Ken Etter injured in an accident at Fontana

Eric Voigt · 08-14-2010, 09:41 PM

Just got a call from Rod Greene, Ken is seriously injured from an accident this evening at the race at Fontana.

Don't know much more then this at this time - get your prayers out there to Ken and his family.

Rod Greene · 08-14-2010, 09:52 PM

Bob Mazzolini called me said Ken was in a serious top end accident. Head-on into a wall. He had to be cut out of the car and was air lifted to a local Hospital. I will fill in more details as I get them. Send all your prayers out to Ken.

Julie Jordan · 08-14-2010, 10:03 PM

Oh, man, that's awful! Please keep up posted. Kenny is in my prayers.

pro stock chuck · 08-14-2010, 10:07 PM

This is what I know so far he has a broken left leg,broken jaw and a possible broken left arm. his injuries are very serious. keep him in your pray and I will keep you posted

Bob Don · 08-14-2010, 10:43 PM

I am sorry to hear this. I will keep him and his family in my prayers.

Brett Brown · 08-14-2010, 10:50 PM

It was a very ugly sceen. The left front tire was pushed all the way back to the driver door. Ken was unconscious when I first saw him, but was conscious when they were cutting the door open. Definately a malfunction, whether it be brakes or stuck throttle, is unclear.
Please keep Ken in your thoughts.

Rod Greene · 08-14-2010, 11:13 PM

Just got off the phone with Mazz Ken is at Arrowhead Reginal Medical Center. He has a broken jaw and possible a couple of other broken bones. He is conscious. I will update when I have more info.

kingsransomracing · 08-25-2010, 08:05 PM

I was there racing that weekend and didn't hear anything on the radio so we took a ride down to the end of the track and saw fire trucks and everything there. Once I saw the car...I knew who it was and was hoping that Ken was ok....it didn't look good...after seeing the k-rail he broke in half, and how the car stopped probably 50 feet past the wall..I honestly had my doubts someone could live through that. I am so happy to see Ken still here with us and with only the injuries he came out with.

After hearing about these rods coming out a few years back (I have only been racing about 7 years). I have a '69 chevelle with an emergency brake pedal that is operated with your foot. What we do when we get to the track is remove the emergency brake handle, and slide a brass tube over the shaft, then screw the handle back on....This eliminates the ratcheting in the emergency brake and allows it to work like a normal brake. I have tested this for about 1000 feet of the shut down area and it will do enough to stop my 3500 lb chevelle running 10.30s @ 128mph. Just another option for people to try that still have the emergency brake accessible.

Rich Biebel · 08-26-2010, 08:54 AM

My '97 Firebird Stocker had a brace from the M/C to the shock tower. I assumed this was to prevent the M/C from moving due to a somewhat flexible firewall and staging and racing off the footbrake. If the firewalls are moving it might be part of the problem. You have to really take a look up in there to see what could cause a problem.

I have even looked at my dragsters footbrake setup. I had to move the pedals and make a new rod. I check my rotors and calipers every race visually when I clean the car.........especially the rotors and caliper mounting bolts and they are safety wired.....

Ken Etter · 08-26-2010, 08:55 AM

I had heard the rail was moved but didnt know it broke in half! I am going to consider installing an emergency brake system in my next car. I know they have a sysytem that sits in the rotor hat and works like a drum. I know this was a one in a million thing but its not worth the risk anymore. Not for me but for the pain and suffering I caused my family and friends. I opened my bag of clothes from the wreck to find my brand new Impact pants and jacket I had replaced in Sonoma cut in half. I got to use them for one race! remarkably my helmet doesnt have a scratch,just some blood on the strap and chin area. It was an HJC motorcycle full face helmet. I think I will replace it anyways with a drag race full face helmet with better protection in the chin area. The old helmet may have unseen damage. I take my hand splint off once a day so I can get some typing in. I havent given a rundown of my injuries because im not sue anyone would be interested. Have a great day and good luck to everyone heading to the races!

08-14-2010, 09:41 PM	#1
Eric Voigt Junior Member Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Riverside CA Posts: 95 Likes: 51 Liked 18 Times in 11 Posts	Ken Etter injured in an accident at Fontana Just got a call from Rod Greene, Ken is seriously injured from an accident this evening at the race at Fontana. Don't know much more then this at this time - get your prayers out there to Ken and his family. __________________ Eric Voigt 7425 STK

08-14-2010, 09:52 PM	#2
Rod Greene Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: TN Posts: 530 Likes: 415 Liked 242 Times in 81 Posts	Re: Ken Etter injured in an accident at Fontana Bob Mazzolini called me said Ken was in a serious top end accident. Head-on into a wall. He had to be cut out of the car and was air lifted to a local Hospital. I will fill in more details as I get them. Send all your prayers out to Ken. __________________ Rod Greene Real men shift for them selves. Slowly working on TA Challenger for D,E/S and a 72 Challenger for SS/K, L as if I don't have enough other projects. Last edited by Rod Greene; 08-14-2010 at 10:13 PM.

08-14-2010, 10:03 PM	#3
Julie Jordan Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Modesto, CA Posts: 637 Likes: 90 Liked 508 Times in 92 Posts	Re: Ken Etter injured in an accident at Fontana Oh, man, that's awful! Please keep up posted. Kenny is in my prayers. __________________ Julie Jordan 7549 STK

08-14-2010, 10:07 PM	#4
pro stock chuck Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Huntington Beach Ca. Posts: 164 Likes: 21 Liked 53 Times in 17 Posts	Re: Ken Etter injured in an accident at Fontana This is what I know so far he has a broken left leg,broken jaw and a possible broken left arm. his injuries are very serious. keep him in your pray and I will keep you posted

08-14-2010, 10:43 PM	#5
Bob Don VIP Member Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Greater Boston Posts: 1,494 Likes: 1,108 Liked 893 Times in 190 Posts	Re: Ken Etter injured in an accident at Fontana I am sorry to hear this. I will keep him and his family in my prayers. __________________ Bob Don 128 SS

08-14-2010, 10:50 PM	#6
Brett Brown Member Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Anaheim, CA Posts: 235 Likes: 4 Liked 5 Times in 2 Posts	Re: Ken Etter injured in an accident at Fontana It was a very ugly sceen. The left front tire was pushed all the way back to the driver door. Ken was unconscious when I first saw him, but was conscious when they were cutting the door open. Definately a malfunction, whether it be brakes or stuck throttle, is unclear. Please keep Ken in your thoughts. __________________ Brett Brown 7257 STK, SS, COMP

08-14-2010, 11:13 PM	#7
Rod Greene Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: TN Posts: 530 Likes: 415 Liked 242 Times in 81 Posts	Re: Ken Etter injured in an accident at Fontana Just got off the phone with Mazz Ken is at Arrowhead Reginal Medical Center. He has a broken jaw and possible a couple of other broken bones. He is conscious. I will update when I have more info. __________________ Rod Greene Real men shift for them selves. Slowly working on TA Challenger for D,E/S and a 72 Challenger for SS/K, L as if I don't have enough other projects.

08-25-2010, 08:05 PM	#8
kingsransomracing Junior Member Join Date: Oct 2008 Posts: 14 Likes: 0 Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Re: Ken Etter injured in an accident at Fontana I was there racing that weekend and didn't hear anything on the radio so we took a ride down to the end of the track and saw fire trucks and everything there. Once I saw the car...I knew who it was and was hoping that Ken was ok....it didn't look good...after seeing the k-rail he broke in half, and how the car stopped probably 50 feet past the wall..I honestly had my doubts someone could live through that. I am so happy to see Ken still here with us and with only the injuries he came out with. After hearing about these rods coming out a few years back (I have only been racing about 7 years). I have a '69 chevelle with an emergency brake pedal that is operated with your foot. What we do when we get to the track is remove the emergency brake handle, and slide a brass tube over the shaft, then screw the handle back on....This eliminates the ratcheting in the emergency brake and allows it to work like a normal brake. I have tested this for about 1000 feet of the shut down area and it will do enough to stop my 3500 lb chevelle running 10.30s @ 128mph. Just another option for people to try that still have the emergency brake accessible.

08-26-2010, 08:54 AM	#9
Rich Biebel VIP Member Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Northern New Jersey suburbs Posts: 2,314 Likes: 25 Liked 544 Times in 213 Posts	Re: Ken Etter injured in an accident at Fontana My '97 Firebird Stocker had a brace from the M/C to the shock tower. I assumed this was to prevent the M/C from moving due to a somewhat flexible firewall and staging and racing off the footbrake. If the firewalls are moving it might be part of the problem. You have to really take a look up in there to see what could cause a problem. I have even looked at my dragsters footbrake setup. I had to move the pedals and make a new rod. I check my rotors and calipers every race visually when I clean the car.........especially the rotors and caliper mounting bolts and they are safety wired..... __________________ Rich Biebel S/C 1479 Stock 147R

08-26-2010, 08:55 AM	#10
Ken Etter Member Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: Riverside,Ca Posts: 112 Likes: 0 Liked 87 Times in 9 Posts	Re: Ken Etter injured in an accident at Fontana I had heard the rail was moved but didnt know it broke in half! I am going to consider installing an emergency brake system in my next car. I know they have a sysytem that sits in the rotor hat and works like a drum. I know this was a one in a million thing but its not worth the risk anymore. Not for me but for the pain and suffering I caused my family and friends. I opened my bag of clothes from the wreck to find my brand new Impact pants and jacket I had replaced in Sonoma cut in half. I got to use them for one race! remarkably my helmet doesnt have a scratch,just some blood on the strap and chin area. It was an HJC motorcycle full face helmet. I think I will replace it anyways with a drag race full face helmet with better protection in the chin area. The old helmet may have unseen damage. I take my hand splint off once a day so I can get some typing in. I havent given a rundown of my injuries because im not sue anyone would be interested. Have a great day and good luck to everyone heading to the races! __________________ Ken Etter 7375 STK/5 SS