A
DRAG boat driver was lucky to survive after his hydroplane racer flipped
and disintegrated while doing almost 260km/h at the state's National Water
Sports Centre yesterday.
Allan Butcher, an experienced member of the Victorian Drag Boats Club,
was racing in the state titles when his boat Annihilation crashed at the
end of the 400m drag course at Bangholme.
Mr. Butcher, in his 40s, was
thrown about 5m as the boat flipped sideways and broke into pieces. Hundreds
watched in horror from the shore.
When
pulled from the water, Mr Butcher reportedly pleaded with paramedics not
to cut his expensive racing outfit. "Apparently, the first thing
he said was, `How fast was I going?"' VDBC president Alan Joy said.
"The boat was totally
destroyed but thankfully he lives to race another day. We've been racing
here for I8 years and we're yet to have someone seriously injured." |