During Saturday’s first round of Nostalgia Funny Car eliminations at the California Hot Rod Reunion, veteran racer Todd Plate made hard contact with the Famoso Raceway retaining wall in a violent collision that stunned the Bakersfield crowd.
The incident was captured on video by CompetitionPlusTV’s Les Mayhew, showing Plate’s car striking the wall at high speed before coming to a stop.
According to a social media report from a fellow racer, Plate was transported to a local hospital, where he is being treated for rib and lung injuries and a possible concussion. As of this writing, the NHRA, which sanctions the event, has not issued an official update on his condition.
