This ugly but happy incident took place on 14 April 2012 at zMax Dragway in Concord and nearly cost the lives of Dennis Svearingen, one of the team members from Chris “the Greek” Karamesines NHRA Top Fuel team.
The accident occurred when The Greeks car ignited unexpectedly on the starting line, lurched forward taking a crew member down. This accident was similar, not exactly, but similar to the Tony Pedregon incident some years back.
Both injured men are was OK. Dennis Swearingen took the hard fall and suffered rib fractures and bruising, and Phil Paul has soreness in his ear, and both recovered quickly.
Chris Karamesines (born November 11, 1931 Detroit, Michigan, United States) is an American drag racer and one of NHRA's early pioneers and nicknamed "The Golden Greek".
In 2009, he became the first driver in NHRA history to compete and become the fastest driver at over 78 years old at the final event of the 2009 season at Pomona driving in the Top Fuel category. But he would lose in the first round against Brandon Bernstein. The following year, he made an attempt at Firebird International Raceway in Arizona and made the field, but again lost in the first round.
On June 19, 2011, Karamesines defeated Doug Kalitta in the first round of final eliminations at the NHRA event at Thunder Valley. It was Karamesines' first round win since 1990. Chris has never won an NHRA National Event but has come close several times. His last final round appearance came in 1990 in Seattle, Washington. Karamesines also reached the final round at Le Grandnational Molson in Quebec Canada that same year.
On June 15, 2014 at Bristol, Karamesines the #16 qualifier knocked out #1 qualifier Brittany Force in the first round then lost to Antron Brown in the second round. At the same event two years later, Force defeated Karamesines in the first round. At the 2016 Charlotte 4-wide nationals, Karamesines' granddaughter, Krista Baldwin, was entered alongside her grandpa.
