Track Safety

[Leebone]

If I remember correctly, JR celebrates after all of his victories, however, this is the first time I seen him stand up.

I think Steve Johnson beat that though. In a recent race, he celebrated all the way into the sand trap, and there WERE cars waiting to run behind him.

Leebone

 

[Papa Duck]

I can't remember if it was 2003 or 2004, but Big Daddy was running and stopped out on the track. The quad hooked him up and towed him off the track, or tried to. Don was standing up in the seat and as the quad went around the corner at turnaround he had his hands off the wheel. The quad turned, but Don didn't and he submarined the armco. Fortunately, no one was hit and Don didn't take a header out of the car. I never could figure out why he yelled at the quad driver.

 

[Tim5636sc]

taking off the belts, taking off the hans, neck brace, gloves...ect... Is Done when the car is stopped, the car or other cars on the track are clear.... PERIOD! There are NO EXCEPTIONS to this rule... unless getting out of the car is for safety.. IE.. FIRE! What JR did was rediculiously STUPID! What others who have done the same have done....is REDICULIOUSLY STUPID! This is one rule that is very much black and white. I think NHRA should have fined him $$$$$$$ then perhaps the message would sink in. Instead he got a "STERN LETTER" from the powers that be?...

 

[Meeks]

Doesn't Cruz unbuckle right after he pulls the chutes? I think I've seen him a few times pull the buckle off before the impact is done with regards to the chute...amazes me how stupid that is.

 

[my friends call me Zappy]

I honestly don't recall for sure but when JR did this wasn't Schumacher already past him in the shutdown?

Doesn't matter where the other car was (imo). JR still put himself in danger by standin, as well as the finish line crew. If for any reason he fell out, then you got NO ONE to steer or brake the car. Plus he could have run himself over.

I got nothin against JR, I'm sure he meant no harm, I just think it was a dangerous move, and nhra should put a FIRM stop to it BEFORE someone gets hurt. jmo.

 

[twok4hd]

I don't think raising a visor on your helmet in a Pro Stoker is an infraction of the rule. Some have no visors at all.

I can't count how many times I have seen pictures on line that show drivers in dragsters and roadsters launching with their visors up and the starting line crew standing right there. Buster slapped mine down so hard one time I about chit my fire suit. I learned not to forget it after that.

 

[scsp390]

WOW!! I have heard some pretty good examples here. From ALL OF YOU!!! Think back a few years ago in NASCAR. Remember when a driver would win the race. Be in the Winners Circle, there would be a promotional item on top of there race car and the driver would slap it away. Well finally NASCAR stepped in and said that the driver is NOT allowed do that. NHRA needs to do the same thing. They need to reiterate the rule-and make NO EXCEPTIONS!!!!! Start handing out the fines to the drivers and let them see how it feels. We (drivers and crew members) all race under that same rule book. We all need, and have to follow the rules. That is why they are called RULES!!!!!

 

[Papa Duck]

taking off the belts, taking off the hans, neck brace, gloves...ect... Is Done when the car is stopped, the car or other cars on the track are clear.... PERIOD! There are NO EXCEPTIONS to this rule... unless getting out of the car is for safety.. IE.. FIRE! What JR did was rediculiously STUPID! What others who have done the same have done....is REDICULIOUSLY STUPID! This is one rule that is very much black and white. I think NHRA should have fined him $$$$$$$ then perhaps the message would sink in. Instead he got a "STERN LETTER" from the powers that be?...

Tim, you are right on the money, but it is probably the most ignored rule. I worked turnaround for 15 years and trying to get people, mostly sportsman drivers, to keep their stuff on was almost impossible. We finally had to resort to calling in all of the car numbers to the tower so someone could pay a visit to the drivers. One car was weaving all over after the finish line and when he finally turned off he was wearing a baseball cap. Had to use both hands to get his helmet off so he was trying to steer with his knees.

 

[Tim5636sc]

Tim, you are right on the money, but it is probably the most ignored rule. I worked turnaround for 15 years and trying to get people, mostly sportsman drivers, to keep their stuff on was almost impossible. We finally had to resort to calling in all of the car numbers to the tower so someone could pay a visit to the drivers. One car was weaving all over after the finish line and when he finally turned off he was wearing a baseball cap. Had to use both hands to get his helmet off so he was trying to steer with his knees.

I had a personal experience simular. I was racing up here on a WED NIGHT test session. The Dragster I was driving was a rear engined Super Pro car, running mid 8's up here. I was up against a guy in a Blue 27T Brogie roadster. He was running mid 10's. So, we left the line at the same time, and obviously I never saw the guy. Once we crossed the finish line, I applied the brakes and slowed rather quickly. As we were headed up the hill, I saw this big BLUE THING on my 3 O'Clock Position coming close... This was about 7 seconds after we crossed the finish line. I "Blipped" the throttle to make sure he did not hit me and proceded to turn off the track at the top end. I saw him at the ticket booth, (I HAD MY HELMET AND ALL EQUIPMENT ON BTW), I parked the car over, and started to take my stuff off and he was wearing his Ball Cap, No Belts, No Gloves, or Neck brace. I said, "WHAT HAPPENED" he said, "Sorry bro, just takin off the helmet and the car got away from me... Nice driving though...."

<----that was the expression on my face....

 

[d'kid]

Only Problem I see is if you bounce them from a 'real' track, they'll find an outlaw track that doesn't care... then some one is going to get seriously hurt... too bad someone can't just take the keys away from them.

d'kid

 

[Mikey]

So let me get this.... him standing up could have hurt someone or hurt himself? but instead he stood up and nothing happened; yet everyone wants to think what could have happened. Todd is fine, he just got caught up in the moment. Tell me if you just beat the baddest hot rod in the nation you wouldnt get caught up in the moment... i know i would and apparently he did too.

 

[none]

It's been brought up before, but I'll cite this as another example of why you do not do what JR, Capps and others have done (start to exit the car while it is still moving). The late Gordon Mineo was turning off the track at Columbus (coasting) when the engine relit and proceded to tag Eddie Hill's tow vehicle and or dragster. How much worse could that have been if he was hanging out of the hatch? There is nothing wrong with being excited about winning, but you still have to obey the rules that are there for YOUR own safety as well as the safety of OTHERS. It's called composure.

 

[The Counterfeiter]

So let me get this.... him standing up could have hurt someone or hurt himself? but instead he stood up and nothing happened; yet everyone wants to think what could have happened. Todd is fine, he just got caught up in the moment. Tell me if you just beat the baddest hot rod in the nation you wouldnt get caught up in the moment... i know i would and apparently he did too.

Mike - he violated a rule that NHRA has warned all competitors about more than once. Gann violated a rule and got pitched from the race - no one was injured in either case. Why is there selective enforcement?
If NHRA is serious about this, there needs to be a policy IN WRITING that states what the consequence will be if you do not stay in the vehicle with all safety equipment in place until the vehicle has come to a complete stop (unless you are on fire). IMO - the loss of the round might get a driver's attention.

 

[Tim5636sc]

So let me get this.... him standing up could have hurt someone or hurt himself? but instead he stood up and nothing happened; yet everyone wants to think what could have happened. Todd is fine, he just got caught up in the moment. Tell me if you just beat the baddest hot rod in the nation you wouldnt get caught up in the moment... i know i would and apparently he did too.

Why do you think rules about safety exist??? It's not for the 95% of the time where everything goes RIGHT....it's for the 5% of the time when "SH#T HAPPENS" and does not go to plan. Did anything happen when JR stood up... (NO..thankfully) however, what if.... his arm restraint or a part of his fire suit got caught on the steering wheel and jerked the car dramatically to the left or right. I'm thinking:
1) He could have taken a nasty spill onto the track, and the car would have tasted the wall pretty good..
2) Could have tagged the car next to him and caused damage to the other car, and possibly the other driver....
3) Lost control of the car while it was slowing and hit a track safety worker...
....shall I continue with more... "COULD HAVE'S"? But, before you say..."IT DIDN'T HAPPEN, so chill Timmah..." think about this crazy safety concept...

Why are there sand traps at the end of the track? If the car's parachutes come out, and the brakes work, well there should be no need for that kitty litter at the top end...and that Net... What's that for. Well, I could give you a list of about 40 racers that would tell you that they are very happy that Sand Trap and net were at a track. How about Blower Restraints? If the car runs good, and the blower never bangs, well... we wouldn't need those things right? Nevermind that many people have been killed at Drag Races who have been hit by debris from banging superchargers.

Once again....not for the normal situations, but the "WHAT IF'S". That is what rules are about. To help prevent injury or damage to people or property "IF" something happens.

As a licensed NHRA driver, I can tell you that I feel "SAFER" knowing that there are rules in place to protect my "ASSets" if something was to happen. But, plain common sense would tell to keep in the car, strapped in until you are stopped.... EVEN IF YOU JUST BEAT TONY SCHUMACHER after he racked up 32 consecutive victories. When you get out of the car.. then "do your backflip, salute, or whatever touchdown celebration gimmick you want".

Personally I've always prescribed to the concept, loose with dignity, win with class...and act like you've been there before...

 

[my friends call me Zappy]

Jim, well put sir.

Mike sure JR was excited, he just beat the CHAMP. But as a driver his job wasn't done till the car was stopped. After that I don't care if he does cartwheels, back flips, summer salts, or all the above. (I know I would).

We all read the examples above: cars re-starting - the other car in trouble - and so on. For JR to abandon the controls was un professional, imo.

If not checked, it will only get worse as guys try to "one-up" the other guy.
One stands in the seat - the next stands on the roll cage - the next crawls out and stands on the body.....

If we don't stop it now, (before injury), then when do we stop it??

I'm not saying shoot him at sunrise, but I think more then a letter was needed. Again, JMO.

 

["Dr. Dirt"]

OK, you noticed that I am a KB Racing fan,but Ithink gloves and visior are little different than standing in your car.

OK, let's exclude KB racing from these rules then?

Mine was merely an observation and it's become clear that the NHRA will allow some to openly ignore/break/disregard the rules with some things and then they'll DQ you from the entire event for some, fine $100K for others then eliminate you from the $100K bonus money for others.

It's not like the NHRA isn't aware of these infractions happening. To me it seems as if any rules are enforced to the point of fines and DQs that they all should mean something or be taken from the rule book if they seem frivolous.

When someone dies in his dragster while standing up and celebrating (God forbid, that should ever happen) I will bet the farm that they enforce the rule from that point to the very letter of the law. Should we have to see this happen?