Off topic, but many BR shooters used to race........

[457ciSBC]

He WAS going plenty fast enough for it to be unsurvivable. The main failure is the homologation of a track with insufficient length and a wall at the end. Everything else was just unfortunate luck, which happens and can't be accounted for in rules making.


What I am saying is that if the driver is knocked out bad things happen because due to the nature of the cars and the tracks eventually the car is going to come to a quick halt.

Well, E-Town like Richmond(Dinwiddie) has just about the longest shutdown areas of any of the NHRA tracks, east coast anyway. However, with E-Town just beyond the sand trap there's a wall with a road behind it, with a home on the other side. Kalitta passed through 3 nets, smacked the steel structure which secured the last net on the right side and the video platform, with the remaining making contact with the retaining wall.

I'm a firm believer that those both TF and FC classes needs to be slowed down or only run at 1/8th mile. In the last 40 years the speeds have increased 125 MPH, but in many cases the tracks haven't kept up.


When there's catastrophic engine failure, which includes some degree of chassis structure degradation, look for anything to happen, even in a mid 8 sec, 160 MPH car.


This game is inherently dangerous, not only in the pro classes but in sportsman racing as well. In some of these outlaw classes there's guys running 180+ MPH on small tire drag radials and twin turbo, 3000lb cars at over 210 MPH.

RIP

 

[LASER]

Mr. Schmidt,

All of us that have raced in our lifetimes understand that getting seriously injured, or even killed, is a part of the game. I crashed my Boat twice, and got hurt really bad once. It is when I darned near died in 1982, when I went off of my "High Gear Only" fuel Harley at 3/4 track, and when they finally put me back together, that I realized that I lost that what ever it is that allows us to do that.
All of our best wishes go out to the Kallitta familly, but Connie of all people knows that every time you decide to get into one of those things, you just might die in a matter of seconds.
I personally saw 4 men die during my Boat Racing Days. I was at Lake Liberty getting ready to race when Dan Pastorini lost controle of his Blown Fuel Boat and went into the crowd, killing two and maiming several others. While racing the Bike, I saw Earnie Rife loose the front wheel on his Fueler and center punch the guard rail, resulting in his death.
As safe as they try to make it, the human body can only take so much. It is a miracle that John Force is even alive, since that crash last year did just about everything but kill him. That is one reason I hate to see that pretty daughter of his in one of those things. Judging from the way she conducts interviews, I have a gut feeling that she would rather be doing something else. I can't be the only one who has noticed this.
This too, will pass. It's a shame, but as long as men and women are willing to tempt death, and thrill the crowd, we will be watching, and cheering. It's the nature of the beast.........jackie

I thought the very same thing about the Force girl.
Your comment about us all knowing and understanding (those of us who chose to go very fast, motorcycles/sports cars in my case)the risks never rung true with me. If I had understood and thought about it, I never would have grabbed too much air or went into a corner too fast. How the !@#$ am I gonna land this !@#$ is not the appropriate time to have those epiphanies. Probally getting crippled early saved my life.
LASER

 

[Pete Wass]

I did in the 60's

Did you Drag Race a Bike??.....jackie

In Japan while stationed there but here in the early 70's I raced Moto Cross and Flat track bikes for several years.

Pops Yoshumara (SP?) shop was right outside the gateat the base I was statione at; before they came to the states. I'm an old timer.

 

[Don]

I have never raced, but just looking at pictures of the initial explosive force of the engine failure, and subsequent separation of body paneling makes you wonder how anyone could survive the first shockwave and engine shrapnel, much less the remaining ride thru sand traps, catch nets, and other barriers/obstructions.

Truly not a sport for the weak of heart or spirit...............Don