The death of Scott Kalitta during the June 2008 Englishtown event. Mechanical failure, high rate of speed into television boom. On July 2, 2008, the NHRA changed all nitro categories to 1,000 feet. Everything else is still quarter, that includes Pro Stock, Pro Mod, Alcohol, and the works.
Official New Jersey Police Report from 2008.
https://www.nj.gov/njsp/news/pr091708.html
i seem to remember there were serious accidents and a couple of deaths in the 70s/80s due to accidents. some on bikes, dragsters, and aafc. of course, some tracks don’t have much room to slow, a grade, or sand to slow the vehicles at the end.
hell, the guardrails they used back then were just insane... steel spikes and a long ribbon of steel. i remember coming back down the return road and at about 100ft one of the cars did a wheelie, got sideways, slammed down on the guardrail, and started rolling / spinning. we had a tire just miss the crew cab of the dually. driver came out without injury (people today are far to gentle for the things going on back then)
reading the report says the chute was hosed due to an explosion and he was bouncing, reducing any stopping from brakes. also seems the engine cutoff didn’t trigger and kept powering the rear, pushing it to the end of the track.
seems shortening the length of the track only succeeds in reducing the top speed attainable. as such, they would need to continue shortening the ‘track’ as the cars get faster. this shows the solution isn’t correct. they should have better track requirements to insure a similar accident doesn’t result in running off the end. maybe possible chute requirements to minimize the chance of losing it with the body could help. and something to insure the engine shutoff happens going thru the lights.