Improving NHRA Safety...

[RJM323]

I have created a new group/forum on Facebook to discuss and show support for improving NHRA safety, please take a look and feel free to join and share your opinion on what should be done.


Improving the Safety of NHRA cars and tracks | Facebook

 

[Silly Savage]

ya, good luck with that

 

[ramblerjay]

if the death of a funny car legend at a half-assed racetrack isn't a wakeup call, then a facebook page won't do it either. the nhra's attempts to save lives in englishtown (the safety nets easily punctured by the tafc) and pathetically short sandtrap, water barriers and highway traffic right nearby are completely inadequate. the drivers who hop in those cars at tracks like that are completely disregarding their families as the track obviously has issues that need addressed before i could ever tell my kids i was gonna go 300mph in that hell hole. granted, racing is a dangerous sport, but doing so at 300mph only a second from highway traffic is flat out stupid.

 

[scsp390]

OK-someone PLEASE correct me if I am wrong. Also, I am sorry if I am wrong. But, am I correct in saying that Summit Racing Motorsports Park in Norwalk, OH has NOTHING at the end of there track?? When I mean nothing-just a run off onto a Runway??? I remeber the year Von Smith crashed in TAFC-the next day a tree was cut down. So if I am correct in this how is this any safer?? Just my 2 Cents...

 

[JB3]

if the death of a funny car legend at a half-assed racetrack isn't a wakeup call, then a facebook page won't do it either.

What ???? Do you know what happened for sure in Friday's crash? Then shut up !!

the nhra's attempts to save lives in englishtown (the safety nets easily punctured by the tafc)

You call an uncontrolled 250 mph shot into a net easily punctured? Again, do you know why this accident occurred ?

the drivers who hop in those cars at tracks like that are completely disregarding their families as the track obviously has issues that need addressed before i could ever tell my kids i was gonna go 300mph in that hell hole.

Are you freaking kidding me ?? Of all the assinine things you stated in this thread (btw-they were all assinine) ... this one gets the top prize. Go back to watching TV.

 

[scsp390]

OK-Jim Bowen does have a good point. Be that as it may. We (yes I am an NHRA Super Pro ET Bracket Racer) know what can hapen to us when we strap ourselves into our race cars. With that being said- it's our decisions as drivers of whether we want to race our cars or not. NO ONE IS HOLDING A FIREARM TO OUR HEADS AND MAKING ANY OF US DO THIS!!! It's our decisions as a drag racer. As sad as the tragedy was of losing Neal Parker-no one on the property at E-Town is being FORCED to race there car. Bottom line!!! NHRA is doing everhting in there POWER to make our race cars and race tracks as SAFE as they can be. No matter what you do in life accidents & tragedies are going to happen. We can't and don't want to play God!!! This is all completly out of our HANDS!!!

 

[Sean D, shondoo]

if the death of a funny car legend at a half-assed racetrack isn't a wakeup call, then a facebook page won't do it either. the nhra's attempts to save lives in englishtown (the safety nets easily punctured by the tafc) and pathetically short sandtrap, water barriers and highway traffic right nearby are completely inadequate. the drivers who hop in those cars at tracks like that are completely disregarding their families as the track obviously has issues that need addressed before i could ever tell my kids i was gonna go 300mph in that hell hole. granted, racing is a dangerous sport, but doing so at 300mph only a second from highway traffic is flat out stupid.

You really need to find another hobby...........

Sean D

 

[sammi]

At every track you will run, in the drivers meeting, they ask you to make your first pass an easy one so you can see what the shut down looks like. After that run, you need to determine if the facility is safe enough for your skills and your car's capabilities. Once you make that decision, all bets are off.

A track can only create a safe environment up to a reasonable point. What the racer does is only the racer and his/her family's business.

How can any of us criticize any track over a freak event?

 

[willy]

This track does have an issue. IF everything works right and you make a pass..chutes come out..brakes work..all is right. IF you run 311 mph and for some reason your chutes don't come out (fire)..coupled with failed brakes..you are hosed! There is no room for any error here. It's no different from Pomana..or Indy for that matter. When you cover a football field in a second..you're in trouble if everything doesn't work. So how do you make it safe to hit sand and net? Damn shame to lose another..my condolences to the family.

 

[DE3]

What ???? Do you know what happened for sure in Friday's crash? Then shut up !!

You call an uncontrolled 250 mph shot into a net easily punctured? Again, do you know why this accident occurred ?

Are you freaking kidding me ?? Of all the assinine things you stated in this thread (btw-they were all assinine) ... this one gets the top prize. Go back to watching TV.

Amen.

 

[The Counterfeiter]

Dejoria's thoughts:
DEJORIA PONDERS WHAT COULD HAVE BEEN

I believe Alexis states she was doing 130 mph when she hit the nets and blew through them. Seems to me the nets are inadequate. If you (can) make a net strong enough to successfully slow or stop a runaway fuel car, what would the huge G forces do to the driver? IMHO, the current driver's compartment on a T/F would provide very little protection when the front of the chassis collapsed.

Yes, I know everyone who races knows it is potentially deadly. However, if drivers and spectators (what happened to action on wheels coming off of fuel cars?) continue to die at NHRA events, things are going to get ugly. JMHO

 

[FuelFC]

How about this as the process.

1) Let everyone grieve the loss of a great person
2) Give his family some time and RESPECT
3) Gather all of the facts surrounding the issue
4) Let some people who do it for a living and are involved make the decisions derived from fact.

Let's not rush to any blame or judgement on anyone or anything.

Better yet ditch this thread.

 

[twostep]

1) Let everyone grieve the loss of a great person
2) Give his family some time and RESPECT
3) Gather all of the facts surrounding the issue
4) Let some people who do it for a living and are involved make the decisions derived from fact.

Let's not rush to any blame or judgement on anyone or anything.

Better yet ditch this thread.

1) I believe everyone is doing just that. We all grieve in different ways. Talking about it is one of them, for many people. People are going to talk, and should not be discouraged from doing so. Nonsense can easily be deleted if necessary.

2) Not one person that I've seen, anywhere, has done anything but show complete respect for the Parker family. Talking about the incident is not disrespectful.

3) Absolutely.

4) That is exactly what will happen, as it should.

The biggest rush to judgment I've seen is hammering the track itself. Not so fast, folks.

If this thread is disturbing, perhaps it's best to ignore it and join Mr. Murphy on Facebook.

Jim Young:
I'd say 'mission accomplished' as far as the nets and DeJoria are concerned. What if they'd stopped her cold? 130-0 in a fraction of a second? She might not have survived such G-force deceleration, as you alluded to in your next sentence.

 

[Rexfiles]

OK-someone PLEASE correct me if I am wrong. Also, I am sorry if I am wrong. But, am I correct in saying that Summit Racing Motorsports Park in Norwalk, OH has NOTHING at the end of there track?? When I mean nothing-just a run off onto a Runway??? I remeber the year Von Smith crashed in TAFC-the next day a tree was cut down. So if I am correct in this how is this any safer?? Just my 2 Cents...

No concrete to wallop into?

REX

 

[Toejam]

Dejoria's thoughts:
DEJORIA PONDERS WHAT COULD HAVE BEEN

I believe Alexis states she was doing 130 mph when she hit the nets and blew through them. Seems to me the nets are inadequate. If you (can) make a net strong enough to successfully slow or stop a runaway fuel car, what would the huge G forces do to the driver? IMHO, the current driver's compartment on a T/F would provide very little protection when the front of the chassis collapsed.

Yes, I know everyone who races knows it is potentially deadly. However, if drivers and spectators (what happened to action on wheels coming off of fuel cars?) continue to die at NHRA events, things are going to get ugly. JMHO

I'd like to know how Neil got past those Sand Barrels?? Those weigh over 1,000 lbs each?

 

[Bob]

and pathetically short sandtrap

How long should the trap be? Also, do you know of any tracks with shorter traps? If not, look at the chart.

 

[Shaggy]

I'd like to know how Neil got past those Sand Barrels?? Those weigh over 1,000 lbs each?

From where the video showed the chassis at and reports that it was against the end wall when finally stopped, then looking at the dejoria crash...Its easy to assume that when the car hit the sand and nets at such a high rate of speed it went airborne and clipped just the top of the barrels or completely flipped end over end to get over them...

 

[Rexfiles]

How long should the trap be? Also, do you know of any tracks with shorter traps? If not, look at the chart.

Thank you for proving my point.

A short shutdown coupled with a ridiculously short sand trap=..........disaster.

Yeah, two out of four is bad, VERY bad.

What will you say for the next one?

REX

 

[Bob]

I'd like to know how Neil got past those Sand Barrels?? Those weigh over 1,000 lbs each?

Until they release the report after the investigation we won't know. We know the barrels are there to absorb the impact but how fast was he going when he hit them?

 

[Bob]

Thank you for proving my point.

A short shutdown coupled with a ridiculously short sand trap=..........disaster.

Yeah, two out of four is bad, VERY bad.

What will you say for the next one?

REX

Please post the results from the investigation. Until then, you can only lose with your theories. Hi Rex.