Drag Racing's Darkest Day: The 1969 Yellow River Drag Strip Disaster

[@CEH3]

Sometimes a crystal clear view of the past is what we need to appreciate what we now have. No one else could be trusted to cover this like you did.

[@brianlohnes3079]

Wow. A sincere thank you!

[@Roosters_Restos]

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

[@briantomcollins]

I wouldn't be disappointed if a few more of these dropped... a bit of history on these forgotten pieces of drag racing history. Love this stuff. I'd be interested to learn more on other, ''outlaw'' drag strips.

[@brianlohnes3079]

Thanks Brian. I plan on keeping them coming

[@bobbolieu9013]

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.

[@ridgerunnerperformance-jas5418]

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.

[@strykerentllc]

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.

[@jerrypolk5909]

I live about 20 miles from the old Yellow River dragstrip. I was in Vietnam when this happened and it made the front page of Stars and Stripes. The strip is now the main road in a trailer park. We had another strip on the other side of town which went under several names, The Hub Dragstrip and later as the Atlanta Speed Shop dragstrip. This was was NHRA sanctioned and the story I was told that Buster Couch drove the dozer leveling the track. It started in 1957 and stayed open until the early 1990's. I raced there in the 70's and 80's. The strip is now the main road in a housing development.

[@brianlohnes3079]

Man, it was interesting sorting out the tracks there and they did all seem to work together for a time back then as well. Thanks for watching

[@ridgerunnerperformance-jas5418]

You use to be able to see Yellow River mobile home park from I 20. I haven't been down there in a while.

[@jerrypolk5909]

@@ridgerunnerperformance-jas5418You can still see it from I-20 but to get a closer look you have to get off on the frontage road. I have rode into the trailer to just look around and you would never know it was a dragstrip at one time.

[@Turnip199]

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

[@brianlohnes3079]

Thanks for checking it out!

[@garymartin9806]

I ABSOLUTELY LOVE these videos. Such great history that I would never know if you didn’t make these. Thank you

[@brianlohnes3079]

Thank you Gary!

[@donstevenson2660]

Sadly, we are due for more of these accidents. The TV street racing shows are quite similar to unsanctioned tracks. Since they don't record times, the police will estimate mph and make it worse. Not to mention how many non-crew crowd in around the water box and starting line.

[@brianlohnes3079]

It does seem to be tempting fate at some level.

[@ridgerunnerperformance-jas5418]

Very well said.

[@mikemoscato2995]

Where you are incorrect is most severe accidents happen after the starting line after the cars get up to speed.

[@SkinnyPimpRacing]

Did you know that the last season of street outlaws over half the show was cut because a man in a Nissan 240z crashed and burned to death.

[@donstevenson2660]

@@mikemoscato2995 ....where they go off track and hit poles, parked cars, or production crews!

[@IowaBudgetRCBashers]

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

[@georgeadams8230]

I remember hearing this story when it happened. Thank you for covering it with your usual professionalism.

[@damnyankeefl]

honestly Brian, you are an MVP to the sport of Drag Racing today. Your passion for the past present and future of this sport is obvious and I can't thank you enough. my first race was the AHRA Grand American series race in august 1970. it really was an amazing time to be there. i was just a 10 year old but the way this sport got into my heart and soul will never leave me. The stories you are sharing i really didn't know about in detail back then. All I had was drag racing usa once a month. I did have two letters to the editor published by them as a teen and it made me very happy. Enjoy the winternationals even though it's now spring hahaha

[@chesspiece81]

Thank you for the bringing these historical stories to your subscribers. I thoroughly enjoy the content.

[@ClarenceSifton]

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!

[@brianlohnes3079]

Facts!

[@ZWeinstein15]

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.

[@stephenlewis9550]

Thank you for these dives into our history. Its nice to know how we got here and who played what role.

[@tomp1612]

This is great Brian. You researched it well. At one of the early California Hot Rod Reunions I bought an 8x10 photo of Dyno Don's 65 Comet racing Arnie Beswick at Yellow River. I went over to Don to get him to sign it and he called Arnie over, they told me of spectators in the branches of the trees overhanging the track. Then Dick Landy walks up, then Gas Ronda and Hayden Proffitt.... after a half hour of the greatest bench racing session ever they both signed the picture . Silly me with a camera dangling around my neck never thought to get a group photo.

[@lizzard71]

Seen a lot of mentions of this crash over the years but never heard such a deep dive, well done. Terrible day.

[@roberthevern6169]

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!!

[@visnichba]

Great job and excellent research! Thank you.

[@dmeemd7787]

Incredible piece of documentary, Brian!!

[@user-ds2ht2zb1b]

I'm so pleased you're continuing with your DoM podcasts in addition to the Hot Rod pod. Keep up the fantastic work!

[@409adamc9]

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!

[@mikebaker9574]

Excellent again Brian!!!!! Every stone unturned,i always wanted to know the in depth history of that accident! Thank you!

[@stevececchele2880]

Great piece, well researched and well presented.

[@kevs56chev]

Excellent work Brian. Excellent research and delivery your videos are great. Never knew this happened. Feel bad for the victims but I feel worse for Huston Platt.

[@TomGrooms2802]

Very well done, thanks for sharing Brian👍

[@IowaBudgetRCBashers]

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

[@mikecurtis2585]

These stories are always interesting! Love hearing all the history from years past!

[@The_Performance_Laboratory]

I'm loving the NHRA off season for the history lessons you're giving us all here. Awesome research.

[@user-bl6ne3hc6n]

As a kid of a top fuel mechanic, in the late 60s and 70s, boy did i see my fare share of incidents at lions OCIR, Pomona, my dad always said be behind the starting line, and not at the end of the track, to this day, thats were i sit,

[@papasmodelcarroom8450]

Awesome video, some great info. Thanks for sharing.

[@skendler]

This is an amazingly well done piece. Definitely a different and tragic aspect of racing history than is usually covered but very interesting nonetheless.

[@bvonsvideos]

I live 10 minutes from the site. The drag strip is the main road lined with trailer homes. Unfortunately, Atlanta drag strip met the same fate.

[@saturnfivehynrgrc581]

Like button energized, video watched in its entirety. Good history lesson Brian. I will keep attending your classes. I did not know of this event or track.

[@THROTTLEPOWER]

Very well put together video.

[@brianlohnes3079]

Thanks for checking it out

[@tedmiko3204]

Sad story awesome story teller! Thx Brian

[@brianlohnes3079]

Thank you Ted!

[@billlamb1937]

Thank you for this very interesting, albeit sad story.

[@user-wn6dc9yd4s]

Drag racing near Atlanta is for all practical purpose's gone these days. Nearest tracks are Paradise, 1/8th mile track 70 miles north and Silver Dollar 1/4 mile track 100 miles southwest . The best track in the state, SGMP is over 200 miles south of Atlanta. Sad times to be a drag racer or fan now that Atlanta Dragway is being turned into a subdivision, housing for the nearby EV battery plant. Thanks for digging into the events at Yellow River. There is a lot of misinformation that floats around and hopefully this will help clear up some of it. I live about 10 miles from the site and the drag strip is the main road through the current trailer park that occupies the space. Even folks that have lived their entire life here don't know the full history of that location as there is no marker there in memory of those who died that day.

[@jameswoodard8414]

This is the best reporting of what Really happened at yellow River I've ever seen or read. My brother worked for Don Nicholson / Pete Gates through the sixty's he wasn't here that weekend but we got all the first-hand information from Don . yellow River is still talked about today when story's are being told that fateful day. Thank you for passing on the TRUE story .

[@anthonyrowland9072]

Imagine trying to take a fuel altered down yellow river in 1968...

[@CathodeRayNipplez]

Geez, What a story. Love your work Brian. Off topic, why is this an "Age-restricted video"?

[@brianlohnes3079]

KZbin set it as such and then made it non restricted and ultimately made it restricted again. Understandable with the nature of the content .

[@louislepage5111]

Great content, obviously you did a deep dive into this 😊

[@raykaufman7156]

Been catching up on some of your older podcasts. I just listened to the Art Malone speed record show. A "brief history of race car downforce" might be a good addition to your "long list"...lol There is documented evidence of Barney Oldfield sending a letter to Harry Miller suggesting that mounting an airplane wing upside down on the Golden Submarine would help push the tires into the track...in 1915! Most people think Jim Hall invented the concept, but it goes back a LOT further.

[@user-su5jp7lk8g]

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

[@ncso911]

Many years ago I was a deputy with Newton County and was well aware of what happened. The place is now a mobile home park. Two streets. Just as straight as can be. Cars and people were close enough to the track you could just about reach out and touch them. On Frontage Road just east of Almon Road exit. Within sight of I-20.

[@brianlohnes3079]

A crazy thing and thank you for the local history.

[@earleholt4380]

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.

[@brianlohnes3079]

Thanks Earle! A book would be a whole lotta work! Maybe if this whole drag racing thing leaves me behind I’ll get on that. Haha

[@bobbrinkerhoff3592]

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 .

[@54raceman]

Not gonna lie there’s a few tracks i can see that being the case for back in the day

[@caddylife4341]

Keep up the great videos 🎉 would love to hear about the tales of running Hydrazine fuel

[@jonathanmartini6631]

I’m wondering if you’re going to put these up as podcasts?

[@YernBelfus400]

I grew up drag racing at world-class NHRA-sanctioned drag strips on the west coast. I became accustomed to the safety of the facility, the staff, the strict technical inspections, and so on. I retired to the south, and I am utterly appalled at the crappy little drag strips. No tech, the two lanes look no wider than two regular traffic lanes, large trees just off the racing surface, no concrete barriers, waist-high chain link fences barely standing down track, crowds of hangers-on standing in the staging area with race cars doing burn-outs in the middle of the crowd, it's like a different world.

[@georgeadams8230]

Drag racing has had it share of spectator related deaths, Richard Petty, Jim Dunn, the top fuel car at Phoenix and a few more. I was a track photographer at a dragstrip for 13 years and never had a problem but at the last race of every season I would walk the track thanking it for keeping me safe. Anything can happen at anytime but this was in the making. Those poor people and their families.

[@jimiscnc3750]

thanks for the Smithsonian caliber in depth history, Brian!

[@brianlohnes3079]

Thank you for watching this!

[@54raceman]

Interesting video for someone who’s local track is a outlaw track that is legitimately so sketchy that there is people who have street raced all over the country who after one visit refuse to come back because they fear for there safety and there equipment (Kd dragway aka the hill)

[@bfromthed]

Makes me appreciate Yello belly drag strip in Dallas TX even more. Unsanctioned and been continuously open since 1958.

[@stephenlea5765]

Thanks for the reminder about yellow belly. I need to stop by on one of my trips to Dallas this year.

[@Rattlecanjeff]

@@stephenlea5765tote a Roscoe as they say….

[@tomcummings655]

Great reporting of a little covered event. sadly we are returning to these tracks due to urban sprawl,corporate greed and land values.

[@brianlohnes3079]

Thank you

[@oldrustycars]

I've heard and read various versions of this story, I have to accept Brian's research and telling the story as accurate. How long before there's another disaster at the tracks that allow hundreds of people to stand behind and next to cars on the starting line? I've seen cars accidentally left in reverse launch into people. Shelly Howard's Top Alcohol dragster had a blowover, she was knocked out and the car headed back towards the starting line under power, killer her and her son in their tow vehicle.

[@productboy3187]

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.

[@brianlohnes3079]

Thank you for watching!

[@stevef.m.2188]

Thank you

[@ldnwholesale8552]

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.

[@brianlohnes3079]

That was not drag week and drag week has never raced at a track without guardrails. That was on RaceWeek, an event I have never attended. (But would love to one of these years)

[@edminas3159]

Excellent

[@brianlohnes3079]

Thank you!!

[@southtexashustler]

All that keeps coming to my mind was when that woman got killed when that big slick sheared off Antron Brown’s dragster and went into the grandstand…🙏🏾

[@budd1814]

age restricted? I must be too old for this:)

[@brianlohnes3079]

Unfortunately, I think the nature of the content triggered this.

[@bfromthed]

This is crazy. Between this and the Le Mans event….RIP to all those that perished so we can have safer facilities.

[@mdlanor5414]

It is tragic what happened at Yellow River Drag Strip. What I don’t understand is why in the hell would people gather by the finishing line. I would NEVER put my life in jeopardy by standing close to the finish line. That has vehicles going up to 200 MPH. Houston Platt was definitely not liable. He wasn’t negligent because he lost control of his vehicle. Didn’t the owner of the Drag Strip and his security have to continually tell people to not stand at the finish line. Common Sense tells myself to not stand anywhere the finish line. Remember this happened during 1969. When people that filed lawsuits against someone. That had no control of what happened. These law suits were generally dismissed. My family and I used to regularly go to Raceway Park in English Town N.J.. We would always sit in the grand stands near the starting line. Race Way Park in N.J. has been closed. What a shame. I would take my wife and children to Race Way Park. At least a dozen times a year. Always attending the Spring,Summer and Fall Nationals. All the BIG names in Drag Racing would be at these events. The one time my family and I went. There was this Dinosaur like machine. That would pick up junk cars and chop them in half with its mouth. It also has flames coming out its nose. I always wonder what ever happened to this Dinosaur looking machine. My most favorite was the Jet Powered dragsters and semi trucks. One time there was someone that had a Jet Engine on a Motorcycle. They were allowed to start it but wasn’t allowed to race it down the track. I also enjoyed the 4 cylinder drag racing cars. Of course the Dragsters and Funny Cars always gave excellent shows. I also enjoyed people bringing their regular vehicles to race. The Nitro Burning Motorcycles were also great. One time there were the Monster Trucks at Race Way Park. I found it hilarious. When the Monster Trucks were in their trailer. They had these tiny little tires on them. It almost turned into a disaster when the Monster Trucks were attempting to race. The first two Monster trucks lost control and almost crashed into the barriers. The NHRA then decided to not allow them to race.

[@t.smith317tf]

Bravo! 👏🏿

[@brianlohnes3079]

Thank you!

[@hillbillyhitman8506]

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.

[@burnout9069]

Did you watch it till the very end of the video? He drove for another two years, Maybe he felt he could get past the event? Maybe he had obligations to finish?. Either way, he walked away from drag racing in every sence of the word. Never attended as a spectator, watched it, Never talked about it. Totally washed his hands of his histories involvement. It was only his car being resold he came forward. Perhaps to validate authenticity? And he was asked why he walked away. To me his actions where reminiscent of Vietnam vets. Back in the day, if you where ever old enough to be around.

[@hillbillyhitman8506]

@@burnout9069 yes, I'm old enough. I was 5 years old when my Dad went to Vietnam in 1970.

[@m.streicher8286]

As far as racing disasters go, this one isn't as bad. Maybe a testament to the sport.

[@damnyankeefl]

I guess i should just be glad the plumbers pipe guardrail new england dragway had in 1970 wasn't tested like this.

[@southtexashustler]

Man, that’s why that contract waiver that everyone signs before going into a racetrack has its writing to avoid situations like this… I know I had to sign alot of them to race at outlaw racetracks… Race and spectate at your own risk…👍🏾

[@waynecasper5346]

I was there this day

[@anthonyrowland9072]

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.

[@extragoogleaccount6061]

I’ve seen several comments like this. Is this something that is on cable TV? I didn’t know this was a current trend…but I’m always out of the loop. Mostly just surprised at any racing on tv these days after speed network and whatnot. Is it more of a reality show than a racing show though?

[@anthonyrowland9072]

@@extragoogleaccount6061Just look up no prep racing. 1320video on here is a great place to start.

[@willjones7132]

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 you're climbing fences and actually going out on track, especially when you've been warned.

[@scottfrymoyer3570]

People tragically die, regulations ensue. Weird

[@donaldolin7219]

Pay yer nickel……..take yer chances.

[@dmeemd7787]

Does not surprise me that someone decided to hop over and be near the track which, essentially was the cause of this.. I was working on a car in Dallas at an ARDL race back and.. I believe it was that race anyway.. but yeah, it was one fan entry was free, somebody threw a water bottle on the track and thought they’re gonna get away with it, but unfortunately for them, it was very much the wrong crowd to do that with! I still think that a lot of our fans are still like that now.. the point out the jackass ones that is :)

[@peasl001universityofminnes6]

Age-restricted video (based on Community Guidelines) Laughable