Extreme 10.5 driver Billy Glidden isn’t used to these type of situations. The 2008 ADRL World Champion, Glidden is an unsure of what is next after a crash at last weekend’s ADRL Hardee’s Independence Drags IV at Heartland Park Topeka.The exasperation was evident on the face of Glidden after the crash during his fourth qualifying run on Saturday.It wasn’t just because the weekend was prematurely done for the winningest driver in XTF history, but because of what the crash might mean for the near-future of one of the top drivers in the class.“We’re in the same boat as a lot of people. This is a setback and it is not something we can easily recover from,” Glidden said. “We don’t have the funding to make up for this.”Glidden, a Whiteland, IN native, and his team started discussing what will happen next after leaving Topeka, but there was clearly discouragement and disappointment in his words in the moments after the crash. It was understandable considering the unfortunate circumstances of what happened.Glidden’s car lost control early on, drifted and hit the right wall at about the 300-feet mark. It flipped shortly after, sending his team flying down the track to make sure Glidden wasn’t injured.Glidden nearly got the car stopped but he couldn’t quite regain control and it ended up flipping anyway. Glidden was quickly removed from the ‘10 Mustang and appeared to be fine. The car, however, is another matter, putting plenty of question marks on the future.“When you’re sliding, you’re just along for the ride,” Glidden said.It has been a difficult year for the 9-time event winner, as he’s struggled to find a rhythm with the ‘10 Mustang. He had seemed to find momentum at the Summer Drags VI in June, advancing to the final, before the unfortunate turn of events in Topeka.Glidden knew where things went wrong on the pass, too. Glidden pointed to the rear tire on the driver’s side as the cause of the crash. Something broke there, setting the stage for the crash.“I’m sure it was something there, whatever it was. That created the whole deal,” Glidden said.Now, Glidden must wait to see what the future holds.
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