[joe huestis]

It was 1975, while racing my '69 Camaro in stock eliminator at Conn. Dragway when my Muncie crash box locked up in high gear going through the traps over 100 mph. Rear tires lock up, sending me on a Joie Chitwood thrill ride on 2 wheels. I remember looking out my driver's window and seeing asphalt what seemed like inches from my face. Thank God there was no guardrails at the end of that track. The car drifted on to the grassy area between the track and the return road and came down upright, spinning around several times coming to a stop facing toward the starting line. My girl friend made it to me running before any emergency vehicle did. Opened my hood and engine compartment was full of torn up sod. Track mgr. drives up with a back hoe and wants to lift the back up of my car with the bucket to move it away from the shut down area. I go off on him to get that tractor away from my pristine Camaro, proceed to hook a tow rope to car and drag it over to the return road tearing up all the grass on the way. Removed driveshaft to get car to roll onto trailer. Go home to find transmission trashed and broken tooth off ring gear in diff. Racing season appeared done until my girl hands me a wad of cash and says fix your car. Same young lady I married 2 years later in '77 and yes it was "Annie".