened to cause the injury.

[Brew56]

Unbelievable clarity in your pics Mark. Great job. Glad he's going to pull through and injury wasn't worse.

[Mark 72@E]

Point and Shoot

Unbelievable clarity in your pics Mark. Great job. Glad he's going to pull through and injury wasn't worse.

Thank you for the compliment. But it's all the camera. I just point and shoot.

[Sonny]

Cool

Great pics, glad the guys ok..The way I understand it that 1.5 hydro is a pretty cool thing. I think is Powered by a snowmobile motor. Who is building these hulls? Are there only a few? How fast is the class? I have a few stupid fast sleds to pluck motors out of.

[Mark 72@E]

Pics #11 and #12

Update Friday, July 31. Pics #11 and #12 from the series added to post #2 towards the top of this thread. Total elapsed time from the first photo to photo #10 is four seconds. Five seconds passed from #11 to #12 and still no sign of the driver. From Cambridge, Maryland 2009.