Here's a slightly different way to approach this somewhat controversial subject... Lets ask ourselves this question. Why is it NHRA's (or any sanctioning body) responsibility to keep drivers safe? Even hired drivers can walk away if they feel their car owner isn't allowing them to feel as safe as they would like to be. So should personal driver safety be left up to the racers? I say yes.
I mean lets take a step back for a minute and really think about this. Drivers make a concious, personal decision to get into the car to race, whether it's your local dirt track or a 320 MPH Nitro car. They know, or should know, how the car is built, what it's capable of and that it can, in fact, hurt and/or kill them. They also know the track layout, length of the shutdown area, obstacles at the end of the shutdown area, if any, etc. Furthermore, they know, or should know, what safety features exist (fire suits, HANS, roll bar padding, arm straps, etc.) and should do their own research to determine how much, if any, protection they feel they need. Have we really reached a point where we expect someone else to think for us?
Does NHRA have a responsibility to protect the fans? Absolutely. In my mind, many of the safety features that exist are there to protect the fans and keep the track dry so racing can continue. Cylinder Head/Blower restraints, diapers, etc. But even with all of that, fans accept a certain level of responsibility for their own safety as soon as they walk throught he gate... They understand that things can go very wrong and there is a possibility, however slight, that they could be injured, or worse. Antron's unfortunate and tragic incident in AZ is a perfect, but sad reminder of this. The NHL (when there was an NHL) placed nets above the glass behind the nets following the tragic death of a young girl who was struck with a deflected puck in Columbus. Again, the nets are there to protect the fans, not the players. So yes, NHRA still maintains a responsibility to provide a safe racing venue, primarily to protect the crowd.
Am I endorsing a concept where drivers go out each and every week and get themselves severely hurt or killed because nobody cares? No, of course not. I'm simply tired of people expecting someone else to do their thinking for them. These are extremely intelligent human beings we're talking about. I find it difficult, if not impossible to believe that if NHRA suddenly took themselves out of the cockpit and left it entirely up to drivers, that all of a sudden you'd see guys climbing out at at the top end wearing only shorts and a t-shirt. If I'm not mistaken - and again, if I am I'm sure someone will tell me - Alan Bradshaw walked away from his TF ride because he was unhappy with a certain safety feature, or lack thereof, and didn't feel comfortable driving it anymore.
I would even go so far as to say that if we left it solely to the racers themselves, without them being told exactly what to wear, they may, over time, come up with more safety stuff all on their own.
I'm sure there are those who disagree, and I welcome that, but I really feel strongly that people have to be responsible for themselves and their own safety... especially when we're talking about something as trivial as racing.
