[Duane Eiskant II]

2007 Rockingham Springnats, lost 2nd round and went home. Didnt want to be done racing for the weekend so we went to Richmond Dragway sunday for a et race. 3rd round in Top Et had to run a monza dialed about a day and a half faster then me. We went through the lights and i reached up and shut the motor off, looked at the win light to make sure i had won. Then right in front me there he was, flipping and rolling. My stupid a.s didnt ever check up, i followed the dirt oil and dust then just nailed the brakes and stopped. Right before i ran over his driver door. I jumped out the car and ran to his car yelling for him, and he didnt say anything and wasnt moving. I knew he was dead, then i saw the helmet in the seat and figured his head was still in it. He finally answered as i got closer and he started out the car very slowly. I killed the batteries (which turn the car off cause the fuel pump was still going), and started walking back. The track manager asked me if i was ok, and i was. Just a little shook up getting to watch the whole thing unfold right in front of me. The car was a total waste after that, but the guy (manny) did come by work and thank me for running over to him and checking on him. Now that was freaky. I've set on the guardrail at rockingham down by fuel check when they ran top fuel and had one hit the wall right in front of us while it was on fire, but it wasnt as scary as watching the monza crashing in front of me.
The second on my list would be the first year IHRA racing in Canada, on sunday Jack Dustmen's jet car was wide open as it went by us at the tech trailor which was about 500-600 feet past the finish line. I stepped back in the trailor, as i couldnt go to the end and help the officals clean up. Later talked to Howie and Jeff (Jeff doesnt work there anymore) and neither one of them would talk about it. Jeff hid in the woods for about 2 hours after, all they would say was his body was mush by the time they found it. The car was one place, the driver another. To this day i dont care to watch the jet cars run, ever.