FEEDBACK FRIDAY – DEMANDING CHANGES – RACERS SPEAK OUT ON SHUTDOWN AREAS
Fri, 2008-07-18 17:00
FEEDBACK ARTICLE – DEMANDING CHANGES – RACERS SPEAK OUT ON SHUTDOWN AREAS
Why is it that NHRA always puts the blame
(or cost) back on the racer? Scott Kalitta lost his life at 4.97 300
mph. The first thing they want to do is slow the cars down, better
breaks, better chutes, no blow-ups. I am all for safe race cars. There
has been hundreds of thousands of dollars spent to make safer cars!
How about NHRA getting off their wallet and spending what it takes to
make safer race tracks. If its not possible at a given track, don't
race there! - Ed McCulloch
Wow! I give Scelzi & especially Vandergriff credit for speaking
up.The problems with the NHRA(& may other sanctioning bodies) and
to some extent PRO is they become so full of bureaucracy that more harm
than good can easily become the rule rather than the exception. Thanks
to Competition Plus for speaking up. - Eric Schneider
FEEDBACK ARTICLE – DEMANDING CHANGES – RACERS SPEAK OUT ON SHUTDOWN AREAS
Why is it that NHRA always puts the blame (or cost) back on the racer? Scott Kalitta lost his life at 4.97 300 mph. The first thing they want to do is slow the cars down, better breaks, better chutes, no blow-ups. I am all for safe race cars. There has been hundreds of thousands of dollars spent to make safer cars!
How about NHRA getting off their wallet and spending what it takes to make safer race tracks. If its not possible at a given track, don't race there! - Ed McCulloch
Wow! I give Scelzi & especially Vandergriff credit for speaking up.The problems with the NHRA(& may other sanctioning bodies) and to some extent PRO is they become so full of bureaucracy that more harm than good can easily become the rule rather than the exception. Thanks to Competition Plus for speaking up. - Eric Schneider
I am disappointed that John Force is not going say anything about the accident at Englishtown I think his comments would be important! - Jeff Kammes
We are constantly updating our cars for safety, however, the tracks remain the same.
The track in Englishtown was built in 1965, as you know, and it hasn't changed since then. If the tracks are unable to be updated or owners refuse to update the tracks then racers should refuse to race there and leave the track to nostalgia racing only.
Along with new tracks new standards and conditioning for tracks should be implemented to ensure the racer's safety. As the article read, the track should "give drivers the chance to walk away." The track should meet certain length requirements and should be cleared appropriately before the race begins this way there is nothing obstructing the driver and the safety of a sand pit.
These drivers are irreplaceable; we would like to see them go home to their families after they race hard. NHRA, we the fans pay you to watch our favorite racers compete and end with a victorious climax; not a horrible demise. - Peter Koennemann
I think Vandergriff and the others are 100% correct! There should be a standard in shutdown areas. It is a shame that Scott had to die! I think it could’ve all been avoided with a proper shutdown area. Especially with all the objects in the way! A concrete wall with a guardrail? Are you kidding me? Who thought that brilliant ideal up? If the drivers want to pull together and boycott some tracks, I think they should! I think all the "true fans" like myself, will support them fully! By all means, protect yourselves! - Steve Cooper
I agree with most of Bob Vandergriff Jr's statements concerning the tragedy at E-Town and how to prevent similar incidents in the future. Unfortunately, only he seems to be the outspoken representative of the pro classes.
The PRO organization gives the appearance saying one thing and yet refusing to do the right thing. Standing up to NHRA ownership/management is the only way to exert pressure on aging tracks to upgrade safety standards; fix the problem or find another facility to race at.
I'm also disappointed at John Force's lack of response; he's invested so much since Eric's death to make the cars safer. If Eric had died as a result of a similar situation to Scott, would John sit back and refuse to take on Glendora?
My only disagreement is the statement that shortening the tracks isn't the answer. At facilities with limits to the lengthening shutdown area, moving the finish line back to 1000' gives you nearly 300' more feet to address insufficient sand trap length, encroachment on natural resources (woods), etc.
Finally, an even more aggressive approach is the 1/8th mile option. It can be done as witnessed with the IHRA this year and it makes for less wear and tear on engines eating themselves up just to make it to the 1000' mark. Perhaps that's PROs and multi-car teams major concern; more Wilkersons able to compete and win on smaller budgets...
Things that make you go hmmmm... - Mitch Peoples
Again...the reason I read this site. A lot of information and reading that not other drag racing site has...Kudo's!!
OK, so NHRA is already forgotten about the concrete wall at the end of the track in the most recent statement...to cover their a** I'm sure, blaming it on the net poles and the camera boom. Yeah, I'm sure they were all a factor but it seems to me the impact with the wall is probably what killed Scott Kalitta
So let me ask something of the findings of this article....if all these teams and drivers knew the OBRP's shutdown area was not sufficient, then why did it take losing Scott for that to become an issue? I realize that sometimes things aren't thought about or do not stick out before tragedies like this one, but someone must have known?. Been there many times in past years and there ain't much there at the end.
Didn't look to me that Scott was conscious either after the explosion. I've watched these cars for a long time and it appeared that there was no reaction at all from Scott. No bouncing from trying to stop with the brakes, no movement to try to veer the car one way or another, yet it kept so straight going down the track. Maybe he just thought he'd take it into the trap not knowing that there wasn't much room?? Maybe he was out from the explosion? Nevertheless, a shame indeed.
And as far as interviews, you might as well not wasted your time with Bob Vandergriff Jr......yes he has the right to be concerned and speak out but such a tuff guy stance in the interview. Threatening comments about punching other team’s personnel in the mouth......what the hell??? I thought everyone is supposed to be one big happy family in the NHRA world?? NOT!!! He's just trying to get media time in my opinion as he hasn't done much to get it otherwise...and let’s not forget his rant last year because ESPN wasn't giving him his due when
he did win....any questions … hello? there's got to be a reason there Bob?? He makes some good points as do the other drivers but needs some PR work if you ask me.....Need I say the words "Whit Bazemore"??
Thanks for bringing the news to us as you usually do.....great web site! - M.A. Hall
Currently there are so many debates raging in NHRA that it is difficult to see past the "ground clutter". The myriad of obstacles facing NHRA, PRO and the track owners are so overwhelming that each hot button issue blurs the senses and bring a pall over the joy of seeing a professional event winner celebrate. But after attending the memorial event in Norwalk for Scott Kalitta one thing is crystal clear - Scott is no longer with us, his terrible demise was preventable, and those that ignore the safety issues either through ignorance or neglect are culpable in Scott's death. Harsh criticism to be sure, but not as harsh as Scott's final moments at E-Town. - David Gutierrez
Excellent article, Bobby, on an issue that goes back as long as there has been drag racing. Back when in my Eastern Raider fueler days, after a parachute failure there was only one option when the car couldn't be stopped in time - veer to the left and away from the trees where the car flipped three times. Later that year at a 32 car show in Epping, there was several incidents where cars ran out of shut down and went into the woods, one fatal.
Why won't Force talk on the issue? Given the Medlin death last year, it seems natural for him to be at the fore on this issue, also. Or is he ducking this issue because it's too volatile and may really piss off NHRA and his sponsors if he weighs in? Is the NHRA darling protecting his turf at the expensive of honesty and sincerity? That really should be known and shown for what it is.
Is he the team leader talking to his crew members claiming it's no one's fault what happened to Scott Kalitta, that Vandergriff was speaking of and angry with?
May I suggest an article on PRO, what factually ails it? I think Vandergriff has pointed up the in-bed-with aspect of the group. While they do some good, they are NOT really as much for the racers as the concept they were created for, should be.
Anyway, thanks for your work. - Ken Tesoriere
I really have to commend Bob for speaking out about the concerns of safety following the death of our friend Scott. Just like the airport next to the track it's just to short. You wouldn’t try to land a Citation X because plain and simple if something was to go wrong you would need to abort. There is no need to form a committee, have an advisory council look at the data, just decline to race the events. Look at how many tracks in the South have discontinued having the once popular booked in match races and Quick 8 events. We have a facility 20 minutes from our shop that would be very convenient to test at when needed, however due to the width and truncated shutdown reaching speeds of 190 mph in the eighth mile we make the journey 90 minutes North to test our 1/8th mile car at a 1/4 mile facility. Scott very well could be with us and his father Connie has enough clout and respect in racing if his 3 fuelers were to not race you would see more Sunday competition like we did first round in Englishtown albeit this time for the welfare of the driver and not in memory of one.
Just a quick note with the massive explosion we saw in the Kalitta crash is it possible a piece of the carbon body that was shredded could of been trapped in the throttle or the blades on the hat. Is there an alternative mounting point for the throttle? How many times have we seen the throttle position placement cause a incident. Could we install a safety pin on the throttle position that if the body separates from the chassis it breaks the throttle which would in turn cause it to close? - Jason Sharp
DISCLAIMER - The views presented in these feedback letters are the opinions of the individual author, and do not necessarily represent those of CompetitionPlus.com, its staff and advertisers.
| {loadposition feedback} |
Categories:
