TERRACE BAY, ON — His car was wrecked but Doug Belanger escaped injury in a spectacular crash at the Terrace Bay Dragfest on the holiday weekend.
Belanger was approaching the finish line just before 2 p.m. Saturday when his car suddenly veered off the track and crashed into a stand of young poplar trees.
Emergency responders from the Terrace Bay and Schreiber fire departments were on the scene quickly, but found Belanger was able to exit the wreckage on his own through the driver's side door that was sheared off on impact.
Spectators and organizers were relieved when they found out the Thunder Bay man was okay.
This is the first time he's had a crash during his 20 years of racing at Dragfest.
Belanger won't be deterred from racing again.
You "fall of the horse, get back on, and ride again," he explained in an interview with TBT reporter Adam Riley.
Belanger said he hopes to recover some motor and transmission parts that he can use to rebuild "and get back at it as soon as I can."