I live in the richmond area. My dad always has cool stories from the old Richmond track. He said the guys that worked on those guardrails were absolutely incredible in how fast they could fix it.
He had a really hard, head on crash at Bristol the next year. Leading then too. Throttle stuck open going into the 1st turn. Took safety workers forever to get there then too.
That was probably 14 sitting in turned two and saw this whole thing. Still remember it to this day. It was an incredibly violent sudden stop. More than even the camera shows. On another note, Richmond was a far better track for racing and its original configuration here. You can see the prep for the expansion to three-quarter mile off the front straight away with the stands so far back in a couple of the shots here.
Im surpised at the lack of safety response, even for 1985, and no comment on how long he was in the car not moving. I know the window net rule was years away, i just figured they would have reacted more suprised and concerned. It was provably almost 2 minutes before the first thing we see is thankfully Neil taking the window net down.
Possibly they are not calling it live, that was a thing back in the day. They would comment on the taped race so they knew he was fine. Just a thought.
Fair enough. However, you have to understand, NASCAR was learning as it goes here, unlike today. The cars are still racing even with the yellow, and on a narrow track, thus giving no quick access for any safety crew. Thank goodness we didn't see any fire here. Looking back, this was just asking for trouble, and for many racing series at the time (think Indy car racing, F1 racing, local dirt track racing, you name it), too many drivers unfortunately paid the ultimate price for a lack of safety protocols, which were either nonexistent or in it's infancy. Safety in racing has come a long way, and thank goodness for that.
I would say it was inconsistent as each track was truly an independent operation for the most part. That said in 1985 Richmond knew they had an obsolete facility/way of doing of things. Fast forward just 2.5 years to September 1988 and it's an entirely new Richmond; literally and figuratively. NASCAR grew at such a rapid rate in the 1980s. There were 2-3 year stretches where the change NASCAR experienced encompassed 6,7,8 years worth of evolution in previous decades.
@@nascage F1 was even more tone deaf when it came to handling a wreck/disabled vehicle. Watch some old F1 races from the late 1980s, early 1990s. Because of their refusal to throw a full course caution safety crews were left to push disabled/damaged cars out of "harms way" while cars still flew by at a high rate of speed (often debris/fluid on the track to heighten the stakes) having only to adhere to local rules. NASCAR 's allowing drivers to race back to the line seems silly in hindsight but 99% of the time the drivers/spotters proceeded with proper decorum which allowed safety crews to move out immediately.
I posted this below in a response but feel it expands upon the general sentiments watching this video provokes... I would say NASCAR's safey measures were inconsistent as each track was truly an independent operation for the most part. That said in 1985 Richmond knew they had an obsolete facility/way of doing things. Fast forward 3 years to September 1988 and it's an entirely new Richmond; literally and figuratively. NASCAR grew at such a rapid rate in the 1980s. There were 2-3 year stretches where the change NASCAR experienced encompassed 6,7,8 years worth of evolution. The influence of computers/technology, tv, sponsors, an expanded (more educated) audience naturally propelled NASCAR to up their game throughout the 1980s. By 1988 or 1989 NASCAR was the best run auto racing organization in the world in terms of quality of racing, safety, facilities, and overall administration (seriously, CART/USAC, F1, and NHRA were a mess at that time).
I live in the richmond area. My dad always has cool stories from the old Richmond track. He said the guys that worked on those guardrails were absolutely incredible in how fast they could fix it.
Dude had the most hardest crashes of anyone I can remember...poor guys luck ran out
No kidding. Darlington & Talladega come to mind for me.
His hardest wreck was Daytona because he didn't walk away from it. That was before the safe wall design they have now.
He had a really hard, head on crash at Bristol the next year. Leading then too. Throttle stuck open going into the 1st turn. Took safety workers forever to get there then too.
I want that cop car in the background ! Wasn't that a St. Regis or something like that ! I believe they were 440 powered too !
Bonnett - "dont worry, guys. I'll just wait here."
That was probably 14 sitting in turned two and saw this whole thing. Still remember it to this day. It was an incredibly violent sudden stop. More than even the camera shows. On another note, Richmond was a far better track for racing and its original configuration here. You can see the prep for the expansion to three-quarter mile off the front straight away with the stands so far back in a couple of the shots here.
Im surpised at the lack of safety response, even for 1985, and no comment on how long he was in the car not moving. I know the window net rule was years away, i just figured they would have reacted more suprised and concerned. It was provably almost 2 minutes before the first thing we see is thankfully Neil taking the window net down.
Possibly they are not calling it live, that was a thing back in the day. They would comment on the taped race so they knew he was fine. Just a thought.
That race was on WTBS at the time now TBS live.
Beautiful cars back then
Indeed! They were beauties
The emergency response is a drunk showing up wearing a trucker hat,tank top. More concerned about the car than the driver.
That Ford tow truck , sweet ride.
Bonnett had a lot of bad luck and serious crashes, and of course, he died in a Daytona practice crash in the 90s
@@mhlaw229 yea, the 1994 speedweeks were for the history books of the wrong reasons
I like how the fence is there to catch spectators, not cars lol. The actual fence, not the guardrail
Ol Neil gets out and looks to see if it can be fixed
Love seeing the Confederate Flag waving proudly in the wind
Back when every kid had a worn in ring from a dip can on their pocket.
Wish that they'd have just upgraded the old Richmond track and made safety improvements instead of building a new track.
I miss when racing was about racing. Nowadays it’s money
Without money motorsports wont trive.
So then why does he have budweiser on his car? Is he just promoting junior johnsons favorite beer for free out of the goodness of his heart? 😂🤣
It was always about the money. You think they did that stuff for free?
@@richardjohnson4238 exactly
Obviously NASCAR didn't have a safety crew in 1985
Nope they were actually driving real race cars not garbage
Fair enough. However, you have to understand, NASCAR was learning as it goes here, unlike today. The cars are still racing even with the yellow, and on a narrow track, thus giving no quick access for any safety crew. Thank goodness we didn't see any fire here.
Looking back, this was just asking for trouble, and for many racing series at the time (think Indy car racing, F1 racing, local dirt track racing, you name it), too many drivers unfortunately paid the ultimate price for a lack of safety protocols, which were either nonexistent or in it's infancy.
Safety in racing has come a long way, and thank goodness for that.
@@justindement5629what
I would say it was inconsistent as each track was truly an independent operation for the most part. That said in 1985 Richmond knew they had an obsolete facility/way of doing of things. Fast forward just 2.5 years to September 1988 and it's an entirely new Richmond; literally and figuratively. NASCAR grew at such a rapid rate in the 1980s. There were 2-3 year stretches where the change NASCAR experienced encompassed 6,7,8 years worth of evolution in previous decades.
@@nascage F1 was even more tone deaf when it came to handling a wreck/disabled vehicle. Watch some old F1 races from the late 1980s, early 1990s. Because of their refusal to throw a full course caution safety crews were left to push disabled/damaged cars out of "harms way" while cars still flew by at a high rate of speed (often debris/fluid on the track to heighten the stakes) having only to adhere to local rules. NASCAR 's allowing drivers to race back to the line seems silly in hindsight but 99% of the time the drivers/spotters proceeded with proper decorum which allowed safety crews to move out immediately.
You can't park there mate
Back when NASCAR was real racing next to dirt track sprint cars.
50+ year olds in this comment section I see 😭😭😭
Hello bro
I posted this below in a response but feel it expands upon the general sentiments watching this video provokes...
I would say NASCAR's safey measures were inconsistent as each track was truly an independent operation for the most part. That said in 1985 Richmond knew they had an obsolete facility/way of doing things. Fast forward 3 years to September 1988 and it's an entirely new Richmond; literally and figuratively. NASCAR grew at such a rapid rate in the 1980s. There were 2-3 year stretches where the change NASCAR experienced encompassed 6,7,8 years worth of evolution. The influence of computers/technology, tv, sponsors, an expanded (more educated) audience naturally propelled NASCAR to up their game throughout the 1980s. By 1988 or 1989 NASCAR was the best run auto racing organization in the world in terms of quality of racing, safety, facilities, and overall administration (seriously, CART/USAC, F1, and NHRA were a mess at that time).
Diet coke and a Milkyway bar cancel each other out! No weight gain... Does anyone remember?
Bell bottom race suits😂