Pair Of Violent Crashes Mar Willowbank Winternationals

Last weekend’s Gulf Western Oil Winternationals at the Willowbank Raceway in Australia served up some stellar professional drag racing, as well as a couple of moments sure to become mainstays on the highlight reels down-under.

On Saturday, Bill Fletcher was racing his dragster alongside Brett Stirling’s Camaro in the Supercharged Outlaws category. Fletcher left about a bulb behind Stirling and was chasing him down in the back half of the 1/4-mile when he began drifting toward the centerline and eventually lost it just before the lights. In his effort to avoid Stirling, he corrected back across the track and tagged the wall, ripping the right rear wheel off. From there, he was just along for the ride. Amazingly, Fletcher never appeared to make contact with Stirling, and despite getting caught up in his parachutes, did not cause Stirling to lose control of his own car at any point. Fletcher reportedly climbed from the car and walked to the ambulance under his own power.

The next day, the final round of Pro Stock pitted Nino Cavallo against Aaron Tremayne. Cavallo got the advantage out of the gate, but started to wander out of the groove toward the wall. About mid-track, Cavallo lost control and his Dodge Avenger turned hard left, rolled onto its roof, and slammed into the guardrail. Cavallo, like Fletcher, climbed from the battered car uninjured.