Langdon Final Round Run Under Review

[z28]

very unfortunate. I bet that never happens to them again

 

[n/a]

Does anyone here know if this infraction is considered a safety violation? Tony, do you happen to know?

 

[*******]

You can't take the win away for this bull**** infraction. Dock them points, fine them ? ok but to take a win away over a couple of bolts that came loose and landed in the belly pan? This is an all time low by the knuckleheads in charge. And I don't care if it was one of the teams I dislike, I'd still say the same.

 

[sutton]

Talking about a e ending to this THREADs.
Larry Sutton---

 

[ironpony]

Who did Kalitta/Langdon piss off ?????

 

[T.Smith]

Does anyone here know if this infraction is considered a safety violation? Tony, do you happen to know?

I would think so. I wouldn't want to run over one and now that everyone has taken off the mud flaps, there is a little less protection of the tires from debris or parts.

However, the penalty seems kinda harsh. I feel like there may be more to the story.

 

[sutton]

Who did Kalitta/Langdon piss off ?????

The same one Clay did.
Larry Sutton---

 

[sutton]

Clay Millican had his Q3 run DQ'd due to a wing infraction (wing was a 1/4 inch too far back). In Clay's newest video he showed the NHRA checking other rear wings in TF.

Clay SIZE does matter, Correction#-- LENGTH.
Larry Sutton---

 

[Chili]

I might be in the minority, but I feel the decision to DQ Langdon was the correct call. In Bristol pro mod racer Jordan Lazic still had the pins still in the fire bottles. He won first round but was Dq’d immediately. NHRA needs to uphold the rules as written. If you DQ one racer for a safety issue, the others should be DQ’d as well. It should be black and white.

 

[Butch]

Back in the 70's I know of a certain BB/FC car that had a couple of the bolts for the inspection cover altered to look like they secured the cover but they only screwed into the cover. Resulting in not needing to be removed in order to get the cover off. A time saver modification.

 

[Randy]

Can't pick and choose when and how to enforce the rules. It's a yes/no, right/wrong decision, not a moving or floating target. The feelings police don't work in the NHRA tech department. If the clutch went south, it wouldn't be the first time parts ended up poking someone in the grandstands. These bolts in place on the inspection cover are part of the bellhousing SFI spec rule. I'm betting these bolts won't be left loose again.

 

[BaldyLochs]

I’m happy they put out a statement and are owning it. That’s a good bounce back. I imagine if this had happened a long time ago, the owner of that car would have went absolutely ape**** on everyone within half a mile. But, times have changed…. I would think if a safety concern is ever raised or found on any Kalitta car…. It is a learning opportunity, and internally, it is handled much differently nowadays.

 

[teague14]

Can't pick and choose when and how to enforce the rules. It's a yes/no, right/wrong decision, not a moving or floating target. The feelings police don't work in the NHRA tech department. If the clutch went south, it wouldn't be the first time parts ended up poking someone in the grandstands. These bolts in place on the inspection cover are part of the bellhousing SFI spec rule. I'm betting these bolts won't be left loose again.

Couldn’t agree more. No clue how or why the rest of the world can’t think this way. Kinda common sense.

 

[65 Goatboy]

Boner...

Hate be that crew guy!

 

[stitcherbob]

The car that won the race was the one that didn't blow up. Which is a bigger safety infraction? When was the last time an inspection cover changed the outcome of a race? Tires yes, this no.
Dock them points and money if you want but the winner of that race was Langdon....

 

[Leebone]

This sucks. Langdon is in a points race with Smoke, now THIS happens. What a chintzy call by the NHRA.

 

[Leebone]

You can't take the win away for this bull**** infraction. Dock them points, fine them ? ok but to take a win away over a couple of bolts that came loose and landed in the belly pan? This is an all time low by the knuckleheads in charge. And I don't care if it was one of the teams I dislike, I'd still say the same.

Taking the win away "did" dock them points.

 

[PiPPi]

Over here in Europe, we had a fatal accident a few years ago due to the same sort of issue as was discovered by NHRA during the weekend.

It was tragic of course, amplified by that it was a 64-year old spectator who was killed by a part from the racecar's flywheel.

I was in the tower doing color commentary. I still get very upset about it and AFAIC, a DQ is nothing. Something along the lines of at least a 3 race suspension would make damn sure that it does not happen ever again.

From the police investigation:"Those engine parts [...] were allowed to escape from the car because that housing was 'insecure because of the omission of six lower retaining bolts'

 

[CRR]

Over here in Europe, we had a fatal accident a few years ago due to the same sort of issue as was discovered by NHRA during the weekend.

It was tragic of course, amplified by that it was a 64-year old spectator who was killed by a part from the racecar's flywheel.

I was in the tower doing color commentary. I still get very upset about it and AFAIC, a DQ is nothing. Something along the lines of at least a 3 race suspension would make damn sure that it does not happen ever again.

From the police investigation:"Those engine parts [...] were allowed to escape from the car because that housing was 'insecure because of the omission of six lower retaining bolts'

Yes, I was at Santa Pod when that happened. The spectator who was killed was at least 25 metres from the track but was still hit by debris because bolts had been missed out of the bellhousing to save time during the thrash to get the car ready. All these idiots on here who are saying the team should not be punished are talking absolute rubbish.

 

[robinjackson]

Agreed. I too was at Santa Pod on that day, European Finals, 2006. Pro Mod final round. A Finnish racer, hurrying to make it to the final, left a bellhousing bolt unsecured. It flew out at the finish line and killed the spectator standing high up on the spectator banking. To my knowledge, it's our only spectator death caused by an on-track incident and I surely hope it remains so.

These machines are unholy violent, in case anyone has forgotten. The Langdon penalty sounds fully justified.