Is the safety safari impressive or what? (1 Viewer)

Joe, Grubby had an excellence record before that, with 3 freebies. Maybe for oiling both lanes, he should have lost two of his freebies.
 
Last edited:
Joe, Crubby had an excellence record before that, with 3 freebies. Maybe for oiling both lanes, he should have lost two of his freebies.

Wow, Grubnic's oil down was that bad? When I saw it on television, I thought to myself "dang that's going to be a big clean-up!"
 
Could be that David doesn't like to do things 'alf arsed'...

Once upon a time, I thought the Safari trucks had a mounted 'canon' on them.
 
According to DRC. Sorry for calling him Crubby. Bad typing.

Schumacher was overwhelming here, making another run in the forties. Grubnic was falling behind even before he started smoking the tires at half track. Then his engine disappeared in a big fireball and the Safety Safari went to work on his lane. Schumacher will have lane choice against Fuller in the semifinals - that should be a dilly! Grubnic had three "freebies" coming, so he won't be penalized for this one, which tuned out to be two-lane wide and very long.
 
From - Chris Cook "F1 uses a SLK55 AMG Mercedes. The car is driven by Bernd Rosemeyer, DTM legend and in the passenger seat is a neurosurgeon with a complete triage kit."
I enjoy watching F1 on Speed because of the incredible technology and was fully aware of the medical unit that follows the racers at the start. And, you are dead on about NASCAR's use of local tracks safety teams.
But . . . we are discussing race cars on fire here.
I had serious doubts about the new Mater, but this thread is really encouraging - no bashing, and a lot of input from experts in firefighting technology. Let's hope someone from NHRA is reading this!
 
I think NHRA should hire Scott Palmer, Joe Hartley and Dave Grubnic in a Safety safari school! They sure put on a Clean-up clinic this weekend!:confused:

I hear you, I think Scott Palmer oiled the track every pass this weekend. I wonder if the NHRA made them sit out the last session due to their problems.
 
They have certainly come a long way!!

0411sr_safari01_z.jpg
 
I think your referring to Grubby's, that was a disgrace! I think NHRA needs to step up these fines or suspend some of these guys.

Although he did not consult me before the event, I am pretty sure that David Grubnic went to Indy with the intention of winning the race not losing in round two & oiling down the track.

Whether it is Grubby or any other driver that has an oil incident on the track they feel bad about it & they kick their own butts for it. These guys have sponsors, owners & others that they need to keep happy & this is not the way to do it so to suggest that they be "punished" further by having to clean up the mess or be suspended is asinine.

I don't care if it's the guy with more money than God or the guy racing on next month's house payment blowing up is NEVER on the list of things to do.
 
Prior to the oildown, Grubnic had 35 oil-free runs and had three "freebies" coming, one of the best records on the oildown chart. It was a freak deal and not at all typical of that team.
 
I'm still CRINGING watching the Reading qualifying show !! Watching the Safety Safari crew in firesuits scrambling out of the back of a pickup !!!
These guys are no so young and not so trim and fit !! (I'm not either)
A dedicated vehicle needs to be designed and built strictly for on track crashes and fires ! Time is very critical when NITRO & OIL is on fire !!!
I remember in the old days when it was "Safety First,Speed Second"
And back then it was "Ingenuity In Action" now it's only TWO words 'Ingenuity Inaction"...............:(
 
Ken - did the Rosenbauer truck ever put foam down on a racetrack? It is the weapon of choice for the huge trucks that battle aircraft fires. My source said that foaming a track would result in a cleanup that would make an oildown look really easy!

My thoughts exactly!!! It would be a very long clean up time for not only oil, but all the foam and/or water for that high powered cannon. I think the GMC does fine, but could use some modifying to the bed area. Maybe make the back end a platform bar type area(think trolley cars) where the SS guys can simply step off the back maybe a foot high or so instead of having to "hop out" from the bed of the truck.
 
From John - "These guys are no so young and not so trim and fit !! (I'm not either)" I hear ya! Unfortunately, it appears we may be starting to lose them. I think I heard Alan state that this will be "Lefty's" last year. If that's true, that Cajun will be impossible to replace.
Fire is not the issue it was in years past with new supression equipment (Wilk and Scelzi would be good examples from today). NHRA is going to have to take a hard look at finding replacements who inspire so much trust from the drivers when these wonderful people who have worked so hard for so long just can't do it anymore!
 

That may have already happened in 2/18/2001. Not saying it would have made a difference, but who knows..........

First off I do think NASCAR does need a better system then what they have now.

I think I posted this on the old Mater, but from what I heard Kenny Schrader say on the track PA that day I don't think Dale had a chance. He said he basically thought Dale had a chest injury from the amount of blood he saw. Now we know that Dale had bled (sp?) out. Shortly afterward when I heard him interviewed for either TV or radio he said he did not get a good look at the situation and so he could not comment on it. It sounds like NASCAR got to him and shut him up.

I took pictures that day and have a series of before during and after the crash. Kenny hopped out of his car and was the first to Dales car, he then backed away when helped arrived. One of my pictures has Kenny standing back with his hand on his head. You can see his look of disbelief as the track workers attend to Dale. I did not realize what that picture showed until I got the roll developed. :(
 
Ways To Support Nitromater

Users who are viewing this thread


Back
Top