Jim Head appeared to be gaining an advantage in his semi-final run against Jeff Arend during the NHRA Summernationals at Heartland Park Topeka.

That all changed at half-track when the blower exploded on Head’s engine. The violent explosion blew the body off Head’s Funny Car and shredded it into pieces.

Head’s problems magnified as he had flames blowing in his face from the damaged engine and could not stop the car. The car eventually stopped just past the finish line as it coasted into Arend’s lane and rammed into the back of Arend’s wheelie bar and body. Fortunately, neither driver was hurt in the incident.

Jim Head appeared to be gaining an advantage in his semi-final run against Jeff Arend during the NHRA Summernationals at Heartland Park Topeka.

That all changed at half-track when the blower exploded on Head’s engine. The violent explosion blew the body off Head’s Funny Car and shredded it into pieces.

Head’s problems magnified as he had flames blowing in his face from the damaged engine and could not stop the car. The car eventually stopped just past the finish line as it coasted into Arend’s lane and rammed into the back of Arend’s wheelie bar and body. Fortunately, neither driver was hurt in the incident.

William R. Keely, a fan who was leaning on the fence near half track, was  hit in the right arm by the hatch cover from Head’s car, but received what amounted to road rash, and was cleared by track medical personnel and released.

Arend won the race with a 4.165-second time at 300.80 mph. Head went across the finish line at 4.238 seconds at 250.46 mph.

“We have two bodies and the other one is kind of beat up, and I almost told them (his crew to switch bodies) because we’ve been having trouble driving this thing here, but that had nothing to do with the wind,” Head said. “It was just a blower explosion, and that was a bad one. That car is dead. I couldn’t see anything and I had all the brake I had, and I just ran into the back of Jeff. I sure hope their car is Ok for next round. Them guys in yellow are the best guys here, end of story.”

Arend, meanwhile, kept Head’s wild ride in perspective.

“I’m OK, there is no problem there,” said Arend, who pilots the yellow DHL Toyota for Connie Kalitta. “The guys kind of said something right before it happened that he’s right behind you, and I’m like really? I’m not thinking people like our car if they keep running into us all of the time.”

Robert Hight also collided with Arend's Funny Car during the first round of eliminations at Inaugural Four-Wide Nationals at zMax Dragway in Charlotte in March. Neither driver was injured in that accident.

“Jim is a great driver and obviously he had his hands full and did everything he could, and unfortunately he hit the back of our car. Going to the final is pretty cool, and our DHL crew is one of the best and hopefully we can get it all fixed up. It didn’t really feel all that bad, and the wheelie bar is broken, and that’s not really a big of deal. I haven’t really taken a good look at it to tell you the truth.”