[jeremycrpntr]

Originally Posted by Davinche14 ↗

speaking of birds in the face, my dad (biker enthusiast) and a few friends were riding in English countryside when at a 'considerable speed' a bird flew across the path of one of my dads friends and smacked him straight in the face. The result... Trashed helmet, broken nose, broken cheek bone, teeth knocked out etc... The 'miracle' is, he managed to stay on the bike and bring it to a holt safely! No pictures unfortunately, but just humbles you to think that a helmet is no guarantee of safety.

Been many a story, about numerous different dirt track racers, taking a rock through the visor. "The King" of Sprint Car racing Steve Kinser took a rock to the visor, going through the visor and breaking his nose BADLY... He finished the race (If my memory is correct I believe he even WON the race). I can't imagine that. I've got nailed with rocks in the knuckles and neck and that can hurt pretty damn bad. At the same time its amazing what u can go through while racing. The pain or uncomfortableness a racer can endure. I hit the wall pretty hard last year, and kept going until my tire went flat a couple laps later. I knew it hurt, but one doesn't have time to focus on that. I didn't realize how BAD it really hurt until someone had to help me out of the car when I parked it.

Nigel Mansell had a flu bug one year during the Indy 500, and got sick very early in the race. I remember he vomited in his helmet and rode around for 2-1/2 hours like that.

[windowlicker]

Originally Posted by windowlicker ↗

While racing in the French GP in 1973 at the Clermont Ferrand curcuit, Austrian BRM driver Helmut Marko was hit in the face by a stone flung up by another car. The stone shattered his visor and embed itself in his eye. Marko managed to stop the car but his sight could not be saved and his F1 career was over. Helmut is now an advisor to the F1 Championship team Red Bull.

Original post on page 41.

[AlvinKarpis]

Gary Batson: Charlotte Motor Speedway 1992

Fatal

Horrific crash, not due to the impact but because of the freak nature of the wreck as Batsons car is stuck against the wall and another car underneath him

When the car underneath catches on fire Batson is basically stuck in his car above the flames beneath him

One of the worst ever, I still have nightmares about this crash

RIP Gary

[Davinche14]

Originally Posted by windowlicker ↗

Original post on page 41.

Basic physics... But to put into perspective, If you throw a stone that size at someone, it could do serious damage. Taking a stone to the face at 100mph+ AND surviving is a miracle in its own right!

[windowlicker]

James Hunt the 1976 F1 World Champion crashing out at the first corner at Long Beach in 1977 in his McLaren M23.

Hunt died of a heart attack in 1993 aged only 45.

[AlvinKarpis]

Joe Young Daytona 1987

Fatal

Ultra rare picture of Young's fatal crash

[AlvinKarpis]

Steve Pfeifer 1979 Michigan 400

Non Fatal

A photographer was injured in this ludicrous crash that everyone was lucky to survive

[AlvinKarpis]

Tommy Spychiger: Monza 1965

Fatal

Very rare pictures

Spychiger was decapitated by his new plexiglass window.

Unlike the photos of Koinigg fatal crash, one photo in this set shows Spychiger's head layng on the ground by the wreck

Again very rare pics that are not pleasant at all

[windowlicker]

Ronnie Peterson's wrecked March 761 at the 1976 Belgium GP at Zolder after going off on lap 16.

[windowlicker]

Gunnar Nilsson loses his Lotus into the pitwall also at the Belgian GP '76 on lap 7. Gunnar sadly died of cancer in 1978.

He took part in 31 GP, all for Team Lotus during 1976 - '77, winning in Belgium in '77.