gregc
05-31-2007, 03:15 PM
I heard it a couple days ago but didn't post anything due to not knowing much details. Best wishes to Jess and the family.
Link (http://www.canada.com/theprovince/news/sports/story.html?id=ecc3d6ca-0012-4db2-896c-86b77f280ba8)
A Juel at the track
PITCHING IN: Following her crash, driver buoyed by help coming from racing peers
Ben Kuzma, The Province
Published: Sunday, May 27, 2007
MISSION -- At about the time Francesca Plaizier, 19, of Edmonton was explaining how tight-knit the drag racing community is, fellow competitor Jessica Juel of Spokane learned it the hard way Saturday.
When Juel, 23, lost control of her Super Comp dragster at the end of her run while travelling nearly 180 miles per hour, there was fear for her safety. She struck a retaining wall then rolled her ride on its side before it briefly caught fire.
The Mission Raceway Park safety crew quickly came to Juel's aid and, after receiving medical attention, she returned to her pit teary-eyed.
However, her spirits were quickly buoyed by the generosity of her peers at the B.C. Nationals, a National Hot Rod Association Division 6 points meet featuring hundreds of competitors in eight classes.
Within minutes of her mishap, a fund was started to help Juel rebuild her dragster. By 1 p.m., the total was $2,500. An hour later it was $4,590.25 and by 4 p.m. had hit $5,400. One rival team offered Juel everything but their motor to get her team back on the track. The next points meet is June 15-17 in Kent, Wash.
"It's just a big, happy family out here," said a misty-eyed Juel. "Everybody is looking out for everybody and we just take care of each other and I would do the same for anybody else.
"I would be chipping in for them, too, doing anything I could."
Juel was on a solid run in the Super Comp class that has a 8.90-second index. Cars try to run as close the number without going over it while also beating the car in the other lane.
"I felt the butt of the car coming around and I knew it was a good run because I was going 177 miles per hour -- so I got all of it," recalled Juel.
"I just had no control. I don't believe I had any steering or anything and it happened so fast that I couldn't do anything. When I knew that I was in trouble, I just hunkered down and just hoped that everything would be OK.
"I never blacked out or anything and when I saw the fire, I knew I had to get out of the car now."
Racers say if you're in the sport long enough, sooner or later you'll either hit the wall, blow up a motor and catch fire or roll over. But strict safety measures have ensured that competitors like Juel and Plaizier don't need to dwell on the danger of drag racing.
In fact, Plaizier's family is all about racing. Her brother Casey, 17, competes in Super Street while father, Ed, has raced a 1948 Anglia and also has a Funny Car.
Casey said his friends away from the track can't wrap their heads around the family feel among fierce racing rivals.
"If you need something here, somebody will lend it to you. You learn a lot about life and helping people out," he said.
Maybe Casey's father put it best. His home is consumed by non-stop race talk and he wouldn't have it any other way.
"We have two weekends off from April until the end of September," said Ed. "This is what we do -- it's our holiday."
Final eliminations start today at 9 a.m.
Link (http://www.canada.com/theprovince/news/sports/story.html?id=ecc3d6ca-0012-4db2-896c-86b77f280ba8)
A Juel at the track
PITCHING IN: Following her crash, driver buoyed by help coming from racing peers
Ben Kuzma, The Province
Published: Sunday, May 27, 2007
MISSION -- At about the time Francesca Plaizier, 19, of Edmonton was explaining how tight-knit the drag racing community is, fellow competitor Jessica Juel of Spokane learned it the hard way Saturday.
When Juel, 23, lost control of her Super Comp dragster at the end of her run while travelling nearly 180 miles per hour, there was fear for her safety. She struck a retaining wall then rolled her ride on its side before it briefly caught fire.
The Mission Raceway Park safety crew quickly came to Juel's aid and, after receiving medical attention, she returned to her pit teary-eyed.
However, her spirits were quickly buoyed by the generosity of her peers at the B.C. Nationals, a National Hot Rod Association Division 6 points meet featuring hundreds of competitors in eight classes.
Within minutes of her mishap, a fund was started to help Juel rebuild her dragster. By 1 p.m., the total was $2,500. An hour later it was $4,590.25 and by 4 p.m. had hit $5,400. One rival team offered Juel everything but their motor to get her team back on the track. The next points meet is June 15-17 in Kent, Wash.
"It's just a big, happy family out here," said a misty-eyed Juel. "Everybody is looking out for everybody and we just take care of each other and I would do the same for anybody else.
"I would be chipping in for them, too, doing anything I could."
Juel was on a solid run in the Super Comp class that has a 8.90-second index. Cars try to run as close the number without going over it while also beating the car in the other lane.
"I felt the butt of the car coming around and I knew it was a good run because I was going 177 miles per hour -- so I got all of it," recalled Juel.
"I just had no control. I don't believe I had any steering or anything and it happened so fast that I couldn't do anything. When I knew that I was in trouble, I just hunkered down and just hoped that everything would be OK.
"I never blacked out or anything and when I saw the fire, I knew I had to get out of the car now."
Racers say if you're in the sport long enough, sooner or later you'll either hit the wall, blow up a motor and catch fire or roll over. But strict safety measures have ensured that competitors like Juel and Plaizier don't need to dwell on the danger of drag racing.
In fact, Plaizier's family is all about racing. Her brother Casey, 17, competes in Super Street while father, Ed, has raced a 1948 Anglia and also has a Funny Car.
Casey said his friends away from the track can't wrap their heads around the family feel among fierce racing rivals.
"If you need something here, somebody will lend it to you. You learn a lot about life and helping people out," he said.
Maybe Casey's father put it best. His home is consumed by non-stop race talk and he wouldn't have it any other way.
"We have two weekends off from April until the end of September," said Ed. "This is what we do -- it's our holiday."
Final eliminations start today at 9 a.m.