Someone at the scene said a rod was punched through the pan, dumping oil under the rear tires.

Some of you know that NHRA is gettin' on the bandwagon with ballistic engine diapers and fabricated sheet metal pans with oil absorbent material in the pan. Diapers are required now at 7.49 on all cars and on Super Gas and Super Comp, who run on indexes of 9.90 and 8.90 respectively.

Sportsman diapers are available on ebay for around $130 and that small investment could possibly have saved the Chicken Hawk and Ted from injury.

Even cheaper than that, NHRA will accept a sheet metal pan that anybody can make up from scrap. Make it the width of the chassis rails on a digger and from the damper to the bellhousing with two inch tall walls. On a doorslammer, make it as wide and as long as you can under the car. Put some Pig Mat in the bottom and secure the mat with expanded to keep it from blowing out and you're good to go.

In my opinion, a rule should be instituted immediately mandating pans or diapers for any car with a roll bar or roll cage. That would take the rule down to 11.49 and would stop some of this foolishness.