March 2, 1969 was the worst day in the history of the sport of drag racing. It was on that day at a small, outlaw drag strip in Georgia known as Yellow River Drag Strip that a funny car smashed into the crowd, taking 11 lives and injuring scores of people.
The track had no walls or guardrails, the track had no insurance, and this calamity made national news.
This is the story of the track, the history, the bleak day, and the people involved. It is also the story of the aftermath and how the world reacted to this disaster in the immediate aftermath and for years afterward.
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Excellent
Incredible video. I only have a passing knowledge of drag racing and had never heard about this. Thank you for doing a great job and incredible research laying the story out. Would love some more stories from old race tracks
Sad story awesome story teller! Thx Brian
thanks for the Smithsonian caliber in depth history, Brian!
Brian,, tracks without fences? You have been a commentator on them for Drag Week. No crowds in the areas BUT still dangerous. The hotrod that flipped several times was one of those.
I watch dirt oval racing,, so many of those tracks are stupidly dangerous. Some sort of fence in front of the main spectator area but no fence on 2/3 of the track.
So when the crowd or even team members are wandering about they have NO protection. I have seen cars jump the fence into the pits.
I ABSOLUTELY LOVE these videos. Such great history that I would never know if you didn’t make these. Thank you
I have attended many dragraces both national event level and country bumkin events and after witnessing a few bad incidents I have learned to try to stay out of harms way ! Reading your article brings to mind that it can and will happen in this sport in which we worship. A vehicle travelling at 450 feet per second out of control can could be catastrophic!
These stories are always interesting! Love hearing all the history from years past!
Of the 11 Spectators killed, the youngest was 3 years old. The Driver, Platt, was driving a 1967 Camaro Body Funny Car called "The Dixie Twister". Platt had a new car built and was racing again the following month. I guess it really didnt bother him.
What a great story Brian, quite a few lessons to be learned from this horrible tragedy. It should not take a tragedy to learn these lessons but unfortunately it usually takes an incident to remind us the dangers everyone can face at a racetrack. I learned firsthand because I was in the stands that terrible day in Phoenix nearly 15 years ago and since then I have always made sure when I am at a race to be aware of my surroundings and if I feel like I am in a sketchy area, to find somewhere safer. This continues on not only as a fan but now professionally as a photographer. Whether its at a dirt track with cars going 120 mph, or standing feet next to a Top Fuel dragster leaving the line I need to be aware and most importantly able to bail or hit the deck if shit goes wrong. Even in a "safe spot" on a track things can go wrong and being aware of the dangers gives you a better chance of getting out of or preventing a bad situation.
We all want to get close to the action, but at a certain point being close is too close and that can not only put ourselves at risk, but the drivers, safety crew and many others at risk. What scares me about seeing some of these drag races, and you know which ones they are, with 500 people standing around and behind the water box is all it takes is one throttle sticking, one clutch or rear end explosion, one engine hydraulicing and the horrors experienced on this day in 1969 will come back. And with how litigious our society his now a days, it would be hard for motorsports to come back from that.
Some of these legal street races where they shut part of town down or these no prep events at places that aren't safe for a 10 second car are just asking for it today.
Great piece, well researched and well presented.
Once again you have done a skillful and gracious job in recounting this tragedy. The confluence of events including the track owner aptly named, 'Shug', with his desire to maximize profits, giving spectators (the $$ that drives the operation!) the lowest level of consideration exemplifies the 'make as much money as possible' attitude that creates conditions which are just waiting for that one spark to occur resulting in tragedy.
At my home track, Firebird Raceway in Boise, in the late 80s promoters had a similar 'accident' which common sense could have avoided. Sadly, one spectator paid the ultimate price.
Racing is by definition risky. The track operators should have as much thought for safety of participants and spectators, but in the early days that was given little consideration.
RIP to those lost on that fateful day.
Reminders like this are essential for everyone to help maintain situational awareness of potential risks.
Great post, Brian!!
First of all, wow. This is a powerful, well thought out and produced, and much needed video.
I was 10 years old when this happened. It made the news in Lincoln NE, and was talked about all over town.
For several years it really didn't matter which form of racing that I was around, even just at a garage where someone built their car, this tragedy was still being talked about. Most of it was by drivers who couldn't bare the thought of what Houston Platt lived through each day of the rest of his life.
Brian, I can only imagine how this has weighed on you while you and your team did the research, writing and editing of this video. I know this type of tragedy first hand, the memory goes on. Those losses can't be forgotten. Track or street, it's all the same.
So I imagine for you and your chosen profession, that the lives of each racer, team member and track personnel that you have encountered is even more important to you.
Without this type and level of recording and presentation of history we set ourselves to repeat these same tragic mistakes.
I thank you and your team for this excellent video. It cannot have been easy to do, yet we thank you all for persevering.
Thank you for these dives into our history. Its nice to know how we got here and who played what role.
Thank you very much for the history and the way you cover the stuff that i did not know about.(I always wanted to go to the salt flats) thanks later
I can remember when a racer got hurt at our local strip , the owner stopped on the way to the hospital to see how he was , and put the check for the weekly insurance in the mail . If nobody got hurt , he wouldn't buy the insurance .
Wonder what the earning potential of a 65 year old in Atlanta was in '69? Also wondering what percentage of Atlanta's GDP is made up of monetary legal settlements, and how much those settlements go beyond the earning potential of recipients, I really wouldn't be surprised if either is the highest in the world by a great margin. At some point it is partially your fault for being killed as a spectator, ignorance and naivete don't count when your climbing fences and actually going out on track, especially when you've been warned.
Excellent presentation as always Brian, albeit on a tragic event in drag racing history. Englishtown comes to mind when we lost Scott Kalitta as does Phoenix when the wheel studs sheered off of Antron's TF dragster. Today's sanctioned tracks and tech inspected cars are safer than ever and the NHRA Safety Safari does an outstanding job at every NHRA event as do you.
Seen a lot of mentions of this crash over the years but never heard such a deep dive, well done. Terrible day.
This one hits home Brian. A native Georgian and life long drag racer. You brought great details to the stories and heroes of my youth. Thanks for all the hard work and those small backwoods drag strips are a great place to grow up and have some fun.
Arnie has told me that story before. He said those were the good ol days. Side note he told me that Swiss cheese poncho was one of his all time favorite cars
My former crew chief on the pure madness vintage funny car team Jerry Smeltzy bought that wrecked carmaro from Houston and made it into the Super Camaro
Awesome video, some great info.
Thanks for sharing.
Thank you
This is very well done. I am a racer and started in 1976. I remember a family member talking about this when i was 10. He said he was there and being back from Nam. He said it was total carnage and he had flashbacks from it. I remember it because my mom used to street race before i was born so the racing on the street stories were many. Cars got faster and faster so dad and mom were not happy with me being such a fan and wanting to race anything i could get my hands on. My dad and i built the first hydroplane boat in the garage at 13 in 1973. A boy drown from a crash the first race i attended. Mom forbid me to race boats and said were done here. I got to play with my boat but turned to dirt bikes till i got my license when i was 15 and by 16 i was hooked lol. Mom was not crazy about it and dad was like go for it unless mom was present lol. None the less a career was born. I have raced at skechy tracts here in minnesota and wisconsin. Nhra safety safari was instrumental in making tracks and cars safer. Even john force stated the 1/4 mile needs to be reduced and it was to 1000ft from 1320. That 320ft is known as the death zone by racers. Bottom line from all racers from the day of old is you took your life in your hands the minute you got into the car. Racers lived by the seat of there pants. Look at jungle jims fate. Died street racing his vette. Many of the racers you talked about in here i have talked to personally as they were my mentors. The stories are many. Some of my fellow youtubers want me to do story time with rooster but i am reluctant. I lived through it so enough said lol. But at age 63 it was a hell of a time and still have my best race car 44yrs later. I survived but many didnt. Now were building a drag truck so me and my son can have some fun. Not looking for fast just fun. Well kinda fast lol. Great job on this. You got a new sub so sub me too. Rooster
Brian this is an incredible video and you have done an absolutely stellar job of telling the story. I read about it years ago and I was riveted to every second of your video. Keep ‘em coming!
This is an amazingly well done piece. Definitely a different and tragic aspect of racing history than is usually covered but very interesting nonetheless.
I remember hearing this story when it happened. Thank you for covering it with your usual professionalism.
This is crazy. Between this and the Le Mans event….RIP to all those that perished so we can have safer facilities.
Makes me appreciate Yello belly drag strip in Dallas TX even more. Unsanctioned and been continuously open since 1958.
Imagine trying to take a fuel altered down yellow river in 1968…
Geez, What a story. Love your work Brian.
Off topic, why is this an "Age-restricted video"?
Brian, have you ever considered writing a book? Maybe a history of NED and put it to an audio format as well. The hardcover edition would be on everyone's living room table in the New England area. You have a gift.
Very well put together video.
age restricted? I must be too old for this:)
Fantastic video – I just discovered your videos yesterday – keep up the good work. I have photos of Houston's 70 car in action at Maple Grove – they are the best photos of that car I have ever seen (taken by east coast photographer Carl Rubrecht). If I could attach them to this comment I would – I think everyone would enjoy them.
Excellent again Brian!!!!! Every stone unturned,i always wanted to know the in depth history of that accident! Thank you!