Safety? Think About yours!
03-25-2007, 01:42 AM
#1
Safety? Think About yours! Here is a little some thing to think about next time it comes to putting safety in your car.
http://www.outlawracing.com/MESSAGEF...c/Default.aspx
And you guys wonder why I am putting a full cage in my car?
http://www.outlawracing.com/MESSAGEF...c/Default.aspx
And you guys wonder why I am putting a full cage in my car?
03-25-2007, 01:54 AM
#2
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That is sad.
I understand why you are doing it Ellis. After your rather abrupt and unplanned lane change last year that would be enough for me to make sure I was safe.
I understand why you are doing it Ellis. After your rather abrupt and unplanned lane change last year that would be enough for me to make sure I was safe.
03-25-2007, 02:38 AM
#3
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My heart goes out to his family.
There's a reason the rules are what they are. If you can hit 11.5 you NEED to protect yourself. They say he hit the beam at 160mph, what kind of 1/4 time is that? 8 seconds? On stock suspension? On the first pass he ever took in the car? Wow!!!
Be safe out there guys! It's scary enough reading about it happening to someone you don't know. I'd hate it to be one of us.
There's a reason the rules are what they are. If you can hit 11.5 you NEED to protect yourself. They say he hit the beam at 160mph, what kind of 1/4 time is that? 8 seconds? On stock suspension? On the first pass he ever took in the car? Wow!!!
Be safe out there guys! It's scary enough reading about it happening to someone you don't know. I'd hate it to be one of us.
03-25-2007, 03:12 AM
#4
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he was clocked at 124 but still that's a hell of a speed to hit that beam at. Reminds me that I still need to pick up the door bars for the WS6 from Bill.
And depending on the car and how the suspension is tuned a stock suspension can get you a long way. And if I remember correctly "stock suspension" is referring to the factory style suspension when it comes to those classes (for example RyanK's car save for a lil welding on the control arms and relocation brackets I believe it's all stock with coil overs?! but I could be wrong). instead of going to a 4-link or back halving the car.
Any age is too young in my opinion... But I know if it was me my friends would say at least I died doing what I loved.
And depending on the car and how the suspension is tuned a stock suspension can get you a long way. And if I remember correctly "stock suspension" is referring to the factory style suspension when it comes to those classes (for example RyanK's car save for a lil welding on the control arms and relocation brackets I believe it's all stock with coil overs?! but I could be wrong). instead of going to a 4-link or back halving the car.
Any age is too young in my opinion... But I know if it was me my friends would say at least I died doing what I loved.
03-25-2007, 08:15 AM
#6
Worst part about all of it (other then the loss) is how some tracks are sketchy on teching the cars correctly.
I would rather have a track that never let me run with things wrong or not up to specifications. Then have a track let me run and then damage my car or even worse die.
.02
Tony.
I would rather have a track that never let me run with things wrong or not up to specifications. Then have a track let me run and then damage my car or even worse die.
.02
Tony.
03-25-2007, 09:23 AM
#7
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I agree with you Ellis, safety first. My car was good to 10.0 when it was running 11s. Bur you know, it has NEVER been teched! When I ran my 1st 10 they came over & asked some questions, I showed them some SFI #s & they walked away. 
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03-25-2007, 11:35 AM
#8
Yes it seems at times they are not teching again. They go from an all on assault to waving you through.
One thing I see is the "Thats Good enough" attitude. You know the "that will get me by" thing Instead of the "Will that save my life?" thing
It is very sad to see a fellow racer die but there have been a few in the past few years. Racers have always died just like Pro Foot ball players have always got hurt.
This guy was clocked at 124MPH IN THE 1/8th! and was making his first full 1/4 mile pass. So sad to see this happen. Even here at LS1 tech we have lost a few cars in the trapp's for one reason or another. Just last fall Mighty Mouse lost his car in the trapp's. I see alot of people doing things on tires that are questionable. They figure what the hell it can't happen to me.
Well guess what? It can happen to ANY of us!
One thing I see is the "Thats Good enough" attitude. You know the "that will get me by" thing Instead of the "Will that save my life?" thing
It is very sad to see a fellow racer die but there have been a few in the past few years. Racers have always died just like Pro Foot ball players have always got hurt.
This guy was clocked at 124MPH IN THE 1/8th! and was making his first full 1/4 mile pass. So sad to see this happen. Even here at LS1 tech we have lost a few cars in the trapp's for one reason or another. Just last fall Mighty Mouse lost his car in the trapp's. I see alot of people doing things on tires that are questionable. They figure what the hell it can't happen to me.
Well guess what? It can happen to ANY of us!
03-25-2007, 11:44 AM
#9
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Originally Posted by TwoFast4Lv
And you guys wonder why I am putting a full cage in my car?
You are correct of course, safety should always come before hp mods IMO. Although it sounds like in this particular case he would've died even if he had been in the huge padded barrel that the last guy who went over the Niagra falls used
It truly was a freak accident. It sounds like he went OVER the guard rail without even touching it and then slammed drivers door first into a huge metal beam that had no give in it at all. It seems like some type of foam block setup or other energy absorbing barrier in front of that beam is the only thing that could've saved him. What a sad, tragic accident. I need to address quite a few safety issues on my Camaro immediately.
03-25-2007, 12:10 PM
#10
Yes Bill I agree. The Tracks those guys run on are old and need updates but it is very expensive and no one wants to help or pay for them. The tracks we run at can have as much to do with what happens as we do. From track Prep to Track design they have a huge effect on our safety. The people working at the track have a huge effect on our safety. Unfortunately we have no control what so ever over them. This is one of the reasons I do not like running a PR. Many Times SOME of the people who are in control are just on a power trip and have no real clue. All they know is if you do not act like nice little lemmings they get to kick you out. They really could care less other then that.
Think about it is OUR lives
Think about it is OUR lives
03-25-2007, 12:49 PM
#11
Yea, safety is #1. I even strap my stock belt over the top of my harness set-up. I have personally witnessed a few deaths at Puyallup Drag Strip, and it's usually because of owner/driver cars not up to spec; but, that track was no diamond for sure. I have been in a few roll overs and have lucked out, wish i had gone with a full cage now. keep it safe guys.
Robert
Robert
03-25-2007, 01:08 PM
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The car was not certified and the fastest they have every been in the car was a 5.38 in the 1/8mile. At the time he wreak, he was clocked at 123mph at the 1/4 mile and 117mph at the 1/8
. 
03-25-2007, 08:21 PM
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It's interesting to read this, and then have a day like today at PR. Just as I got there(the early guys had all gotten one run in already) an old Firebird hit the wall and did some track damage out toward the 1/4 mark. After 90 minutes of sitting around they make an unusual call. The rest of the day will be 1/8 mile only due to safety concerns related to the track damage at the far end of the 1/4. They also give everyone the choice of:
a) staying for the 1/8 runs
b) taking a rain check for next time
c) getting a full refund
I was pleased that they put safety first and were willing to give refunds to back it up. That's the kind of positive change PR needs. I hope they keep it up.
a) staying for the 1/8 runs
b) taking a rain check for next time
c) getting a full refund
I was pleased that they put safety first and were willing to give refunds to back it up. That's the kind of positive change PR needs. I hope they keep it up.
03-26-2007, 09:52 AM
#19
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About PR, Tails said this over on the GTO board..
"I talked with several people that knew the driver of the Firebird and it turns out that he did not hit the wall. He stopped about 3 inches short. The problem was that there is a creek that runs underneath the track and it was seeping through and causing an oil and water mix on the track. I do know that just after the 1/8 my wheels would do a little hop."
Quite odd....
"I talked with several people that knew the driver of the Firebird and it turns out that he did not hit the wall. He stopped about 3 inches short. The problem was that there is a creek that runs underneath the track and it was seeping through and causing an oil and water mix on the track. I do know that just after the 1/8 my wheels would do a little hop."
Quite odd....
