It's taken me a few days to get round to writing this, I apologise if I'm posting over anyone who has already posted something along these lines.
Everytime a tragedy strikes anywhere, no matter who it affects and what happened in the run up to it, questions are always asked - 'what could have been done stop it', and of course the death of a race driver - a participant in the most technologically driven type of sport in the world - may attract more of these questions from more people.
As tragic as any fatal accident is you can often be assured that something positive will emerge from it. New safety measures, new rules. Ayrton Senna's 1994 crash at Imola led to a number of chicanes being added to many tracks to slow down the cars before potential danger points, Greg Moore's horrific crash at Fontana, led to the infields of most tracks being paved to prevent cars being flipped as they climb from grass to paved infield roads. So what might come from Saturday's events.
The possible cause of initial explosion, just before the finish line, is beyond me. I know next to nothing about the internal workings of NHRA engines, so I'm not going to venture towards trying to cure any problems there.
No, the major problem is the massive lack of proper run off at the end of the track. Sure they have the extra paved length after the quarter mile. That works fine for working cars with deployed chutes. But surely it is obvious that, unfortunately not every run ends with two working with deployed chutes gracefully coasting to a halt.
When I saw the accident I was reminded of so many from the past. When I was younger I had several of the VHS video collections of racing accidents, mostly from America. Even at the age of about 7 I was very aware that drag racing was very dangerous, but several of the older accidents I remember showed that levels of safety at the tracks were far below those needed by the speeds of the cars that raced there. The fact that the outside walls were terrifyingly low, the fact that some tracks have areas of trees or large banks of sand just off the track. And the fact that the last line of defence in stopping cars was sand traps, safety nets, and walls.
All three are workable ways of stopping out of control race cars, all three have been used in other motorsport. But. Sand traps are fast disappearing from road course style tracks, in favour of high grip asphalt run-offs, the sort that are often seen at the newer tracks in F1, because sand has a habit of flipping cars if they dig in to far, and at too high a speed. Catch fencing was found at many tracks around the world during the 1970's and 1980's, but that exactly the point. They are outdated. Walls still surround a vast number of tracks. However, some have tyres in front of them, others have been clad in SAFER barrier.
All these systems have been phased out of circuit racing for good reasons, yet the NHRA continues to use them.
There is no simple solution to stop a dragster, to wait for them to stop of their own momentum could take more space than is realistic, I can't think of a truly workable solution. But there has to be something safer than sand traps, catch fencing and walls.
This was a sad day for the NHRA and the Drivers, Scott Kalitta was a Great Driver and he will be missed and never forgotten.
This track has only 1 safety net, most of the tracks have three safety nets, and this track has concrete guardrails that curl from the right of the dragstrip to the left, The track needs to be longer with more safety nets, This is just an observation but it looked like Scott's car went through the only net that this track has and hit the concrete guardrails basically head on
The sand still works for Drag Cars because the cars are going straight into the sand with long frames, where Nascar Cars or F1 cars can hit sand traps sideways where they flip
The soft asphault works well for cars that are sliding sideways and helps them slow down
NHRA will do something to this track to make it safer
Get rid of the guardrails at the end of the Dragstrip, make the Dragstrip longer, and add more safety nets, I think the sand still works for the Drag Cars.
I really hate it when these drivers lose their lifes.
jbroomy
When tragedies such as these strike it gives us cause for concern as to the imminent dangers that these guys face at each and every turn.
Scott Kalitta doing what he does best ....
It even becomes more apparent when it comes to their mortality.
Now'll come all of the specualation as to what may or may not have happened . With what led to his untimely death.
I've a new post up within the forum titled To Serve, But To Do So With Distinction And Pride ! I'll look forward to reading your comments as and when you're ready.
Good thoughts on the Kalitta issue. NHRA has been remiss in the last few years addressing safety issues on many of the out dated tracks they run on. Many other tracks could have prevented this tragedy if it were to happen on theirs because the owners have kept up with the trend of ever increasing speeds.
The sad part is NHRA may not dictate to the tracks in question a uniform guide for safety issues.
We lost a driver years ago at Byron Illionois dragstrip. Before they had sand traps. Ever since sand is at the end. NHRA needs to mandate something at the end to help slow a nonchute deploying car to slow down. That wall did not need to be there. I will not let Noah watch that replay. That is something that could have been avoided.
I always want to write something witty here, but my wit is always confused with something worse ------------- ------------- ----NASCAR and Auto Racing in general mostly here, but I get distracted by shiny sporting objects as well and give them an airing too---------- ------------- -----Pastimes include rooting for the underdog and trying to fathom why Golf is considered a sport-------- ------------- ---
Send Lawyers, Guns and Money.
