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

Is it time   maybe that the  extra ( Funny car/ dragster)  style    add ons  to the tops of  the cage like some run now be mandatory?   And also   the  left side bars   or  as I have heard them called   "sissy bars"  be mandatory?   I honestly think those 2 things  can   save  some injuries.   I watched an accident  tonight  that made me imediately cringe on impact cause  of  how it unfolded (usually pretty jaded   to  crashes).  I am not an expert in this stuff at all  as I just sit in the stands and try to study  as much as I can. I am a drag racer   of an open bodied car  though  and   have   thoughts that somethings in sprint cars could be different for safety.  The one other thing I se happening   is  weight minimums    getting higher.  If we keep going heavier  should we look at   tubing  diameter  and or wall thickness  in the future?   These are just question I have that I think  could  have racers  be safer.  Nothing based on   experience with thes cars other than watching. 

Finally livin the dirt dream.

Good post.   I think it is time.    However, I am not sure how we would go about doing it.   The real answer would be to do what Nascar did with the COT.   Take a new sheet of paper and build a new car with both safety and costs in mind.   It would be a new car thus you would not be trying to craft the rules to form to the old cars.   If you did this, you could address wall thicknes, tube diameters, driver compartment safety, and at the same time have spec parts to address all of the lightweight parts that are driving up costs.  

The last time this was tried in the open wheel world was with the USAC Gold crown cars (replace the silver crown cars)  and that expiment was a failue.   Some people claim that the new cars was the beginning of the end for the silver crown cars.  

Also, even if the major sanctions came together and did this (WOO, All-Stars, IRA, Knoxville, etc)  The majority of car owners would not come over and you would see a bunch of true outlaw shows.

Halo bars and "sissy" bars could easily be retrofitted to current chassis at minimal costs.................

SUPPORT WILDLIFE, go to a sprint car race! 

All it takes is watching Godfrey's sled test to see that sprint cages are long overdue for a redesign.  I think it can be done without significantly altering the appearance,  and marginal increase in weight.   Halo and safety cage don't go far enough in my mind-  it's better triangulation to strengthen the front and rear cage upright that would be first on my list.  

I agree! The halo bars and sissy bar in my opinion    are something  that  can be Bent up and notched in bulk  and fit right  on with   with little  actual work  involved  at the  chassis shop.    Some  powder coat/paint grindin  some welding  etc.   I would be that with  pre bent   and pre notched    kits, a car could be  done in  less than 2 hrs  fab work.    I just think   we need to keep   objects away from drivers.    I think seats on some car need to be addressed also  by the rules.   Love my sprint car racing but I honestly think just a few little  things  can make a huge difference  for  our drivers  safety.  It will never be safe  but  safer  is a good thing.

Finally livin the dirt dream.

I agree here too.  I am just thinking for now      quick and   inexpensive  little fixes   could be done that would make a  good difference.  From reports I have read  the most common  injuries    in open  wheel cars  is intrusion.  Lets  maybe just start   keeping some stuff  away from the drivers.  Then we can look into a possible redesign.   The cars are for sure going faster .  It may be as easy as tubuing diameters  and wall thicknesses    a  some gussets  are all that are needed instead of a coompleter redesign.   In the cars I drive  for each  speed increase   we have different chassis specs.  And  different specs for speed  based on weight of class. Just ideas.  I don't think we  need  totally different cars   but  maybe a couple changes.  I also have another question.  Is some of the tubing and design     a big deal  in how the cars drive and handle.  Like if you add a halo bar  does it  totally change  how the car drives    cause it stiffens the  chassis?

Finally livin the dirt dream.

I don't understand why anyone would have to MANDATE safety in racing.  Anyone who straps in with less than stellar safety equipment is a douchebag anyways.  Drivers who like tires coming inside their cockpit during a crash because they dont want chicken bars on the car due to to wrong chassis flex just baffles me.

do it in the dirt

I agree that it should not be mandated. There are also other things to consider when we start talking about closing off the cage of the car. Like getting out of a fire for example. My driver uses the saftey cage on the left side to keep cars from entering the inside of the cage. He does not like the saftey bar on the right however for a couple of reasons. Firstly if the car lands in a fashion that closes off the cockpit on the left side (folds wing over, has another car there, etc.), he can push the aluminum arm guard out of the way and get out. He has been trapped in a car with a folded wing and did not like it. Halos are however a pretty good idea. MY driver spent a night in the hospital after a wing ram came down and split his helmet back in the early 90's. Unfortunately there is no way to anticipate what an accident might bring, so it is up to the driver to decide what he will or will not deal with. He also needs to deal with the consequences of those decisions, regardless of what those consequences might be. For those who have mentioned that someone should make a safety bar kit, they already have. You can buy kits for the halo and for the vertical side bars for just about any chassis on the market. I have purchased the vertical kits for my cars and will continue to do so in the future. 

Never hit stationary objects!

If any race team can't find a Halo or can't afford one ... we (XXX) will be more than happy to give you one FREE.  Regardless of your chassis make.  It's notched and tacked, so is ready to install into your Sprint Car.  It will fit most chassis.

Just email [email protected] with your contact information.

Halo Details:

http://www.triplexraceparts.com/ProductDetails.asp?ProductCode=TXRC%2DSC%2DCH%2D0020

It would be nice if the Halo bar could be securely bolted on. With the halo bar welded on it makes it difficult to use extraction devices and backboards. If the rescue crews could remove the bar it would make it easier and safer to remove the driver.

Unfortunately it seems that drivers will get into equipment without a second thought as to the quality, safety, etc.  Seems to be the nature of the beast.  Having said that, I think the last thing the sport needs is to mandate safety requirements.  After all, we already have too much "Big Brother" oversight from the government.

Tucson Osty

+1

Never hit stationary objects!

what a stand up thing to offer.  hats off to you sir!!  the sport need more people like this   

Thats awesome!

Finally livin the dirt dream.

Not a bad idea  but there is always that chance   that a bolted item be bent enough you can't get the bolts out.  What I saw the other night   wouldn't have mattered as the whole cage was cut off  anyhow.  The  other thing that concerns me  is why   is it not mandatory for  a race track  to have a  specialty tool  for cutting tubing?    I was   not real impressed with   what I saw the other night    in that   aspect.  Even an old  out dated  hurst/Phoenix    tool    should be  something every  track has.  IMO. That and if  a driver were  using a full containment seat  there would be no way they were coming out straight up  without cutting the top of the seat  anyhow.

Finally livin the dirt dream.

LOL the dirt track   ain't  got nothin on   the drag strip when it comes to big brother. JS    Yall at the dirt track have it easy on  Tech and requirements.  But if   they  keep    havin   injuries   like   this as often as it has been happenin.  (all over the local new here and racing is NEVER on the news)   soon it will be  way  more   $$$  and  tech than you have now.  All it will take is one lawyer.  I say  we try and keep them away     with the little simple things  that can be mandated  by sanctioning bodies  instead of lawyers.  Just my opinion  from  a drit fan and  racer.

Finally livin the dirt dream.