Another Funny Car driver killed!
- Thread starter RPM
- Start date
Top Alcohol Funny driver, it looks like he is a local at that track. RIP
Over the decades I raced and spectated, I've seen some very bad accidents. None where anyone was killed or seriously injured with the exception of Don Gay some years ago getting burned when his funny car caught fire.
Given the low numbers of accidents and even lower numbers of injuries, it's news when someone is killed or seriously injured. Otherwise, the dominent liberal establishment media ignores drag racing
The most dangerous part of racing is is getting to and from the track. It's why I quit racing my street bike and then riding it home on Friday nights.
Our thoughts and condolences go out to this racer's family and friends.
Given the low numbers of accidents and even lower numbers of injuries, it's news when someone is killed or seriously injured. Otherwise, the dominent liberal establishment media ignores drag racing
The most dangerous part of racing is is getting to and from the track. It's why I quit racing my street bike and then riding it home on Friday nights.
Our thoughts and condolences go out to this racer's family and friends.
Mike
Well-Known Member
Errrr, the infamous 'wall' at Englishtown is behind the starting line, not at the end of the track.
The way Old Bridge Raceway was constructed, there is really no way to not have multiple containment methods, else the cars would end up going through some trees and onto a county road.
You can see what I'm talking about, HERE.
Pea gravel in the trap, twin catch nets and water barriers are all in place. But they are there to help stop cars having problems stopping on their own, not to stop cars with no chutes. Take a look at Alexis Dejoria's crash at E-town in 2009 in an Alcohol Funny Car. Pay particular attention to how the car wadded up, at around 3:20 - 3:25.
[media]
A friend was killed in a TA/FC at Beech Bend Raceway, several years back. The car left and the tires went square. It shook so hard, the driver was knocked unconscious. The car immediately veered over and struck the right wall, breaking the steering and also bending the headers into the body. All of this took place in the first 80-100 feet, so there was very little speed involved. With the broken steering, as the car idled down track, it just kept hitting the right wall until the front end broke enough to bring the car to a stop. By then, the broken headers had the body ablaze and the driver succumbed to burn injuries a couple days later.
Had the guard wall not been there, the car would have ventured across a grassy area and into a fence, the other side of which were the spectator grandstands.
At some point, we have to accept there must be methods to keep race cars confined.
The way Old Bridge Raceway was constructed, there is really no way to not have multiple containment methods, else the cars would end up going through some trees and onto a county road.
You can see what I'm talking about, HERE.
Pea gravel in the trap, twin catch nets and water barriers are all in place. But they are there to help stop cars having problems stopping on their own, not to stop cars with no chutes. Take a look at Alexis Dejoria's crash at E-town in 2009 in an Alcohol Funny Car. Pay particular attention to how the car wadded up, at around 3:20 - 3:25.
[media]
A friend was killed in a TA/FC at Beech Bend Raceway, several years back. The car left and the tires went square. It shook so hard, the driver was knocked unconscious. The car immediately veered over and struck the right wall, breaking the steering and also bending the headers into the body. All of this took place in the first 80-100 feet, so there was very little speed involved. With the broken steering, as the car idled down track, it just kept hitting the right wall until the front end broke enough to bring the car to a stop. By then, the broken headers had the body ablaze and the driver succumbed to burn injuries a couple days later.
Had the guard wall not been there, the car would have ventured across a grassy area and into a fence, the other side of which were the spectator grandstands.
At some point, we have to accept there must be methods to keep race cars confined.Similar threads
