James Kenneth Rambo was living his dream when he launched his Ford Pinto drag racer off the line at Sonoma Raceway on the evening of March 28.
A few seconds later, he lost control and hit a concrete barrier at more than 100 mph. He was living his dream when he died.
Still, launching a human body down an asphalt track lined with concrete barriers using a series of controlled explosions is always a dangerous business.
Solo Run Ends in Disaster
Rambo, of Napa, California, was taking part in Sonoma Raceway’s regular Wednesday Night Drags program.He had already made at least one quarter-mile pass that evening before the run which was to be his last.
Sonoma Raceway spokeswoman Diana Brennan talked to KTVU after the wreck.
“This wasn’t his first time out here,” she said. “He had some experience with drag racing and had built this race car for that purpose.”
Brennan told the Chronicle this was the first on-track fatality in the 30 years that the track had been running Wednesday Night Drags.