A late arriving part usually causes problems for drag racers, but in the case of Bolt, West Va.’s Rick Nicolau, an IHRA Super Stock racer, the tardy component saved his life.

Nicolau wasn’t awaiting a part for his SS/Production E 1964 Chevy II. Instead he was at work and the part was intended for machinery in his workplace.

Nicolau works as the maintenance chief at the Upper Big Branch Coal Mine owned by the Massey Energy Company.

On April 5, an explosion killed 29 workers, making it the worst mining disaster in the United States since 1970.

A late arriving part usually causes problems for drag racers, but in the case of Bolt, West Va.’s Rick Nicolau, an IHRA Super Stock racer, the tardy component saved his life.

Nicolau wasn’t awaiting a part for his SS/Production E 1964 Chevy II. Instead he was at work and the part was intended for machinery in his workplace.

Nicolau works as the maintenance chief at the Upper Big Branch Coal Mine owned by the Massey Energy Company.

On April 5, an explosion killed 29 workers, making it the worst mining disaster in the United States since 1970.

Nicolau, the 1992 IHRA Modified eliminator champion, understands how close he came to being a part of the tragedy.

“I was within 30 minutes of being there,” said Nicolau, whose work regimen includes ordering parts and delivering to the affected area. He was expecting a part earmarked for the epicenter of the blast.

“Usually our parts get here about 10:30 or 11:00. But on that day it got here at 1:30. If it had gotten here on time, I guess I would have been one of those victims.”

Nicolau was to deliver a battery powered scoop for the tailgate section of a cart.

“I knew those guys and I worked with many of them for about 15 years,” said Nicolau. “A lot of those guys always followed my racing and kept up with what I did.”

One of the workers killed, William Griffin, had been to the races with Nicolau and planned to come to some this year.

“He was planning on coming to a few but now you know, that ain’t gonna happen,” Nicolau lamented. “I’ll probably take his wife to some races with me. She wants to go to some of them.”

A three-time IHRA national event winner, Nicolau hasn’t chased a series title like he did in the past. Instead he’s visit select IHRA events and competed at the southeastern-based Gear Jammer events, a special series for stick-shift class cars.

Since the tragedy, Nicolau finds himself gravitating more towards the drag strip not for the competition, but for the therapy it can provide.

“It’s devastating to lose that many people you are close to,” said Nicolau. “I’m trying to get more into racing to get this off of my mind.