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

I think Lincoln speedway should take the helmet incident very seriously. The kid should should be parked for a few weeks to think about what happened. I don't care if your dad is the all time winningest driver or not. Nobody wants to see another sprint car driver killed for something stupid like an improper fitting or unstrapped helmet.

Fast is sweet but, sweeter on dirt.

I agree with you that its definitely a serious issue and I along with everyone else who saw that helmet rolling down the frontstretch, am glad that nothing terrible happened. However, as far as parking him, I'll have to respectfully disagree. Fred is about as old school as they come and there's no question, he's bringing his boys up through the sprint car ranks the right way. If they screw up and do something stupid, you can best believe he's going to give them a major ass chewing. Fred has always been a no B.S. kind of guy and that's one of many reasons so many people loved him and so many hated him. If little Freddie did something stupid, I'm sure Fred will make sure he knows about it and doesn't happen again. If that is the case, it wouldn't surprise me at all if Fred made him sit out himself. On the other hand, if it was some sort of equipment flaw or failure, there's no doubt that will be dealt with too. I think the speedway stepping in and issuing a punishment is going just a bit overboard. However I wouldn't have a problem at all if they say something about it at the drivers meeting next week, in fact, if I were the one conducting the meeting, I would. I totally agree though, that was scary and I hope whatever it was that led to that doesn't happen again because that could've been really bad if it were a more serious accident.

My opinion is the track should take action if it wasn't an equipment failure. If it was a failure I would be tracking down the equipment supplier.  A track owner, an insurance company, another driver nor any fans of the sport need to hear about or see an incident like that. If mommy, daddy or a track crew member needs to check your helmet, you should still be racing rookie go karts with 5-12 year olds. Fred's son or not. 

Fast is sweet but, sweeter on dirt.

How many drivers wear a head and neck device? And was there a long red before racing got back under way? From the look driver forget to restrap helmet. Then tried to open visor and opened helmet off of head.

I just hope Lincoln Speedway and the Rahmers check the Hoseheads forums so they will know exactly how they should handle this incedent. Im sure they will send you a thank you card for making assumptions about why it happened and what they should do to punish Freddie even though you have no clue as to what exactly happened. PAphenom, Its good to know when you strap into your 410 there will be no chance of a helmet coming off because you dont need anyone else to check your saftey gear, good luck next week at Lincoln or whereever it is that you race your sprinter.

if you watch the video on HH main page it looks like he unstrapped his helmet after the first incident assuming he was done for the day. they must have repaired the car or it was not wrecked and he went back out and in a rush to get back out forgot his helmet was unstrapped.

In the intetrset of safety, this incident needs investigated. Not to place blame, but to figure out cause. Anyone that has worked in industry knows that safety has to be first & foremost every day, hour & minute. Accidents & near miss accidents being investigated is always a sure fire way to improve safety. Do the investigation and deal with the cause. The worse thing to do is "do nothing" or assume somebody elses is looking into it. We either have an unsafe condition or an unsafe act. Figure it out and deal with it.  

"You will never know it was your "Day" until it's over"

Refer to the post above your last rant, I think they solved the mystery, so what do you think we should do? I know, make the helmet strap a link in the ignition so it has to be strapped or the car won't fire. Or maybe treat this like a innocent yet dangerous mistake made by a young driver who will never forget to strap his helmet again. Let's be grateful nothing bad happened and let the track and the Rahmer crew figure out what if anything should be done at this point.

 "Let's be grateful nothing bad happened and let the track and the Rahmer crew figure out what if anything should be done at this point"

"You will never know it was your "Day" until it's over"

minute mark 2:35 - the helmet already fell out the left side of the car prior to hitting the wall...rolls past the stopped car and into the infield cut thru.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fm19cVIeNbU&feature=youtube_gdata

Lincoln 1845 ft/.35 mile T1=118MPH 
Eldora 2287 ft/.43mile T3=135MPH
Port 2716 ft/.51 mile T3=TBD
Grove 2792 ft/.53 mile T3=135MPH
Selinsgrove 2847 ft/.54 mile T1=136MPH
"I didn't move to PA from El Paso in search of better 
weather." Van May

Thanks staggerlee. I'll be sure to park my open right next to your $500k trailer too. Maybe we can be teammates buddy. All joking aside it sounds as if you probably sleep butt to face with Fred being that you are defending an extremely serious incident. The day that I dont stand up to speak my mind on safety will never come. If my opinion that safety comes before scrapping a 18th place finish for a few hundred dollars is good enough for anybody then dont comment. Oh and by the way if you want to borrow my 3 layer nomex suit, my custom fit Hans device, racetech seat and the rest of my gear please come over. I'll gladly unbolt it from my car for anyone else to use.

Fast is sweet but, sweeter on dirt.

Look at 3:55 of same video helmet comes out right side of cockpit and then rolls down track. They reran same video with 2 diffrent angles.

So this driver doesn't use a head and neck device or helmet could not of got out of cockpit.

He did have a H&N restraint on, but they only work if the helmet actully is hooked up to it. He does not have a Hans but one of those chest harness type deals (saw him and his brother walking around earlier in the day with them on).

If as noted above he thought he was done for the day, then got back out on the track in a hurry, an I can see the plausibility of circumstances that lead to it happening, but that doesn't excuse it from happening.

I do not profess to know it all and when it comes down to this situation, I do not know anything about it except for what I am reading on here.  Correct me if I am wrong, but isn't there some sort of rule where a team is responsible for 'parts' etc. on the car meaning if say a muffler falls off, or maybe something else, you are possibly penalized for failing to maintain said part onto car?  Wouldn't a HELMET be a part of the car that you are responsible for?  Being ignorant to any rules regarding this, I would say that there should be some sort of penalty.  Parts or 'helmets' cannot just be flying off willy nilly.  Just sayin' and JMO

I'm not defending the incedent and I have never even talked to Fred Rahmer, my point is, mind your own damn business and let the Rahmer mind theirs.  The kid messed up could have cost him dealy, I'm sure it's been dealt with and your comments have nothing to do with it. You worry about your helmet and let everyone else worry about theirs, that's it, nothing more.

If you are required to run a Muffler. Yes you are DQ'ed if it falls off because of noise. You are also DQ'ed if weight or ballast falls off of the car and is found on the track.

Now for the rest of the parts, can run if a Knurf bar is knocked off. Other parts such as a helmet is a safety item, that is of the driver. Driver should be pist off at the crew for letting them go back on track with out having helmet strapped on. And H&N hooked up.

I have never seen a helmet come out the side of a car even if not strapped on. I have seen them come off if the car flips thought.