Top Fuel Boycott of Willowbank Raceway in Austalia on April 19th (1 Viewer)

[qtermile14]

Here's the article on Competition Plus.
http://www.competitionplus.com/drag...ay-event-to-go-ahead-despite-top-fuel-boycott

I don't blame them after seeing what the sand trap area looks like through Google Maps Street View.

Below is the other side of the tire barrier.

And below is what you run into after going through the tires. That bank would make a nice launching ramp.

 

[Jeff]

Yikes! I would not want to get into that with my wife's Corolla...

 

[dboxell]

I am kind of surprised the Top Bike guys aren't following suit.
Unless you are running carbon/carbon brakes, it's hard to get those slowed down on a short track.

 

[qtermile14]

This is something back from 70's and early 80's you would see at OCIR, Lions & Irwindale.

 

[Cliff]

Willowbank has been around for a long time. I would have thought they already had a catch net. I do remember a few cases of cars going off the end of the track at Lions (onto a street) and OCIR (onto a freeway). There was a funny car on fire at OCIR (the Beach City Chevrolet Vette??) and it went onto the freeway on fire. Arghhhh Can't remember what was on the end of Irwindale, maybe a quary ? or something like that. The track was next to a sand & gravel pit. At San Fernando, you went into a rock pile area with a sign that said "spin out area" - and there were a few that didn't make it.

 

[DAN]

Willowbank is my local track. It's been around since 1985 and has had periodic improvements over the years as funds allow.
A bit of background on the situation.
All other tracks in Australia that run Top Fuel have the correct NHRA style catch-net system in place. Willowbank has had this sand/tire barrier setup for as long as I can remember.
The NHRA style catch-net system has been on the agenda for the track since last year. A number of apparent delays have seen the promised date of completion pushed back by several months.
From what I've been told, the Top Fuel group made Willowbank aware they wanted the catch-net system in place ASAP last June. The boycott by teams to not run at this event is understandable, even if there are delays outside Willowbank's control. A fuel car is a hell of an investment, and if you're in the driver's seat and you have a chute failure, you bet your ass you wanna feel safe if you hit that sand trap.

FWIW, the narrowness of the sand trap for no apparent reason makes no sense.

 

[Nick Name]

Willowbank has been around for a long time. I would have thought they already had a catch net. I do remember a few cases of cars going off the end of the track at Lions (onto a street) and OCIR (onto a freeway). There was a funny car on fire at OCIR (the Beach City Chevrolet Vette??) and it went onto the freeway on fire. Arghhhh Can't remember what was on the end of Irwindale, maybe a quary ? or something like that. The track was next to a sand & gravel pit. At San Fernando, you went into a rock pile area with a sign that said "spin out area" - and there were a few that didn't make it.

I remember the Beach City Vette on the freeway on fire. In fact we would be sitting at the finish line seats and I don't remember the Beach City Vette ever coming by not on fire.