TREE TRIMMING
Minnesota Top Sportsman racer Michael Freischel had his sights set on a respectable showing at his home race , the Lucas Oil NHRA Nationals , before his 2002 Pontiac Firebird took an immediate turn into the Christmas tree during the first Top Sportsman qualifying session . As shown in a video with over half a million views on NHRA ’ s Facebook page , Freischel ’ s DDS Racing entry took a sharp turn just fractions of a second after the release of the trans brake , sending the starting line crew into a frenzy . A replacement tree was pulled out of storage , and Top Sportsman qualifying action resumed – minus one 2002 Firebird .
PHOTOGRAPH BY ROGER RICHARDS Brainerd International Raceway | Brainerd , Minnesota | Friday , August 19 , 2016
CAUGHT !
52 | Drag Illustrated | DragIllustrated . com Issue 115