What should be done to make drag car races safer?

Earlier today NHRA Funny Car driver Scott Kalitta died after his Toyota Solara burst into flames at 300 mph and crashed into a wall at the end of the Old Bridge Township Raceway Park in Englishtown, New Jersey.

Kalitta, 46, was the 1994 and 1995 Top Fuel season champion and  had 18 career victories (17 in Top Fuel and one in Funny Car).

Last year Funny Car driver Eric Medlen died after an accident in a testing session at Gainesville, FL.

What, then do you think should be done to make this type of racing safer?

-- Tony Pierce

Comments

[Dan]

It is shocking that there was a limited runoff area and the concrete baracades at the end of the race track. The track owners are ultimately liable for the poor design of the safety zone that led to the death of this champion competitor.

[Charlie F.]

Every race I've ever seen in NHRA competition had a large gravel trap at the end of the runoff area. At ~300mph I don't know how much this would have helped, but its absence at this venue is disappointing.

[jj fish]

Dan, This is one hell of a horrible tragedy but, when you see the car burst into flames at mid track, what does that have to do with the end of the track? This is one of the premier tracks in the country. On friday night when I was there, a dragster driver hit the net at the end of the track after running into the sand as should happen according to design, and the driver was unscathed. The problem is not the design of that track. The danger of the sport escapes us spectators as we watch these cars racing at over 300 mph and finishing safely time after time. Anything can happen when something goes wrong with those engines.

[BigTomT]

The question was how to make the sport safer... Isn't the whole point that it's not safe? Tragic when it takes the life of or injures anyone. I think the drivers understand the risk and I think that the sports real fans do too. The only way to make it safer is not to do it or watch the entire sport devolve into WWF with go-carts.

[Thomas]

jj, these cars explode all the time and the drivers walk away, the fact that the runoff area was too short and ended in a big concrete wall is most likely what killed him which seems to have caused another explosion based on the video.

I love drag racing, I go all the time and I compete as well but it is tragic when these things happen. I hope they are able to at least get enough data to avoid something like this in the future from this crash.

I am in shock that they did not cancel the event for tomorrow, the drivers are not going to be able to focus enough which is extremely dangerous.

In any case: Rest in peace Scott Kalitta, I was a big fan. My heart goes out to his family and friends

[john]

this is truly a sad day for motorsports a drivers death is a grim wakeup call to the others that do the same job as for what can be done to make things safer have a sand / gravel trap and have some of the safer walls that nascar has perhaps that would have prevented this event from taking place

[Tom Loujghlin Jr]

June 22, 2008 (3:40am)
Dear editor or whom it may concern:
Regarding press and blog “teasers” asking the public “What should be done to make drag racing safer.?” following the Scott Kalitta crash fatality:

Whatever is done , if anything, it should now and always be done entirely under the aegis of the racing bodies and insurance firms which lose so heavily in not only the loss of a family member, but in cold hard cash in the immediate and long term whenever a human life is either compromised or taken. Their efforts are not only emotionally imperative, they are imperative in the most reliable of motivators..that of maintaining viable businesses. They have experts with decades of experience in analyzing and responding to new circumstances and have never failed to make racing safer and safer.
These efforts should NEVER by any political body whose existence is nearly always self-justified as existing for the public good, when in reality, they exist for their own self-propagation and salaries. These ghoulish groups magnify and distort tragedy to horrify the masses of public citizens who are totally ignorant of facts and circumstances of tragedies, bridge collapses, train and airplane crashes, etc.. These bodies create witch hunts, and equip the ignorant but well-intended with torches to burn the status quo which intelligent and reality responsive expert people and groups have built...and try to replace it with panic built structures, procedures and laws set in place in haste by the politicians to enhance and insure the ever increasing grip of government (and their own influence) over the citizens of our "Land of the Free and Home of the Brave".

I am a drag racing event promoter and safety official who as personally produced and officiated at more than 300 national and major regional championship auto drag racing events, motorcycle drag racing events, and been a motorsports columnist covering the mid-years development of NASCAR from 1969-1991.
Events in which I was principal official, or supervising safety official, NEVER suffered a fatality of a participant or spectator...300 events, in which more than 50,000 entrants raced, and more than 1,000,000 fans attended in person.
None of my rules or procedures were government set regulations.
I did not race in any facility or state in which government controlled any aspect of racing other than traffic control after I saw the MESS that Connecticut made of their supervision of racing.
NHRA’s record, far broader and longer in time is just as impressive..but few consider the decades of quiet success when it is more convenient and profitable to rail and bay and clamor raising the hue and cry when the exception (an accident like Kalitta’s) should be considered as proving in its noticeability...the rarity of such happenings...and the non-need for outside intervention.
As a licensed insurance broker from 1977-2006 involved in motorsports as well as personal line insurance, I can attest to the intense scrutiny and constant communication between insurance carriers , sanctioning bodies and individual track owners to make racing safer for spectators and competitors alike It was intense during my involvement and is even more so now.
No government body could replicate that effort.or substantiallhy or meaningfully improve it.
Any attempt to do so would cause a horrific taxpayer burden and create no benefit...more likely, hamper the effective efforts of the current sanctioning bodies and insurance companies...as they do in other areas of life.
As an expert of 43 years of professional experience in operating motorsports events and creating rules for them, I simply implore one and all reading this to please let motorsports experts and insurance loss prevention experts continue to do the great job they are doing now and have done since motorsports transcended its adolescence in the 1950's.
Sincerely,
Thomas E Loughlin Jr.
Utica NY - American Motorcyclist Association Off Road Promoter of the Year 1985
Public Relations Director- Utica Rome Dragway 1969-1978
Special Events Promoter E.S.T.A Dragway Cicero NY 1971-1978
Phone unlisted (provide on contact)
Email -telsport@yahoo.com

[ken trichak AKA fuelfreakforever]

The tragic death of Scott Kalita. Although the bigger tragedy is this was another loss that shouldnt have happened. The modern day top fuel or funny car goes well over 300 mph. way fast for the same shut-down areas used 40 yrs ago,when these race cars where running under 200 mph. Some tracks have improved most have not.Period! I Believe with a little efffort many of the past fatalities could have been avoided. We should start with a proactive instead of reactive behavior.

[P]

Please stick to the facts. Yes, you can say that there was limited runoff area. Ok, but the car exploded long before he reached that point, which is clearly an indication that something with the car malfunctioned.

I'm sorry people, but as much as you may wish for there to be perfection at the racetrack, it's humanly impossible. There will be accidents and mishaps, it's all a part of the sport. While this accident is very unfortunate, these things happen and drivers, as well as spectators, are well aware of the risks before making the decision to participate.

[SteveA]

I was a spectator right at the finish line when this happened. I do agree that the track should have had a longer runout. On the other hand, the engine blew up like a bomb. The windshield, roof, and many other parts were blown close to 80 feet in the air. We were all ducking because we thought we would get hit by them. I doubt he was conscious when the car hit the back wall. These engines make over 8,000 horsepower, which makes them a controlled explosion on wheels. Drivers know that when they get in to them...that's the allure of the sport. Until the NHRA starts making limitations on engine horsepower to make them more reliable and safer, we will continue to see this

[nitrofan]

hey there tom a little paranoid aren't you? That sand trap is too damn short. Period. end of story. any idiot can see that. over.

[Geno - USA]

Some will please correct me if I am wrong, but hasn't the runoff area at Englishtown been criticized before? My understanding is that the concrete pole holding up the net was added due to the limited space for shutdown and safety. Maybe it is time to move whatever is behind the speedway (yes, expensive) and make the damn place reasonably safe?

A concrete pole and a net is a terrible stopgap measure when all that is needed is space and sand. This particular tragedy was both predictable and preventable. Everyone with sense holds their breath when a car runs off at full tilt - even worse when they know there is a short runoff and a wall in Englishtown.

[nitrofan]

freeze frame this video at 19 seconds. How the hell could they have the catch fence anchored where it was. you've got to be kidding me.
in an interview prudhomme said it's 'pretty much impossible to hit'
really. bullcrap snake. BULLCRAP.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3_zb64jpY0c&feature=related

[Radical Raul]

I was the first one who attempted to post a comment very similar to Mr. Laughlin's, but for some reason it was not.

Safety in my opinion is sometimes over emphasized by the ruling bodies, limiting the true potential of the race cars. I believe the NHRA should pull back on the nitro again and allow the implementation of complete clutch and engine management computer systems instead of the limited engine management computers they have now.

In regards to the accident in question I am sure the NHRA and track owners will be analyzing this accident over and over; addressing and implementing safety enhancements in the very near future.

[mike stephenson]

they should have a sand trap, and a web fence to slow these cars down when the driver is not capable of slowing the car, not a concrete barrier, i cant belive what i seen, i send my smypathy to the family.

[Jim T]

Drag racing is an inherently dangerous sport. Accidents happen all the time; fortunately most of them aren't fatal. Sure, they can impose technical safety rules on the cars (as they have), they can improve tracks (as they have); but not much is gonna protect a driver from a driveshaft snap, or a fuel explosion, or steering going bad at 200+ MPH, or you name it. And as one reader already pointed out, the rules we impose today can become obsolete tomorrow. Every driver and owner knows all these things; but they choose to race anyway for love of the sport. RIP, Scott Kalitta.

[Alice]

In this day of concern over fuel consumption and global warming, I'm surprised the greenies haven't jumped on Mr. Kalitta's death to urge an end to drag racing and other motor sports.

[garry tarvin]

It is true that these cars experience mihaps quite frequently, however, this one is very different in that the shutdown area for this track is extremely inadequate for the speeds the cars are travelling today. alot of these tracks were built decadeds ago when top speeds were not as fast as they currently are. NHRA need to step up and inact a track requirment for proper length of shutdown areas at the tracks that have fallen behind. THIS death could have been prevented, there is a difference between deaths that occur within the confines of safety and those that are grossly negligent. a real shame for the sport.

[Jeff]

I was there. I race at E-Town. From the 1320' to the end of the track is long enough and the sand trap does its job. What the video doesn't show you is that Scott's car "dug into" the sand and catapaulted. Factor in that there was no attempt to scrub-off ANY speed (he must have been unconcious), it's lucky that the barriers AND the video truck were there; they, and the trees stopped him from staying airborne and crossing Pension Road wihich is "right there. He would have ended up in the overflow parking lot with spectator cars! That's a fact. Jeff

[James Huffer]

I have been involved in the sport since the middle 60s and remain so today. I knew Scott and can now only offer condolences to the family and the extended community that is the NHRA and the rest of the racing communities. I never met Mr. Laughlin who posted above but agree with everything he presented from my own personal experience. We all know what we are doing and accept the mistakes that haunt us in hindsight. We are truly free to decide weather to put on the nomex and strap in. That said, there are a legion of dedicated intelligent people who are driven to make the sport as safe as possible and though they will never eliminate the risk, they have certainly made the odds far better that when it all goes wrong, you can expect to climb out with the least damage possible. We will all die, it's how we choose to live that makes the difference in how we are remembered. In my memory are names from Vukovich thru many in a list of fine participants widely known and not known to more than family and friends. Sadly I add Scott with the hope that those of us left and to come will find something in this loss to lesson the odds a little further. We will lay to rest someone who would want it exactly that way.

[Mark Doinoff]

This was a horrible accident and we lost a great guy in the NHRA. I have never been to this track. To me there was not enough shut down area to handle the car or any type of accident.

What we do on the military air field where fighter jets land on is to have safety netting or a run away track which is full of sand. It is a shame that we have to lose one of our own to make it safer but this is a serious issue here. NHRA needs to look at every track and make the necessary changes needed.

Scott is in heaven now - my prayers go out to his family. Rest well my Friend.

[David Berry]

Well lets see they could slow down (boring, no one would get maimed or killed, hence no gore factor), or take out the engines and replace the power train with pedals (boring again and for the same reasons), or everyone involved could get MRI's and PET scans to see why adults need to go 200 mph and do nothing productive, not to mention wasting fuel and contributing to global warming, or everyone involved could get a slot car race set at the toy store to appease their obviously undeveloped brains.

[Speed Demon]

Why now have a swamp on something like that to slow the cars down in case of an accident like this.

[KC]

Yeah, right, Mr. Loughlin,

Just like the Tobacco Industry protected their cash cow with lies and deceit, all the while knowing that tobacco causes cancer. Just like Enron screwed with utility deregulation, just like Thomas Keating and the savings and loan scam, just like G.W. Bush, Cheney, et. al lying about Iraq, etc. etc.

All of them Republican greed based, Christian hypocrites, so full of their omnipotence that they are legends in their own minds, just like you, Mr. Loughlin.

If all the efforts of all the people Mr. Loughlin mentions (with all the their hundreds of years of experience and expertise of all the businesses) are so excellent, motivated, etc, shouldn't any of them have been able to predict Mr. Kalitta's demise?

He ran into a frickin' block wall.

It's an easy calculation: how long does it take to stop a car going 300 mph with no brakes? If there's not enough acreage at the track, what provisions are made to stop the car safely? Are there any barriers that might cause the driver injury or death?

Well, yes, there's a block wall at the end of short track.

Duh!

Mr. Loughlin, you and your cronies aren't as nearly as good at what you do as you propound if I can come up with this brief analysis that destroys all your rhetoric. Talk about protecting one's interests and revenue source! Your biased and self-serving nonsense should not be the basis for no one else to intervene.

Another question for the drag racing elite: why aren't lane barriers installed so one car cannot cross into the other lane and cause the other car to crash? I've seen this many times in highlight video shown on T.V.

Obviously, any change costs money and greed based people place their bank account before protecting others.

[Tim R]

This is a terrible loss to the sport, the family and the fans. It's just that simple.
I have to agree in PART with KC's comments though..Tom L.'s post did sound a lot like chest thumping smoke. Yet Tom is right, there are MANY extremely knowledgable people in NHRA that do over see the protection of the sport, fans, drivers and support crews.
With each incident, we learn, adapt and improve. It's how we grow, live and learn. Let's just hope there are things learned here to save the next driver from the same result.

To David Berry, You just don't get it....