Las Vegas Weekly Meet - Thursday nights - See first post for details
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Joined: Nov 2002
Posts: 3,549
From: HK / BAIC (still in denial)
Car Info: '08 GT3/'08 Cayenne Turbo/'02 WRX Sedan/'95 E36 M3
was past my bedtime quite a bit
for the first time since i've been back i had a hard time getting up this morning
plus when i woke up i found a nice surprise in the middle of my living room floor: a dying cockroach ...
for the first time since i've been back i had a hard time getting up this morning
plus when i woke up i found a nice surprise in the middle of my living room floor: a dying cockroach ...
Registered User
iTrader: (4)
Joined: Nov 2002
Posts: 3,549
From: HK / BAIC (still in denial)
Car Info: '08 GT3/'08 Cayenne Turbo/'02 WRX Sedan/'95 E36 M3
Nightmare at a Drag Strip
BY STEVE SPENCE
July 2005
It will likely go down in history as the most freakish, nightmarish accident in drag-racing history. One top drag-racing official with 40 years' experience told the media he'd never seen or heard of anything like it.
On the first Saturday in April, Michelle "Shelly" Howard, a 59-year-old registered nurse and mother of three who had been drag-racing for 27 years, took her Top Alcohol Dragster for a 10 p.m. practice run at Tulsa Raceway Park as part of a late-night event. Howard, the wife of a Tulsa physician, had huge experience—she'd won the Division 4 title twice and was a three-time national event winner. Top Alcohol is just one notch below drag racing's ferocious 8000-hp Top Fuel class, where these rails rip to 100 mph in less than a second and at least one has turned the quarter-mile at 335 mph in 4.4 seconds.
Howard got off to a good start, but what happened next will have drag-racing people shaking their heads in disbelief for years to come. About halfway down the quarter-mile course, the nose of her dragster got airborne, lifted straight up into what is called a "blowover wheelstand," and while continuing to roar down the track standing on its tail, turned 180 degrees and came down with tremendous force, now facing the starting line. It is likely Howard was knocked unconscious.
Although the dragster was pointed toward the start line and the wheels were spinning in that direction, the tremendous momentum continued to send it backward, toward the finish line, which it passed, astonishingly, at 115 mph with a time of 6.633 seconds. This rearward travel finally ended about 1500 feet past the finish line, with Howard unconscious and the dragster's throttle still at full tilt. Then the rear wheels sent the dragster headed back toward the start line, careening off the spectator and tower lanes as it gained speed, and crossing the line where it had started the race just seconds earlier, at perhaps 250 mph.
Adding an element of tragic, numbing shock, Howard's husband, Paul, was watching all of this, helplessly, from the stands, while their son, Brian, 36, was in the back of their chase vehicle about 125 feet behind the start line. The dragster next plunged into the chase vehicle, killing mother and son instantly. The force of this bizarre collision sent the dragster and chase vehicle 225 feet through a rear burnout wall and into an open field and stream, according to a report posted on the Internet.
Besides her husband, Shelly Howard is survived by two daughters.
BY STEVE SPENCE
July 2005
It will likely go down in history as the most freakish, nightmarish accident in drag-racing history. One top drag-racing official with 40 years' experience told the media he'd never seen or heard of anything like it.
On the first Saturday in April, Michelle "Shelly" Howard, a 59-year-old registered nurse and mother of three who had been drag-racing for 27 years, took her Top Alcohol Dragster for a 10 p.m. practice run at Tulsa Raceway Park as part of a late-night event. Howard, the wife of a Tulsa physician, had huge experience—she'd won the Division 4 title twice and was a three-time national event winner. Top Alcohol is just one notch below drag racing's ferocious 8000-hp Top Fuel class, where these rails rip to 100 mph in less than a second and at least one has turned the quarter-mile at 335 mph in 4.4 seconds.
Howard got off to a good start, but what happened next will have drag-racing people shaking their heads in disbelief for years to come. About halfway down the quarter-mile course, the nose of her dragster got airborne, lifted straight up into what is called a "blowover wheelstand," and while continuing to roar down the track standing on its tail, turned 180 degrees and came down with tremendous force, now facing the starting line. It is likely Howard was knocked unconscious.
Although the dragster was pointed toward the start line and the wheels were spinning in that direction, the tremendous momentum continued to send it backward, toward the finish line, which it passed, astonishingly, at 115 mph with a time of 6.633 seconds. This rearward travel finally ended about 1500 feet past the finish line, with Howard unconscious and the dragster's throttle still at full tilt. Then the rear wheels sent the dragster headed back toward the start line, careening off the spectator and tower lanes as it gained speed, and crossing the line where it had started the race just seconds earlier, at perhaps 250 mph.
Adding an element of tragic, numbing shock, Howard's husband, Paul, was watching all of this, helplessly, from the stands, while their son, Brian, 36, was in the back of their chase vehicle about 125 feet behind the start line. The dragster next plunged into the chase vehicle, killing mother and son instantly. The force of this bizarre collision sent the dragster and chase vehicle 225 feet through a rear burnout wall and into an open field and stream, according to a report posted on the Internet.
Besides her husband, Shelly Howard is survived by two daughters.
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Posts: 52,306
From: Palo Alto, CA
Car Info: Something german
Originally Posted by babysmurf
was past my bedtime quite a bit
for the first time since i've been back i had a hard time getting up this morning
plus when i woke up i found a nice surprise in the middle of my living room floor: a dying cockroach ...
for the first time since i've been back i had a hard time getting up this morning
plus when i woke up i found a nice surprise in the middle of my living room floor: a dying cockroach ...
Poor guy.
Registered User
iTrader: (4)
Joined: Nov 2002
Posts: 3,549
From: HK / BAIC (still in denial)
Car Info: '08 GT3/'08 Cayenne Turbo/'02 WRX Sedan/'95 E36 M3
Originally Posted by soggynoodles
what's up with the roach motel?
Poor guy.
Poor guy.
and i have no idea why there are so many roaches
although talking on the phone with my dad earlier today he was telling me that when he grew up in hk, there were cockroaches everywhere. even in his apartment and they had live in servants and all who cleaned everyday. he told me to get used to it. it's not that odd... and it's because of all the rain..
he even kept on going on about how they used to EAT cockroaches. i'm like:
... but apparently you can buy them at the supermarket all pre-marinated and stuph... guess that just goes to show that cantonese ppl really DO eat almost anything
my dad's comment: his father used to say to him "if the back's facing the sky, you can eat it..."
Token Toyota Mod
iTrader: (50)
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 52,306
From: Palo Alto, CA
Car Info: Something german
Originally Posted by babysmurf
you're on the cockroach's side?!?! how could u say poor guy???
and i have no idea why there are so many roaches
although talking on the phone with my dad earlier today he was telling me that when he grew up in hk, there were cockroaches everywhere. even in his apartment and they had live in servants and all who cleaned everyday. he told me to get used to it. it's not that odd... and it's because of all the rain..
he even kept on going on about how they used to EAT cockroaches. i'm like:... but apparently you can buy them at the supermarket all pre-marinated and stuph...
guess that just goes to show that cantonese ppl really DO eat almost anything
my dad's comment: his father used to say to him "if the back's facing the sky, you can eat it..."
and i have no idea why there are so many roaches
although talking on the phone with my dad earlier today he was telling me that when he grew up in hk, there were cockroaches everywhere. even in his apartment and they had live in servants and all who cleaned everyday. he told me to get used to it. it's not that odd... and it's because of all the rain..
he even kept on going on about how they used to EAT cockroaches. i'm like:
... but apparently you can buy them at the supermarket all pre-marinated and stuph... guess that just goes to show that cantonese ppl really DO eat almost anything
my dad's comment: his father used to say to him "if the back's facing the sky, you can eat it..."
I wouldn't want to eat a roach.
YOu should try one a report back. haha
Registered User
iTrader: (4)
Joined: Nov 2002
Posts: 3,549
From: HK / BAIC (still in denial)
Car Info: '08 GT3/'08 Cayenne Turbo/'02 WRX Sedan/'95 E36 M3
The Red Planet is about to be spectacular!
This month and next, Earth is catching up with Mars in an encounter that
will culminate in the closest approach between the two planets in
recorded history. The next time Mars may come this close is
in 2287. Due to the way Jupiter's gravity tugs on
Mars and perturbs its orbit, astronomers can only be
certain that Mars has not come this close to Earth
in the Last 5,000 years, but it may be as long as
60,000 years before it happens again.
The encounter will culminate on August 27th when
Mars comes to within 34,649,589 miles of Earth and
will be (next to the moon) the brightest object in
the night sky. It will attain a magnitude of -2.9
and will appear 25.11 arc seconds wide. At a modest
75-power magnification
Mars will look as large as the full moon to the naked eye.
Mars will be easy to spot. At the
beginning of August it will rise in the east at 10p.m.
and reach its azimuth at about 3 a.m.
By the end of August when the two planets are
closest, Mars will rise at nightfall and reach its
highest point in the sky at 12:30a.m. That's pretty
convenient to see something that no human being has
seen in recorded history. So, mark your calendar at
the beginning of August to see Mars grow
progressively brighter and brighter throughout the
month.
This month and next, Earth is catching up with Mars in an encounter that
will culminate in the closest approach between the two planets in
recorded history. The next time Mars may come this close is
in 2287. Due to the way Jupiter's gravity tugs on
Mars and perturbs its orbit, astronomers can only be
certain that Mars has not come this close to Earth
in the Last 5,000 years, but it may be as long as
60,000 years before it happens again.
The encounter will culminate on August 27th when
Mars comes to within 34,649,589 miles of Earth and
will be (next to the moon) the brightest object in
the night sky. It will attain a magnitude of -2.9
and will appear 25.11 arc seconds wide. At a modest
75-power magnification
Mars will look as large as the full moon to the naked eye.
Mars will be easy to spot. At the
beginning of August it will rise in the east at 10p.m.
and reach its azimuth at about 3 a.m.
By the end of August when the two planets are
closest, Mars will rise at nightfall and reach its
highest point in the sky at 12:30a.m. That's pretty
convenient to see something that no human being has
seen in recorded history. So, mark your calendar at
the beginning of August to see Mars grow
progressively brighter and brighter throughout the
month.