Sad day in NHRA
Thread Starter
Teching In
Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 42
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From: Visalia, CA
Sad day in NHRA Wow, I am sure all have heard by now. Scott Kalitta died after crashing. Here is the video footage. I am also including a very ironic picture I found elsewhere on this site. It is of Scott Kalitta & Eric Medlin staging. Both men tragically died virtually the same way. R.I.P. Scott Kalitta.
Scott Kalitta's horrific crash
Scott Kalitta's horrific crash
Wow. I had tuned in to watch a little qualifing yesterday and they mentioned it but didn't show the wreck when I was watching it. My question is why don't they have the sand pit runoff area like you see many tracks have. Idk if he was killed by the explosion of when he hit the wall, either way its too bad.
Without naming tracks, Jim Head stated today on NHRA today that they should stop racing on tracks not designed for 300 MPH+ runs.. The track in NJ is one of those tracks(I agree with the guy 2 posts up, I think that stupid wall in the sandtrap is what killed him).. He even suggested they shut the car off at 1000 feet as most engine explosions happen after the 1000 foot mark, not to mention 330 is pretty damn scary(his words, not mine).. He also said maybe they should consider running the 1/8 vs the 1/4.. Wonder if anyone will listen?
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Thread Starter
Teching In
Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 42
Likes: 0
From: Visalia, CA
It looked like to me that the sand pit was definetly not built for 300mph cars losing control. And the whole wall thing is a mystery to me. I would like to meet the designer and then punch him in the face for putting it there. Then ask him later why he had put it there. My philosophy in some instances is kick *** first then ask questions later. This being one of them.
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It looked like to me that the sand pit was definetly not built for 300mph cars losing control. And the whole wall thing is a mystery to me. I would like to meet the designer and then punch him in the face for putting it there. Then ask him later why he had put it there. My philosophy in some instances is kick *** first then ask questions later. This being one of them.
Man, i got chills looking at that crash into the wall. It looked like he was slowing down as he approached the sand pit, but from the looks of how that thing exploded on impact, he was still probably doing over 100+ mph!
Thread Starter
Teching In
Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 42
Likes: 0
From: Visalia, CA
I race at englishtown all the time. There is no wall there. NHRA put it up when they come in, rent out the track, for NHRA Powerade drag racing events. It's there for safety. There is nothing that's going to save you when you loose all control at 300mph+, there cannot be endless roads into oblivion at every track.
You must be the designer. Can you please fly on over to Central California so I can punch you right in the face. Then we can discuss whether I was wrong or right in person. I know nothing can save you at those speeds, but why in gods green earth would someone put something in there that would pretty much guarantee that you won't survive. Thats what makes no sense. Whatever. It just plain sucks that someone lost his life.
I'm not the designer, I'm just an avid racer who has just witnessed a horrible tradgedy, and while most will call for modifications, track re evaluations, rule book changes, and more safety precautions, at the end of the day, these are guys who are well aware of the danger they present to themselves by getting into 300mph, 7000hp cars. Race car drivers aren't idiots, they know the extremely dangerous nature of their sport, unfortunately, accidents like this are a very real possibility. Lots of 320+mph runs have been accomplished successfully at englishtown, and it's not like scott kalitta attempted to stop safely but was killed because he didn't have enough room. There are so many contributing factors *like his parachute not deploying* that you cannot place blame on anyone or anything. I know lots will argue and dispute, but it's what i think. anyways, heres a picture I took yesterday while at the last day of the supernats... rip scott
