Forum: HoseHeads Sprint Car General Forum (go)
Moderators: dirtonly  /  dmantx  /  hosehead

I'll be quite honest, I was watching Lasoski and McCarl cut through the field and didn't see your wreck (just the aftermath).

As a fan, I LOVE watching sprint cars and feel that all of you that drive one (even a 305) are the BRAVEST sprint car drivers in the world.

I too believe that safety is constantly evolving and the fences do need to be raised (especially in turns 1 and 2). Had your wreck occurred in that corner, I think we could be debating about a disaster in the event that a Semi or passenger vehicle had been there at that moment in time).

I do fear about some of the immediate responses I hear when people talk about the catch fencing used at NASCAR tracks to stop sprint cars. Those fences are "shredders" as evidenced by the tragedy with Dan Wheldon @ Las Vegas last year. That type of fencing IS NOT the answer for open wheel cars that can get airborne.

I am fairly confident that Toby Kruse (as well as other officials) will discuss raising the fences following the season.

I'm sorry if I read too much into your blog about the speeds of the cars, that wasn't my intention. My intention was to illustrate the changes over the years. In the 60's and 70's, many cars didn't even have rollcages, the tires were narrow and the tracks were rough (and subsequently speeds were obviously a lot slower). In the 80's, the high dollar teams had Big Blocks and the speeds between the "fast guys" and everyone else were huge disparity (but safety was basically an afterthought).

Now we are in the 2010's and the differnce in safety features is HUGE when you look at it over the course of the eras. I'm not sure that everyone looks at safety over the course of XX # of years like I do. Unfortunately, it's a big guessing game on safety. You can prepare for everything you can imagine, then boom, one night the unimaginable happens.

It was nights like last Saturday that I remember why I buy 50/50 tickets from the KRCO every week. Some (not all) competitors wouldn't have spent the $$ on full containment seats, the best helmet on the market, a new fire suit, fireproof underwear, etc. without the KRCO either purchasing it or giving them certificates toward the purchase of it during the annual awards banquet.

I have seen TONS of safety changes @ Knoxville in my lifetime (as I'm sure you have as well) including when the old "board" fence was repaced with the ARMCO railing. When after (I think maybe it was David Hesmer, but not sure) a car tumbled down the backstretch and tore down the caution lights that all of the Green/Yellow/Red lighting was moved to the infield, outside the fence or imbedded into the fence so it was still visible to the competitors, but no longer a safety issue for them. When after a fire in the 1980's, the Safety Crew got fire suits to wear and safety became more and more of a priority (for both the rescue personnel and the drivers/teams). When the KRCO starting purchasing ADDITIONAL insurance for the drivers so in the event they got hurn in an accident it wouldn't cripple their family financially.

As they always tell us at my employer, Safety is not a destination, it's a journey that never ends.

My wife told me if I went to one more Sprint Car race 
she would leave me.................I'm sure gonna miss 
that ol' gal. 

I agree with 90% of Austins post and blog, I too have gotten a "bunt" as we call it and feels like a elephant stepped on your guts and sat on your head , wobbeling around for a week in the shop cutting whats left of your chassis apart to get the motor out is no fun, expessially when your racing on your dime , I feel your frustration Austin I really do, the information id like to throw out there to observe and chew on is this , its something I particulary care try to forget but almost became obsessed to find out what really happened , I watched Steve King early in the night and was drawn to his car because of its sound? is it geared low?? or headers? or what? as a driver i was disgusted and actually nervous to step in a car again, after Steves fatality I didnt Know Steve personally , but I felt like I did? oddly? raising the catch fence would also increase your impact if sturdy enuff to keep you in the park, this isnt a easy topic, which is best to approach this matter from? I know , theres too many variables, such as if it were nationals, Austins incident would possibly be more catastrophic to bystanders? , all of us would have a lump in our throats if something were to happen to anyone , nobody wants to see anybody hurt or worse fatally injured , Austin would be the first to tell you, Hell no! i didnt slow down before impact , but if the catch fence was taller more sturdy would the impact be worse? just a 50/50 deal , i dont have any answers but just throwing it out there for debate , any driver feels appauled when they are crashed out, thats understandable, but, most of us that have taken a tumble and recieved a couple cat scans, a couple sets of X rays, a black eye, sore from head to toe , and spilling blood in your urin, definetly try not make that mistake on anyone !