Venables, Pendergrass Treated & Released From Infield Care Center
NHRA 2005 NOTES & QUOTES U.S. Nationals Qualifying Indianapolis Raceway Park Clermont, Ind. Q Racing Nitro Funny Car - Pedregon Racing NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series Venables, Pendergrass Treated & Released From Infield Care Center CLERMONT, Ind. (Sept. 3, 2005) Q Racing Nitro Funny Car crew chief Dickie Venables and crew member Cody Pendergrass were treated and released from the infield care center following a scary starting-line incident during qualifying for this weekendıs U.S. Nationals at Indianapolis Raceway Park. Just prior to his second-round qualifying pass this afternoon, driver Tony Pedregon was having trouble completing his burnout. Pendergrass, who services the engine, went to inspect the injector area when trouble arose. ³The threads under the injectors were sticking, so I wanted to take a look,² Pendergrass said. ³I tried to jockey it around to get the blades unhinged, but it accidentally lifted the body. It caught the throttle and the car lunged forward. All I remember is being hit and toppling over.² The carıs frame and body were both damaged after impact with the inside retaining wall. Pendergrass, from nearby Indianapolis, suffered a few bumps and bruises and lost a tooth in the incident. He quickly returned to the team after being released from infield care center. ³Itıs dangerous when you work around things like that.² He continued. ³Iım okay, other than my tooth and a couple of bruises.² Venables, 41, suffered first and second-degree burns, along with a few minor bruises and a chipped tooth. Once he was released from the infield care center, Venables returned the Q Racing pit area to help rebuild and set up the car for the third round of qualifying. ³It hurt my pride more than anything,² Venables said. ³Itıs just one of those things and Iım happy everyone is okay. When something like that happens, it catches you by surprise. ³I remember the car going by me, and the exhaust flames burning my legs,² Venables continued. ³Basically, itıs a bad sunburn.² Both the frame and body had to be replaced. -PedregonRacing.com-