Massive Daytona Vintage Racing Crash

On board racing with Doug MacRae on my '72 Norton 750 Commando at the Daytona International Speedway AHRMA race March 2, 2009. An unusual engine failure, a rod bolt shearing, violently seizes the motor and throws me down the road at 130 mph, knocking me out and breaking pieces off four vertebrae in my back. I recover to race again (and crash again!) later in the year.
Special thanks to Walridge Motors.

[@acotrel1]

Thanks for that, it was a real comfort ! Makes me really want to get my 850 going again.

[@DaveBears]

Mate, you went down pretty hard. Good to see your mates and help services take good care of you! Still, that Norton is a brutal piece of machinery.

[@acotrel1]

I love your video, it is really stirring!

[@acotrel1]

I tapped the hole in the standard flywheel and screwed in a steel plug with loctite, and then punched the metal around the plug as well. I drilled the wheel as much as I could to get the as much balance as I could without weakening it. I'm using standar pistons and rods. All I could achieve was 72%. When the motor idles, the bike jumps up and down a bit, but it is really great a t high revs. I have been using a 4 speed CR box, but recently I bought a six speeder and installed it. Yet to test

[@acotrel1]

I've downloaded several of the vids of yourself and Kenny Cummins and made a DVD from them. They are great stuff. I absolutely love the use of the MK2 Seeley frames - mine is a 1966 MK3 which was designed to take a commando engine. I'm trying to figure out how to get a photo to you.

[@DouglasLMacRae]

I will rev usually to about 7200 but I recall that day with the strong winds and my gearing I couldn't get it to go past 6800 in top. Crank has stock cheeks and a lightened centre flywheel (2.2 kg lighter) and oversize bolts, the motor likes the high revs but little power is to be found above 7200.

[@DouglasLMacRae]

Vertebrae has 'wings' and even though I was wearing a hard shell back protector, I landed such that enough force was transmitted to break various size pieces off the T3 to T6 vertebrae 'wings'. It was sore for months- for 6 weeks whenever I made any twisting motion, I could feel the pieces moving around. Doctors told me the large pieces should re-attach over time and the smaller ones will be processed by the body- eventually, it felt normal. I now use a T-pro soft back protector.

[@tristantao]

@DouglasLMacRae Wow, that sounds serious. I currently use a A* bionic Vest, which is hard flexible back Armour. it already saved me going down at 60 ish while wearing all leather gear (though probably would have gotten injured either way). Do you think a soft shelled would protect better?

[@tristantao]

how bad was the injury? I mean, what exactly "breaking pieces off the vetebrae" mean? either way, its good that you're back and riding :)

[@acotrel1]

What revs do you usually pull? And are you using a billet crank ? I know what is in my own 850 motor which often sees 7,500 rpm, and I'm horrified think about what is happening down there, even though it's balanced to 72% and is very smooth at high revs.

[@DouglasLMacRae]

@tristantao I think the plastic is only better for puncture impacts; but it depends on the model of hard plastic protector- it should have a decent amount of padding. Put a piece of plastic over your hand and drop a hammer on it- not good- you need padding.

[@craighart3151]

Great video damn why did that actually happen. Too hot , mix was bad. My wife is the same way they just wont understand its a guy thing.. ride on..