Fatal Trackhawk Crash

[GNBRETT]

This was a Demon Performance build truck I believe and at one time it was the fastest Hawk. Hector Zeyas was the driver/owner. The whole run looked squirrelly didn't seem like very good track prep guess he didn't have time to pull the chute. RIP.....

 

[TorRedHellgato]

RIP

 

[Jack_Toepfer]

That sucks, RIP.
Reminder to get your cages boys.

 

[BULL]

RIP

(FYI, I cringed at this thread the second I saw it, and was torn between "bad taste" and "lesson learned", or maybe some kind of "paying tribute" to the driver. The moment it goes sideways, it's gone, just so you know.)​

 

[BigSwede]

It almost looked like an axle or something broke. To take a sharp turn like that in the big end is fairly rare otherwise.

 

[Linda's Hell Cat]

I saw pictures of his Trackhawk before the crash, Hector’s Trackhawk was a beast—running dual nitrous bottles and built for serious speed.

You could tell he wasn’t just racing; he was chasing something bigger. That setup wasn’t for show—it was to keep the Top spot.

A dual parachute system out back, it was clear he had his sights set on deep passes, maybe even flirting with the 7s.

I’ve seen what happens when power outruns preparation. I remember seeing a Jeep flying down the track on nitrous—engine blew, it went sideways, caught fire. Brutal.

I don’t know if he had a cage, online the comments are about safety, but it seemed more about track safety.

I know for me anything squirrly, I'm out of the run.

Rest in peace, Hector. You went out doing what you loved, and your legacy will live on in every throttle pull, every launch, every pass that dares to push the limit.

 

[Speedy!]

Gaurd rails at a drag strip?

 

[Marc W]

Tragedy. As far as commentary goes… questions about whether forgoing some safety measures could have been a factor. I don’t know but if that was the case then that’s something to respectfully talk about. Personally, I have done everything possible to do what I can to protect myself. With the safety equipment that’s available out there there are a bunch of different levels to choose from. Helmets…. A cheap helmet is heavy. An expensive helmet is light and exponentially safer from a broken neck potential. A $300 Kirkey seat will keep your ass in place but does nothing to protect your head and neck. A expensive seat like my Raceteck has a padded wrap around as a part of the seat to surround your helmet instead of it slamming against the roll cage repeatedly during a high speed rollover. That conversation could go on and on about properly built roll cages and fire protection, etc. I don’t know if any of that could have made a difference in this case. I do know one thing….. I will never run at a track that doesn’t have a proper concrete retaining wall all the way to the turn off. Those drive thru them and over them Armco rails that send a crashing race car into the woods are shit.

 

[BigSwede]

I saw pictures of his Trackhawk before the crash, Hector’s Trackhawk was a beast—running dual nitrous bottles and built for serious speed.

You could tell he wasn’t just racing; he was chasing something bigger. That setup wasn’t for show—it was to keep the Top spot.

A dual parachute system out back, it was clear he had his sights set on deep passes, maybe even flirting with the 7s.

I’ve seen what happens when power outruns preparation. I remember seeing a Jeep flying down the track on nitrous—engine blew, it went sideways, caught fire. Brutal.

I don’t know if he had a cage, online the comments are about safety, but it seemed more about track safety.

I know for me anything squirrly, I'm out of the run.

Rest in peace, Hector. You went out doing what you loved, and your legacy will live on in every throttle pull, every launch, every pass that dares to push the limit.

He had to have a cage or he wouldn’t be allowed to run at those speeds. Once you see parachutes the car is going 150mph+in the 1/4 so a cage is also mandatory.

 

[Linda's Hell Cat]

@BigSwede I would think so too. Look at the mangled picture, what do you think?

The guard walls at that track, I read that they are apparently hard plastic filled with water.

 

[Marc W]

It does not appear that there was a cage in that car. If you don’t have a cage with a supporting bar behind the seat, how do you attach shoulder harnesses. If you don’t have harnesses, there’s no way to secure a helmet restraint device (now required). Many tracks (especially ones with shit guardrails like those) do not enforce NHRA safety rules. You choose to run at your own risk. This is the risk 🫤. That car did not have this. If it did there’s a chance he might still be alive.

 

[Boris]

Gaurd rails at a drag strip?

Plenty still have them