Mike Austin, from Medford, Ore., escaped serious injury when his top alcohol dragster went out of control and crashed during the first round of eliminations Saturday at Pomona Raceway.

Austin’s dragster left the track just past the halfway mark, jumped the concrete barrier and came to rest near the scoreboard at the end of the racetrack. Austin walked away from the incident under his own power and was checked and released by the NHRA emergency services officials.

The incident happened during racing between the final two qualifying sessions for the Top Fuel, Funny Car and Pro Stock cars looking to get into Sunday’s elimination rounds of the NHRA’s season-opening Winternationals.