Thread: Another tragic outing for the NHRA

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....... another driver killed ......... that's three fatalities this year ......... two drivers and one spectator

..... but Kudos to the Pro Stock drivers for taking their cars back to the pit area and refusing to run in the misting rain on an incompletely treated racing surface .......... someone has to stand up for driver safety .......... and it's definitely not going to be the NHRA

All I heard was a Top Alcohol driver, and in the shutdown area (again!)

Here's a video of it - sure doesn't look like rain:http://sports.espn.go.com/rpm/racing...ory?id=5372090

Very sad. Video may be deceptive but it seems his speed was scrubbed off pretty well and did not look like that hard an impact, but sure did fold up that dragster. They need to set up those nets with some inertia reels so they have some give to them and still capture the cars. Not much flex in that one. Might also be time to consider a drag hook like fighter jets use.

exactly what i was thinking stu.

Originally Posted by IC2

Here's a video of it - sure doesn't look like rain:http://sports.espn.go.com/rpm/racing...ory?id=5372090

It was misting rain earlier in the day .........this footage was taken nearly 2-1/2 hours after the Pro Stocks left the starting line

If you've ever lived in the Seattle area (which I did from 1988-1990), you know about the morning fog and mist which will clear up as the afternoon temperatures rise

Originally Posted by Old Coyote

..........you know about the morning fog and mist which will clear up as the afternoon temperatures rise

SOMEtimes..............

I wish these kinds of things didn't happen, but that's racin'. I'm not sure NHRA has the resources to do a good forensic analysis for future cures. I've had the same thought as Pat about inertia reels on the nets, but also the "gravel" pit is pretty short, especially for those very wide slicks that don't seem to dig in as much. This track is about 7 miles or so from my house. It's long been a sore spot with the racers (big show ones anyway) because it's an old facility that may be one of the worst on the tour condition wise. It's had a spotty history the last couple decades with track management.

When that chute breaks away you just don't have a lot of slow down power anymore--gotta wonder if there isn't something could be done in the attachment method of them... an inertia system on the barrier would be great, think some of the old Air Force runways had them at one time?????

Anyway, it's a shame whenever somebody dies in a racing crash--but I guess danger and death has always and will always be part of the game. With all the new technology coming in to make the cars faster and faster it's going to cost track owner's a bunch to make the tracks safe enough to hold it the speed. Maybe till the track safety can get a chance to catch up it's time to limit all the 200+ mph cars to 1,000 ft. instead of 1,320??? Nothing I'm in favor of, but then something has to be done. Just too many drivers getting killed.

Originally Posted by Bob Parmenter

SOMEtimes..............

I wish these kinds of things didn't happen, but that's racin'. I'm not sure NHRA has the resources to do a good forensic analysis for future cures. I've had the same thought as Pat about inertia reels on the nets, but also the "gravel" pit is pretty short, especially for those very wide slicks that don't seem to dig in as much. This track is about 7 miles or so from my house. It's long been a sore spot with the racers (big show ones anyway) because it's an old facility that may be one of the worst on the tour condition wise. It's had a spotty history the last couple decades with track management.

Maybe I should have said that the fog and mist "MIGHT" clear up with the afternoon heating

I have raced on that track a few times and I will have to admit it was not one of my favorites ...... it was rough and had bumps even back in the '70's ........ and the surface never seemed to get corrected ........ length wasn't so much a problem for me as the altered didn't approach the speeds of todays cars ......... but, as you said, racing is dangerous and the competitors accept that risk, but it doesn't make the situation any less tragic

I've been trying to stay away from this one----but---It will be looked at very carefully

Some of the things about this accident---the owner built his own car----
Both chutes were attached at a single point so both failed, why??? because there was twice as much strain on the mount so when the failure occurred, both went---

The design of the front of the frame was wrong--there wasn't a balance of strength in the area just forward of the foot area of the cage and the whole front of the car folded vetical there instead of just collapsing from the front back--I read somewhere that the tubes folded into the cockpit and crushed him.

As much as I like to build my own stuff, there is an area that shouldn't be crossed---the regular builders of the dragsters and funny cars are a group that with SFI, NHRA and other builders consult, discuss areas of concern and methods---this car escaped that scrutiny and obvious to me had flaws that went un detected

Originally Posted by Dave Severson

When that chute breaks away you just don't have a lot of slow down power anymore--gotta wonder if there isn't something could be done in the attachment method of them... an inertia system on the barrier would be great, think some of the old Air Force runways had them at one time?????

Anyway, it's a shame whenever somebody dies in a racing crash--but I guess danger and death has always and will always be part of the game. With all the new technology coming in to make the cars faster and faster it's going to cost track owner's a bunch to make the tracks safe enough to hold it the speed. Maybe till the track safety can get a chance to catch up it's time to limit all the 200+ mph cars to 1,000 ft. instead of 1,320??? Nothing I'm in favor of, but then something has to be done. Just too many drivers getting killed.

Agree with you 100% Dave ......... something needs to be done ......... even if it means putting all the Pro and alcohol classes at 1000'

Originally Posted by Dave Severson

an inertia system on the barrier would be great, think some of the old Air Force runways had them at one time?????

Dave many bases certainly use those systems and all aircraft carriers do. They could be made for drag strips that are not nearly as heavy duty, as the cars are much lighter than airplanes. Maybe even some sort of elastic between the net and the attachment poles. Watching him hit that net just made me sick, he might as well have hit a concrete wall. That net appeared to be designed to protect whatever was beyond it, not the driver of the vehicle that went into it. As the old saying goes, "it's not the fall that gets ya, it's that sudden stop at the end." Anything that can make the stop softer would be an improvement.

Pat

Mark, Rest In Peace..........

Originally Posted by jerry clayton

I've been trying to stay away from this one----but---It will be looked at very carefully

Some of the things about this accident---the owner built his own car----
Both chutes were attached at a single point so both failed, why??? because there was twice as much strain on the mount so when the failure occurred, both went---

The design of the front of the frame was wrong--there wasn't a balance of strength in the area just forward of the foot area of the cage and the whole front of the car folded vetical there instead of just collapsing from the front back--I read somewhere that the tubes folded into the cockpit and crushed him.

As much as I like to build my own stuff, there is an area that shouldn't be crossed---the regular builders of the dragsters and funny cars are a group that with SFI, NHRA and other builders consult, discuss areas of concern and methods---this car escaped that scrutiny and obvious to me had flaws that went un detected

Wrong design or not, it still passed tech inspection...

As I watched the incident, it did not appear that he was going that fast and so my first thought was why did it collapse like it did and I have to agree with Jerry and that it could have been built better and safer. Even though it did pass inspection, they may decide to have more rules or whatever for the cage area to protect the driver.