Race car jumps barrier, overturns at Calverton drag racing event, injuring driver

A driver in a drag race at the Calverton Enterprise Park was airlifted to Stony Brook University after his car jumped a concrete barrier and overturned yesterday afternoon.

The man sustained non-life-threatening injuries, according to a spokesperson for Riverhead Volunteer Ambulance, which has a rig on standby at every race. He was awake and able to exit the car on his own, the spokesperson said. Riverhead ambulance treated him at the scene before the airlift. The crash took place at about 3 p.m.

The vehicle involved was a modified Ford Mustang race car, drag race promoter Pete Scalzo said in an interview today.

“It looked like something might have locked up on the front wheels, and the car got squirrely, and he hit the wall and jumped over,” Scalzo said. The car was probably going 75 to 80 mph at the time of the crash, he said.

The barriers are important safety features at the one-eighth mile drag strip, located on one of the taxiways at the Calverton air park, Scalzo said.

“Without the barriers, cars that overturn will keep rolling,” he said.

The barriers are required by the NHRA, which sanctions the “Race Track Not Street” racing events. The barriers are also required by his insurance company and the town, he said. Scalzo also requires all drivers to wear helmets.

“I can’t stress the importance holding these types of events under NHRA safety sanctions, as they were. Otherwise, the accident could have resulted in grave injuries,” said Riverhead Supervisor Yvette Aguiar, who has been a strong proponent of the drag-racing events from the beginning.

There have been a couple of other minor crashes at the events, which the town began hosting last year. Another Mustang crashed into a barrier at a race last week and came to a rest atop the barrier. See video. This was the first time anyone has been taken to a hospital after a crash, Scalzo said.

Yesterday was the last “Race Track, Not Street” event this year. The Town Board at its meeting Tuesday approved Scalzo’s application to hold two series of events next summer and fall.

“We’re proud of what we’ve accomplished,” Scalzo said today. The events have demonstrated the appetite for drag racing on Long Island and they’ve also show that they can be held safely and without disruption to the surrounding community, he said.

“It’s wholesome family entertainment and it’s had a positive effect,” Scalzo said, pointing to visitors frequenting local restaurants and stores.

Scalzo said he’s paid a combined total of more than $100,000 to the Manorville Fire Department and Riverhead Volunteer Ambulance to be at the site on stand-by during the race events over the past two years.

Scalzo commended the Town of Riverhead, the business community and the fans for the support shown for the events.