Catch System at ORP

[The Counterfeiter]

Great coverage from Gary Jerrold on the broadcast. You can't call this a "sand trap"! True catch fences with cables, double nets and water barrels in front of the final fence - IMO very well thought out. And . . . according to Gary it cost only $200K.
I know it hasn't been tested (and hopefully it won't this week). I'd encourage NHRA to spend the bucks immediately to send a dragster and a funny car into the system with crash test dummies with telemetry. Willing to bet that Ford and GM racing divisions would be happy to help.
Of course, we could have a poll to decide which Maters we would most like to see strapped in the test cars instead of those very expensive dummies -
Any thoughts?

 

[paoldtimer]

OMG...I have a few I would like to nominate!!

That was too funny Jim...

 

[Joker741]

We could strap in the a$$holes that stole all of my product!! As soon as I find them.

http://www.nitromater.com/nhra/17404-thanks-everyone-joker-race-wear.html

 

[Von Halen]

We could strap in the a$$holes that stole all of my product!! As soon as I find them.

http://www.nitromater.com/nhra/17404-thanks-everyone-joker-race-wear.html

Great idea!

 

[paoldtimer]

We could strap in the a$$holes that stole all of my product!! As soon as I find them.

http://www.nitromater.com/nhra/17404-thanks-everyone-joker-race-wear.html

I wouldn't bother strapping them in....

 

[G'ginna]

I wouldn't bother strapping them in....

Just stake them down a little to keep them from jumping out?

 

[Tim5636sc]

I'll do it for free... as long as I get 2 other drivers to sign off my license...!

 

[d'kid]

I'll do it for free... as long as I get 2 other drivers to sign off my license...!

okay, Timmah Charlet: Crash Test Dummy...

can't do that Tim, responsible Father, remember....

I, on the other hand, won't be missed.... think we could even get money from some here on the board to see that... I even wonder if Kat would put up a few bucks

d'kid

 

[TF CREW]

Did anybody else notice there was still a boom lift there.

 

[Too many to list here]

Did anybody else notice there was still a boom lift there.

That was a bit surprising eh?

 

[The Counterfeiter]

Did anybody else notice there was still a boom lift there.

Sean - looked to me like the base of the lift was well outside the walls. It was extending over the catch area. Is this a bad decision? - I don't know.

 

[Too many to list here]

Just a bit eerie seeing it there

 

[Von Halen]

I'll do it for free...

Best idea yet....

 

[TF CREW]

Sean - looked to me like the base of the lift was well outside the walls. It was extending over the catch area. Is this a bad decision? - I don't know.

It was outside the K rail in Englishtown also it was the boom itself that caused problems .....just my observation

 

[TAFC 5 81]

Of course, we could have a poll to decide which Maters we would most like to see strapped in the test cars instead of those very expensive dummies -
Any thoughts?

We could also have a poll to decide which Glendora staff we would most like to see try and stop the runaway cars with a butterfly net.

 

[SAS]

Did anybody else notice there was still a boom lift there.

In Englishtown the main boom section was over the track , about 10 to 15ft
up off ground. At Indy the basket and last sections of boom were up about
30ft and were much farther back after the final safety nets. A car would have to go through 3 sets of nets and clear the 18ft. high one, and be 30ft up to hit it. And thats after going trough a much longer sand trap, filled with pea gravel. Night and day differance between Indy and E-Town

 

[TF CREW]

I know where BOTH of them were! I simply asked a question

 

[jimbo]

First I'd like to commend NHRA for doing something to help on the top end. Second, I'm not a racer and God knows not and engineer. But my thought on the containment system at Indy is while well thought out and well built, it seems to me there is a hazard with those 2 - 4 ft concrete barriers on the sides of the trap. Also although they are outside 2 large metal posts that appear to be filled with concrete support what I believe to be the first catch net. While the longer trap and series of 3 catch nets and fencing along the sides trap will certainly contain the wayward racer, but what about an incident, God forbid, similar to Scott's where a car under power strikes one of the walls head on? Maybe a series of water filled barrels at the front edge of the walls help this scenario. Yes I am aware of the length issue that alot of tracks face and at 250 ft this will be an obstacle for many of the tracks to overcome let alone adding something to make it even 15 to 20 ft longer.