Dangerous Intersection

Figure 8 season finale was not for the faint of heart

Staff Report

CHARLES CITY — Usually firemen, ambulance drivers and emergency medical technicians/personnel have the best seats — or vantage points — at figure 8 races. And they don’t even pay the price of admission.

There’s a reason for that.

Their presence at the Meyer Motorsports Figure 8 Racing Series season-finale held Saturday at the Floyd County Fairgrounds was not only greatly appreciated, but gravely necessary as the first-responders had an eventful night.

Figure 8 is inherently dangerous. But mix in the added aggression of drivers battling for final season-point placings and you have a recipe for vehicular carnage.

This particular night of racing was not for the faint of heart.

The most spectacular if not most frightful incident came in the Pro Stock feature. Midway through the race with the field stretched out and multiple cars crossing paths at high speeds through the intersection, Jake Blau T-boned Ed Johnson which sent the latter driver’s car airborne. Jeremy Johnson was also clipped in the mash-up.

Ed Johnson was able to depart from his vehicle on his own and — despite being visibly agitated — appeared unharmed. His car was undrivable, but his placement in the race at the time of the accident within a thinned-out field ended up being good enough for seventh place.

Jeremy Johnson went on to win the feature, but Blau — who also was able to exit his vehicle — got the worst of the impact and had to be transported by ambulance to the hospital for observation and tests.

Other Pro Stock trophy winners were Zach Lewis (2nd) and Ron Hillegas (3rd).

There was more drama to come in the subsequent Large-Car Stock feature.

Jacob Scribner took off the driver’s-side door shell of another driver in another T-Bone incident in the middle of the track. Scribner, who reportedly was able to move all four of his limbs and communicate with responders who converged on the scene, complained of neck pains.

That prompted his rescuers to use the “jaws of life” to cut off his car’s roof and cabin-surrounding roll bars so — as an added precaution — they could remove Scribner from the vehicle by use of a platform stretcher.

Jake Lehman went on to win the feature with Corey Jones and Randy Lines finishing second and third, respectively.

The Small-Car Stock feature went smoothly in comparison with Russ Brymer taking first well ahead of runner-up Levi Pitz and third-place finisher Josh Dunn.

The Cruiser Car feature — driver steers and brakes; passenger hits the gas — was won by the tandem of Steve Robel and Nikki Dunn.

Meyer Motorsports Figure 8 Racing Series

Season Finale

Sept. 17

At Floyd County Fairgrounds

Pro Stock Feature — 1. Jeremy Johnson, 2. Zach Lewis, 3. Ron Hillegas, 4. Jamie Carolan, 5. Anthony Marshall, 6. Bradley Graham, 7. Ed Johnson.

Large-Car Stock Feature — 1. Jake Lehman, 2. Corey Jones, 3. Randy Lines, 4. Charlie Westervelt, 5. Joe Dorn, 6. Matt Johnson, 7. Steve Hogan.

Small-Car Stock Feature — 1. Russ Brymer, 2. Levi Pitz, 3. Josh Dunn, 4. Tim Eisenmonger, 5. Jordan Apel, 6. Lathan Good, 7. Austin Gerber.

Cruiser Car Feature — 1. Steve Robel/Nikki Dunn, 2. Devon Ackerson/Jacob Scribner, 3. Jake Lehman/Lavern Lehman, 4. Kevin Leerhoof/Ed Johnson, 5. Cotton Miller/Mike Goodell, 6. Monte Miller/Eugene LaRue, 7. Tristan LaRue/Lane LaRue.