Bob Harris -- Campbell Special Crash!

Martin says he may have more photos of the sequence of events leading up to this cloud of dust, which he swears contains Bob Harris in the Campbell Special.  The race was the main event of the race weekend held at Goleta airport near Santa Barbara on Sept. 2-3, 1962.

Before landing in this cloud of dust, the mid-engined Special flew through the air spectac- ularly.  The event began when Harris half-spun in the high speed left hand Turn 1, barely visible in the center of the photo.

The car clipped a concrete culvert (amazing how unsafe racing was in those days!) and flew WAY HIGH in the air.  It came to rest in this cloud of dust.

Your webmaster saw this happen in person.  He was sitting in the grandstand at Turn 1, seen behind the shoulder of the spectator in the white shirt on the right of the photo.
 

(10-19-08)  From website visitor Doug Lashley:

"I was 15 years old in September of 1962 at the Santa Barbara Road Races with my 14 year old brother. We were sitting at the edge of the picket/crowd control fence just north of the Turn One grandstands. 

I was looking down towards Turn Two when I heard this loud screeching of tires.  I turned to look and saw the Campbell Special sliding sideways into the ditch that ran out from under the culvert just past turn one. The car went airborne and there was so much dust and dirt flying..............I was looking up and could see the driver hanging by his seat belts and his arms seemed to be grabbing for the steering wheel. The car landed with a loud thud not more then 8 feet in front of us. The driver was trapped underneath and struggling to get out. The car's radiator was hissing and steaming. 

Course workers were at the crash scene in no time and it seemed like it was about six guys that turned the car over and got the driver out. The event was so startling that to this day, 46 years later, I remember it as if it happened yesterday. 

I have some fond memories of the Santa Barbara Road Races; Dave McDonald and Ken Miles driving their Cobras; the Washburn Cheverolet #614 Corvettes; the first XKE Jag and the Lance Reventlow Scarab and Old Yeller. Dangerous times to race but exciting for a kid."

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