Doug Kerhulas' last drag race-National Trail 1984

[TheIceman1564]

talk about change, its 2012 and my track still has no net, maybe that will change seeing as how last september my dad lost his brakes at 150mph in a 3300lbs steel car, scary to say the least, but the video goes to show how great the invention is of a 4 link suspension doesnt it? would have been way less violent if they had that technology back then.

[BikerBonno]

Those nets have to be the worst 'safety' feature in motorsport

[TheBracket1]

Well he did atleast hit the bullseye

[Shankdog626]

@Polybun Eddie Hill never went 280 mph in blown fuel hydro. His top speeds in the 80's were around 230 mph

[nfapiper1]

At 2:09 you can see his head coming out of the rollcage...that's how we lost Darrell Russell. Not to mention the nets...

[GoBigC]

Guess what? They have implemented nets like this to slow cars yet again. Had a fatality last year because of it. Warren Johnson has the right idea. Restrictor plates or MUCH longer runout areas.

[warrockbites]

The nets should stretch farther with more room to do so before the driver hits something like a steel guard rail or a brick wall...

[latham1918]

That's my cousin Doug. I'm sorry we lost touch...

[Polybun]

Folks the real reason these nets fail is because they aren't designed to safely stop a 2500lb dragster, they are designed to stop an eight thousand pound early jet fighter air craft. The NHRA never considered that the difference in mass would result in unsafe deacceleration rates. That said, what is on the other side of that gaurd rail, probably someones house, or a parking lot. If the net did't catch and kill him, he could have killed whatever was at the end of the track.

[winlightministries]

This video truly reveals the need for change to the netting system being used in the sport of drag racing. Considering the fact that this was 1984 and very little, if anything has changed in the area of the sand pit and nets. This video is also interesting to watch in the light of the accident that claimed Mark Niver's life just last weekend. It's time for some serious change!

[acidblister]

I offered up the idea of a water dampening speed suppression system. Reuseable, configurable, taking up little space, able to slow a car over 100 ft, not the sand launch pad. Surviveable negative G's........I got.......silence.

[Polybun]

@acidblister as you should. Ask eddie hill about doing 280mph on water. His eyes were ripped from their sockets.

[acidblister]

@Polybun this is not stopping on water it's stopping using the aid of different thickness water filled and directed barriers. On water you can't change the amounts, but on land you can build whatever dampening amount you want to dial in.....smaller to larger to throttle the deceleration

[coyotedale]

Actually Doug did come back to race again, but it didn't last too long. I saw him in Denver, back in 86. You could tell he still had some effects from his recovery, but it wasn't too bad. He still had his wicked sense of humor. I must say, it was good to see him back in a car after what he went through.

[bongnbud]

I Just wanted to thank Everyone for posting all the incredible Drag Racing clips!!

Its so cool to read the conversations of so many intelligent fans of the sport...... Been a drag racing fan many years..... Its like a Dream Come True!!

[Wambonater]

my neck hurts just watchin that

[infamousjdmr]

im pretty sure those nets did better than that guardrail would of done

[acidblister]

It was short sighted, Mike Dunn faired better being in a funny car with their square frontal area, but for top fuel it made absolutely no sense. Driving into steel cables made to stop a jet fighter are not a lot different than a guard rail and in many instances worse. Note the top of it was propped up near head height for funny car. It was just a bad idea.

[QR3550]

I remember when this happend. He did a hell of a job keeping that car straight after loosing all the downforce when the rear wing departed. Usually, that ends up being a violent barrel roll type of accident. The catch nets at National Trail Raceway have eaten up a lot of race cars over the years. Now, the shutdown area extends across Refugee Rd. into Mr. White's side yard.

[jrm111881]

did Kerhulas live? how bad was he hurt?

[acidblister]

Yes he lived. But never raced again, head injuries often alter lives completely. If you watch for it, and it's hard to see, when he punched through the net the top wire rebounded directly into his helmet at high speed. That is what caused the closed head injury, just a bad idea using those nets with small frontal area as opposed to their desinged use for planes with wings and largre frontal area

[TheTrailerbuilder]

@acidblister Doug recovered and ordered a new car from Al Swindahl.Not long before he was ready to race again he was T-boned in a traffic accident and Doctors said it was a miracle that he walked again.The spinal damage was permanent though,driving a race car would be too risky the Doctors said.A severe case of tyre shake would've been enough for Doug to end up a cripple.He did plan to emigrate to Australia and race in partnership with a local racer in the mid 1990's but it never happened...

[racingformusic]

I got the entire race on tape, I got a couple of classic drag races planned before this, but if it's okay with you, I'll upload this entire race.

[acidblister]

By all means go right ahead....you can't get too much nitro on youtoob!

[racingformusic]

Thanks for your permission, I have the 1990 World Finals planned before that race, but I will get on it, hopefully I'll be your 1st friend on youtube soon, or have you stopped taking friend requests? Just curious.

[acidblister]

Oddly enough I seem to overlook them at times.  Brain fade which seems to be accelerating. ;-)