Chip King was uninjured following a hard crash during the third Pro Modified qualifying session Saturday at the New England Nationals.
The Roxboro, N.C., racer’s brand-new Jerry Haas-built, supercharged Dodge Charger made a hard right just after the launch. Up on its left-side tires, it smashed into the wall nose-first. It was on fire as it bounced off the right-side wall and into the left lane well behind competitor Mike Stavrinos. King kept the wounded race car off the left-side wall.
King stepped from his car right away and walked around it, surveying the damage as the Safety Safari extinguished the flames. The total clean-up took about 30 minutes.
He had qualified in sixth place after two sessions, and he remained sixth. However, the fourth qualifying session saw him drop to seventh. King isn’t expected to compete, and Brazil’s Sidnei Frigo, the surprising 17th-place performer, is expected to replace him as an alternate.