Buren Skeen gets broadsided by Reb Wickersham on lap 2 of the 1965 Southern 500. Skeen suffered head, chest, abdominal injuries, and a broke leg in the crash and died from his injuries a week later on September 13, 1965.
Buren Skeen’s fatal crash @ Darlington
44 comments
Man that crash is so brutal
Just shows how far we’ve come with safety, especially when you look at Monday night…
Drivers side impact, he never had a chance.
Michael McDowell
There’s been complaints over the years that Cup cars have little visual relationship to the street versions they represent. But looking @ Buren’s Ford folded up like a cheap suit I thank God for modern safety cages, HANS devices, full face helmets, fireproof fuel cells, etc. Street cars (even now) were never designed to protect occupants in 180 mph crashes.
Yup bunch a pussies racing for a purse these days.
Take me back to when men drove.
You’re talking about Newman’s crash aren’t you
Newman got t-boned in similar fashion while flipping upside down and walked away from it… comparing both crashes Newman’s was 10 times a worse wreck but he’s able to walk away from it… just goes to show how far safety has gone in NASCAR.
In contrast, Earnhardt died from not much more than kissing the wall, so go figure.
@WY O “Not much more than kissing the wall” He slammed head-on into a cement wall at 180-190 Miles an hour, with nothing to cushion the impact besides his Skull and his steering wheel….. immediately becoming stationary in a fraction of 1 second from nearly 200 miles an hour isnt exactly “kissing the wall” mate… i dont think you understand very much about wrecks in autosports. Just because it doesnt *look* like the car is torn apart doesnt mean the damage isnt transferred to the driver… there’s a reason regular cars for public have a “crumple zone” now. The more intact a car stays in a situation like that, the less damage *it* receives, and more damage the person inside of receives.
I think you need to reevaluate what a bad crash actually looks like mate, there’s a reason SAFER barriers became common place after that wreck.
@Jack The Ripper dont you love it when idiots spew the wretched filth from their mouth without knowing what they are talking about
When I first saw that wreck in slomo I thought he was killed. It was quite a relief to know he was going to be OK
@Jack The Ripper Dale died because his belts failed and his face bent the steering wheel over 6 inches bc he refused to wear a proper helmet. If you look at the pictures, you can see where the belts were sliced before the impact that caused the total tear.
Looking at the vehicle. Its a miracle he lived for another week.
Agreed. Back then, I’d think someone in a car with that damage would have no chance to survive.
A time when respect to GOD was taken more serious in Sport’s comentaries to help understand how fragile is our live and how grateful we can be for living one more day & another, & another… THANKS GOD!
@William Garayua “Amen”
0:35 is such a grim scene, seeing the tow truck slowly pull the totaled car away set along with a grey sky is a pretty scary sight
Blood on the fenders too,ugh
At that time, a stock car probably weighed 3800 pounds….No door bars….
We really have come a long way in safety.
That was brutal.
Very true,possibly door bars might have saved his life. Innovation always comes out of tragedy
No proper roll-cage yet. But hitting something right into the door is the most dangerous for all racers. Even 2day.
Now, these guys were the true racers lots of guts and little money.
Rookie Skeen left behind a wife and two little children, ages 2 and 4. He was only 28 years old. It was his first race at a super speedway.
@J Boog I think he has a touch of Biden going on
@J Boog not everyone has English as first language. Have patience’s with people.
His son is in this comment section
When it’s your time to go it can’t be prevented. Making use of the best measures of safety does minimize injuries for survivors.
Probably the scariest thing in those cars, if you spin out towards the inside your life is basically in the hands of the drivers behind you for a few seconds.
I was at this race and saw this crash. This was the same race where Cale Yarborough crashed through the guardrail on the banking that for many years was used in the opening sequence of ABC TV’s Wide World of Sports. I turned my head just in time to see the car crash through the rail and go flying through the air. I was eleven years old and this was my first race.
It must have been something to live back then ur so lucky I wish I lived in the 60’s and 70’s
Wow, I thought he died instantly by looking at the cars damage.
Doesn’t matter how safe you think you are ,when it comes to side impacts they are deadly !
Crazy, many cars made today will do 130mph all day long. I was surprised Skeen even lived after this wreck for as long as he did. Sad for his children.
RIP Buren Skeen.
All those 427 fords, all brute power, but primitive braking and handling,that’s when engine technology surpassed chassis design.
The men who drove those cars back then had some serious balls
Wonder how many “ball players” would play if they thought they may die in a game?
My Dad would have been 85 years old today. It has been 56 years since his accident that took his life. He loved racing but I miss having a Dad and wish he can see his Great Grandson who is with me tonight in my lap. Happy Birthday Dad!
@Bobby Bluz was this at the track or hospital? Back then did they not freeze blood?
So sorry for your loss
I’m sorry for your family’s loss.
From a fellow Skeen my deepest condolences.
I just could not imagine with the minuscule safety features the cars had back then, how anyone could have survived that crash. RIP Buren Skeen.