Eric Medlen facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Eric Medlen |
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| Born | August 13, 1973 Oakdale, California, United States |
| Died | March 23, 2007 (aged 33) Gainesville, Florida, United States |
| Funny Car | |
| Years active | 2004-2007 |
| Teams | John Force Racing |
| Best finish | 4th in 2005 2006 |
Eric John Medlen (August 13, 1973 – March 23, 2007) was a talented American NHRA Fuel Funny Car driver. He raced for John Force Racing from 2004 to 2007. Eric drove a special Ford Mustang Funny Car. He won six big races during his career. His very first win was in 2004 at Brainerd International Raceway.
Eric was born in Oakdale, CA. His parents were John and Mary Medlen. He also had a sister named Eryn. Before becoming a driver, Eric worked as a mechanic. He helped famous racers like John Force for eight years. Later, he became a driver himself. In 2004, he was a top new driver. He won three races in 2005 and two in 2006. Each year, he finished among the top five drivers.
Eric was also a champion calf roper in high school. He even thought about becoming a professional in that sport. He loved building custom motorcycles. He also enjoyed painting his own race helmets. His father, John Medlen, was his crew chief. This means his dad helped manage his race car team.
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A Tragic Accident and Important Safety Changes
On March 19, 2007, Eric Medlen was testing his Funny Car. This was at Gainesville Raceway in Gainesville, Florida. During the test, his car had a very severe "tire shake." This is when the tires bounce and shake violently. The shaking was so strong it caused Eric's head to hit the roll bars. These are safety bars around the driver's head. He got a serious head injury and became unconscious. His car then went out of control and hit a wall.
Emergency teams quickly helped Eric. He was taken to a hospital. Doctors tried their best to help him. He had surgery to relieve pressure on his brain. Sadly, Eric passed away three days later. He was the first Funny Car driver to die in an accident.
After Eric's accident, John Force Racing started an investigation. They wanted to make racing safer. This led to a big change in Funny Car safety.
Eric's Lasting Legacy in Racing Safety
Eric Medlen's death led to major safety improvements. The NHRA made a new rule for Funny Cars. Now, the roll bars inside the car must have special padding. This padding is made of heavy foam rubber. It's also covered with seven layers of Nomex fabric. This makes the padding fire-resistant.
These changes have greatly reduced injuries for drivers. They help prevent the kind of head injuries Eric suffered. The project to build safer cars was named the Eric Medlen Project. The new, safer car frame is often called an Eric Medlen chassis.
Sonoma Raceway also holds a special event for Eric. It's called the Eric Medlen Ice Cream Social. Fans and racers enjoy ice cream together. Eric once said that eating ice cream always makes people happy. This event also helps local racers. It raises money for a scholarship fund.
Eric Medlen's Racing Career Highlights
Eric Medlen had a successful but short career. He quickly became a top driver.
National Event Wins
- 2004 Brainerd
- 2005 Seattle
- 2005 Brainerd
- 2005 Memphis
- 2006 Sonoma
- 2006 Richmond
Key Achievements by Year
2006 Season
- Won two races out of two final appearances.
- Matched his best finish, placing fourth in the POWERade standings.
- Advanced past the first round in 17 of 23 races.
2005 Season
- Finished a career-best fourth in NHRA POWERade points.
- Won three races in a short period (Seattle, Brainerd, Memphis). This put him in the running for the championship.
- Became one of only six drivers to break the 4.70-second barrier. He set a personal best of 4.698 seconds.
- Won at Brainerd, Minnesota for the second year in a row.
2004 Season
- Was a finalist for the Automobile Club of Southern California Road to the Future Award. This award honors the best new drivers.
- Finished fifth in driver points.
- Earned his first big win at Brainerd. He beat three-time champion Gary Scelzi in the final race.
- Was runner-up to Whit Bazemore at Topeka.
- Was the fastest qualifier (No. 1) at Englishtown, New Jersey, and Reading, Pennsylvania.
- Won the Motel 6 "Who Got the Light?" award four times. This award goes to the winner of the closest races.
