Wow!!!! Where do I begin?? I guess I'll start off on a good note. Qualifying went great again. We qualified 4th overall and 3rd in class one. This makes the 4th time in a row at qualifying where we are top 3 in our class and top 4 overall. We were beat by MacChacren, Herder, and Andy; with BJ Baldwin and Jerry Welchel behind me. I feel like it was a great acomplishment with the 70 or so cars in the field to place where we did amongst all those great drivers!!
So off the line forth on Saturday. Bam!!!! Threw the belt off the car right off the line. Went down through the cones and pulled over right behind MacCachren who said he broke the tranny right off the start. We jumped out to fix the belt and Rob and his co-driver ran over. They told us to jump in and that they would fix the belt. they did and it never came off again. A BIG thank You to Rob and his co-driver.
Back on the road just as the General Tire truck or Rick Johnson passes us. I fiddle aroud with getting my air and radio plugged back in and get on the gas. He is several hundred yards in front of us and we catch him pretty quick. We hit the siren, but can't pass him. Eventually we get dusted out and he is too far in the dust to mess with.
So we sit right at the edge of his dust for most of the first lap. Pretty uneventful run except for the new top speed in the dirt for the car... 133mph along the fence road at about mile 75 or so. We running very smooth and not pushing at all.
Splash of fuel at midway and we are off. Our team along with Allways racing did a great job. I think we were in and out in about 15 seconds. No one passes us in the pits. We jam through pit 4. Mike McClintock later tells us we went passed at 112 mph on Radar. Our car is so smooth and stable, it doesnt feel like it's that fast.
This is where it gets interesting. We are jamming down the graded road at about 115mph. No big deal, the road is really smooth and straight with only a few slight rollers. I see a big roller coming up and think I will brake into it, using not only the cars brakes, but also the roller to slow us up making it quicker on time and easier on the car.
Just as we approach the spot where I decided to brake, I see it!!! The huge drop in the road with a sharp rut at the bottom. Allen doesn't call it out because it's not marked on our GPS. There are no down arrows by BITD exposing the danger. Nothing...just a huge friggin' hole!!!! The sun is in a position to where there are no shadows exposing the danger either. I have only ran down this road once and do not remember the danger. Other guys that I have talked to know about it and are very cautious to go through it without problems. I have heard that there have been a few guys that have eaten it in this spot. Well....add one more to the list!!!
We go into the hole at 115 mph and nose the front end into the other side!!!! This sends the car sideways. I try to recover the car but the road isnt wide enough. Another 20 feet or so and I may have pulled it off. We hit the burm and go flying into the air. We go end over end for 460 ft from the spot of the initial contact!!!! From what we can come up with, the car does about 6 complete flips or so!! It comes to rest on its side never once hitting the roof, only touching the front and rear of the car.
We come to rest and i yell to Allen if he is OK!! I yell it several times and I get no response. I get a huge sinking feeling...he is either knocked out or......I don't even want to think the other thing!!! I imediatly hit the emergensy reponse on our iritrack and then radio to our crew.
Allen is still not coming around, so I try and get out as fast as I can in case I have to administer CPR. Just as I unbuckle, I hear him groaning. It has to be the most horrible sound I have ever heard. I jump out and Allen tells me he wants to get out and that his back hurts. I don't want to move him, but the car is on it's side and I don't know if it's gonna catch on fire. I unbuckle him and pull him from the wreckage.
I lay him on his back and tell him to remain still. I radio again saying I need immediate medical attention. I see the Herbst helicopter flying over us. They circle around but I continue to attend to allen. Just then I see them landing. Tim their medic, tim herbst, and a couple of other guys come running over. They start attending to Allen immediatly.
I CANT SAY ENOUGH GREAT THINGS ABOUT THE HERBST!!!! They put their stuff aside to help a fallen racer. They could have easily just radioed it in and kept on going but they stopped to help us. I am forever greatful to them and am in their debt!!
A little while later, the BITD medical crews come to help as well. He has a serious injury and needs to be medivac'd out. Finally a helicpoter arrives that is equiped to transport him arrives. the attend to him and get him loaded up. I try to brighten Allen's spirits by telling him at least he gets to take a ride in a sweet chopper!!
I get back to the pits with the BITD official. I am bumped and bruised a little, but nothing too bad!! We both were wearing our R3 neck restraints and all the proper safety gear. I am convinced that without those neck restraints, one of us would be dead or paralyzed!!!
Allen is at the hospital in Pheonix getting helped out. The doctor comes in to talk to him and tells him that he has a fractured L-2 vertabrae. Allen, the friggin maniac, asks the doctor when can he go prerunning again!!!! He's an animal!!! He wants right back in the mix!!!! He's got some hug balls that man!!! A couple of days later, we learn that he has to wear a back brace for 3 to 6 months and he will be good to go like nothing happend.
We later go and get the car that night. It looks aweful and I am thinking to myself that it's gonna take a lot of dough to get it fixed. We get it back to the shop and inpect it yesterday. Amazingly the chassis, minus the engine cage looks unscathe!! It's gonna need a lot of work, $$$$$, and parts, but structurally, it looks undamaged. I am completely blown away.
I am ready to go racing right now. I feel like it was a bunk mistake that could have been prevented with better course markings and/or better prerunning. For sure the Latter!! I am confident in my driving abilities and that part doesn't bother me. Having driven tens of thousands of miles in offroad cars of all types since I was 8 (I am 33 now), I feel that it wasnt a matter of if I crash, it's when. My time came, and I am that much smarter now because of it.
We will fix the car, we will get back in it, we will haul (_|_) some more!!!!! We are counting the days down as we speak!!!!

Vaya Con Dios!!!
Josh Daniel #1598

P.S. I want to thank racer Engineering for the excellent race car. Not only does it perform well, it survived a horrific crash and I am hear to tell the story. The makers of all our safety equipent, Safety solutions, HJC, and Alpine stars. I want to thank Robbie Pierce at Mastercraft for the excellent seats. They didn't break and kept us in the car that was flinging through the desert at 115mph uncontollably. And finally the Herbst family and all the emergency responders. My friend could have been in a lot worse shape if it wans't for you guys!!!

wow, sorry to hear about the crash. Glad you buggy is going to be ok. Good luck in your next race.

Wow, glad you and Allen are ok.

Pics? We gotta see something!

Glad you guys are going to be ok!




Tell us you had the in car camera going!!

Great story......glad you'll both be ok and race again.....

wow...

glad to hear everyone is gonna b ok. hell of a story right there....

*phew!*

Josh;


Wow,great write up,I felt like I wa there. Im happy to hear you both made it out.....could have been a bad ending.Great attitude you both have, and you are both winners!!!!


Good luck on the rebuild,and get back out there soon!!!!!!!!!

GOOD TO HEAR my buddy went for a big tumble in his sand car and fracture'd four vertabrae's he wore a brace looked like a turtle shell for a few months and now you would never know and he is back to duning

Great story.. Good to hear it all can be fixed. Race on.

Wow Josh .....hope Allen makes a full recovery

Josh, great tell. Glad you are ok and your buddy will be soon too. Look forward to the fact that something like this makes you a better driver!!

Great story telling. Not such a happy story , but... Glad to hear you guys are alright.

The Herbst are definetly a class act.

Wow bro, sounds like a wild ride for sure.

Glad you are okay and I hope Allen heals up fast.

oh heck of a story, glad that both of you are "ok" bet that looked amazing though

glad to here you both are still here!!!

WOW, glad to hear you guys are OK.

On a sidenote, I have been wearing a turtle shell (TLS) for 8 weeks, only 4 more to go. You can see the top of it in my avatar pic.

Thanks for sharing Josh. You guys are a class act for sure and I wish Allen a speedy recovery.

I'm looking forward to watching you two get back to racing.

wow, what a ride, tell Allen get well soon, if you need another copilot i'd jump in.

Josh,
Damn dude...just when your car was looking sweet with the golden touch. Knowing you guys it will take a lot more than that to keep DanZio down! Your team is bad @$$ and you guys are really on to something considering your quick rise through the ranks. Allen is one bad billy and I'm sure all those good ole' days of beating on bone stock baja bugs, "old blue" and "crazy bones" helped to make his back stronger than the average man . Glad to hear that everything is OK and Sheila will be roarin' again before we know it. Good luck on the rebuild and see you soon

Good writeup and thanks for sharing. Glad it was not worse. Thats a 1 1/2 football field length from start to finish woooooooowwww!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Josh, glad to hear you are ok and Allen will get well soon. We are in Chandler if you guys need anything. What hospital is Allen in?

Hope you guys bounce back, faster than ever!

Thank you everyone for the encouraging words. I just got back from visiting Allen at his house. He is doing and looks great in my opinion. Hard to keep a good man down.
I do have in car footage and pictures. At this point I am choosing to not make these public. Sorry, they may appear at a later date.

Damn bro thats crazy, Glad to hear both of you guys are ok. from the sounds of it you Co-dawg will be ok, sounds kinda like my injuries, but I crushed L-2, th-12 and fractured my spine from the HARD in packed . I had to wear a back brace for a little while but everything turned out ok and I hardly ever wore it . after he's all healed up he may feel pressure on his back from time to time but it won't slow him down. Chit it didn't slow me down The Doctor told me to strengthen up my ab's to take some pressure off my vertebrae's. but that was after he said they had healed and I was good to go. well take care bro and I wish Allen a speedy recovery now get back to work on that race car

Here is a picture of some dirt taking a beating in qualifying!!

getem next time boss

Glad to hear you guys are ok Josh. Maybe see you at Vegas to Reno?

I'm glad to hear everyone will be OK! When I first read about the crash it was damn sure scary!!! Anytime your hear "back injury" you automatically fear the worst. So again, I'm very happy to hear that everyone will recover!!!!

Take care,

Zilla

Great story josh I could not have told it better. I feel very fortunate for the small injury that I recieved. I would like to say thanks to josh, kelly, all the pit crew, always racing, terrible herbst, all of you on glamis dunes, family, friends, and of course my loving and supporting wife. We will be back to kicking some a!! very soon.

Thanks
co-dawg Allen Hickerson #1598

Glad to see you on here Allen. We wish you a speedy recovery.

I don't know. As of right now I have rooms set up at all the towns. However, I figure it's going to cost at least twice as much as a regular race. With the economy, fixing the car, and not being in the points, I may just opt for running the SCORE Primm 300 that is a few weeks later.

Thanks brian, hope u r having fun with the new ride cant wait to make a trip to glamis. C u guys soon!!!!

Just saw the video....you guys are very lucky.
Hope you are both better and get back out there.

Crappers, there is alot to be said for solid pre-running! Glad to hear you two made it through! I met you at the 09 baja1k at the taco stand at the trinidad pull off! I was headed down to hop into our car at Borrego for SF loop and bring her home. Hope to see you out at the 2010, and hope you navigator heals quickly!
Taylor

I didnt realize that wreck was from last years race...glad you guys are alive and well. Racer Engineering did a remarkable job with your car. The car staying together during that wreck speaks louder then words.

I think I saw your ride at last year's SSSS... Absolutely my favorite car of the show (cause I dream of racing TT or Class 1). Does your car have an old skool seat belt buckle to close the 'screen door' type gate/net deal where the side windows would go?

Great story about racers helping racers. Impressive that you're doing so well. Being right there near the top has got to motivate you to push a little more and win the darn thing.

I agree, it's not if you're gonna crash, it's when... me and my buddies gave me a 50/50 chance last year (my first year owning/driving my car) that I'd wreck. Actually got closest to crashing at the drags. I was ok with those odds. I like to push it.

Keep us updated with your friends recovery/race progress.

Best,

abc

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uVoEhCSP4mk...player_embedded

WOW.. that is violent.. a testiment to the saftey equipment. In my car everyone wears wrist restraints and a neck collars with helmets. TNTDuner was amazed at the size/thickness of the collar the folks in my car wear when I rolled up to him one day out in the dunes. I actually have to grab the helmet to turn my head 90 degress.

This is why it's important. That was a seriously violent crash.

Just bought both Paradigm movies... off the chain man...

abc

that was a HARD crash.. Glad everyone was ok. Nice footage there!

Can you please post what C-Spine protection that you're running.

What do you think of the R-3 stuff?

Interested in more C-Spine protective gear that's proven.

Thanks

I don't know the brand. It's basically a donut, but mine is much thicker than the others I've seen. I'll post up a pick soon. I don't know what the R-3 stuff is.

Sorry for the jack.

abc

Just watched this with sound on...watched it last night with no sound...wife was asleep!
HOLY SH**! Seriously man...not sure if you believe in the man upstairs, but you guys were being watched over!
That was so brutal.
Thanks to RACER for building a stout car for you guys! Unreal!

Get well soon! Just one of those things.

db