This is what remains of the modified driven by Luke Silber. He had hit the barrels protecting the turn 3 exit wall at Clay County Fair Speedway. It occurred during a heat race for the modifieds during the IMCA Summer Nationals.
The accident started as Silber chased the pack down the backstretch and into turn 3.
“I was following the car in front of me, that car got up on the berm,” Silber, of Laveen, Arizona, said. “Suddenly, the marbles just sucked my car up. There was nothing I could do.
As he hit the plastic barrels, it launched Silber’s car in the air.
“It was my worst crash ever,” said Silber. “What made it even more horrible was that when my car landed on all fours, it was hit from behind [by the car of Dan Wagner].”
Despite the carnage, Silber emerged from the wreck relatively unscathed.
“I was dazed for a few minutes, but I wasn’t injured,” Silber said. “The cage and my safety equipment kept me safe.”
El Dorado Speed Shop and Shock Service built his car.
“The car saved my life, so I can’t be too mad about what happened,” said Silber. “It’s not what we wanted to happen, but I realize this is part of racing.”
Silber wore a Bell helmet, with a Simpson Hybrid head-and-neck restraint. He sat in a full-containment seat from The Joie of Seating paired with belts from Hooker Harness.
Luke Silber has made a name for himself in Arizona, with four wins this season, all coming in The Grand Canyon State. He’s spending the summer in Waterloo, Iowa, to compete in the epicenter of IMCA modified racing. He intends to outfit his spare El Dorado chassis to continue competing in the Midwest.
“Racing in Iowa is way more competitive than I ever imagined,” said Silber. “I’m learning a lot while competing with these drivers. I’m sure it is making me a better driver.”
The Outside Groove Executive Editor has covered motorsports since 2000. His many awards include the 2019 Eastern Motorsport Press Association (EMPA) Jim Hunter Writer of the Year and the 2013 Russ Catlin Award for Excellence in Motorsports Journalism.
