40-plus year veteran, world-record-holder and multi-time Top Fuel Motorcycle champion Larry “Spiderman” McBride endured one of the scariest moments of his career at the IHRA Triple Crown Race at the track formerly known as National Trail Raceway near Columbus, Ohio on Saturday June 2oth when he came off his motorcycle around the quarter-mile mark after an eighth-mile pass.
McBride slid and tumbled about the length of a football field and amazingly left the hospital and returned to the track later the same day with only three stitches and minor bumps and bruises. It was a testament to the outstanding safety gear McBride wears.
The record-holding prized motorcycle “Star” continued down the shutdown unmanned and crashed into the sand trap. Initlal reports indicate the bike made out remarkably well too considering the impact.
As for the accident itself McBride said he was uncertain what happened when he returned to the track later that evening.
As super slow motion replay revealed that McBride could have hit a bump that seemed to have caused an unexpected throttle blip and that forced his hand off the handlebar. From there it was a fight against 200 mph wind.
It was not what some casual fans had suggested on social media, that McBride had willingly taken his hand off the bar. It’s not something the racing veteran has ever or would ever do.
As a comparison, think about sticking your hand out of your car window at 80 mph and feel how quickly the wind will overpower your arm and force it back. Now imagine your whole body is in the wind at 200 mph.
“Break dancing at 200 mph is no fun,” McBride said.
Please join us in wishing McBride a very speedy recovery.
