Filed under: Motorsports, Safety
Safety concerns cause NHRA to limit races to 1,000 feet
The NHRA has acted very quickly in an effort to improve the safety of its Top Fuel and Funny Car races. Due to the tragic death recently of '94 and '95 Top Fuel champion Scott Kalitta, the drag strip for these two fastest classes will be shortened from the traditional 1,320 feet to 1,000 feet. Race officials and team managers believe that this compromise will continue to make for an entertaining race as the cars will still be hitting speeds of around 300 mph. This is an interim change as the sanctioning body investigates the crash and its causes, and will stay in effect until more definite changes can be made. The first race which will incorporate the new shorter track length will take place on July 11-13 at the Mopar Mile High Nationals in Denver, Colorado.
[Source: NHRA via AutoWeek]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
Todd 10:12AM (7/03/2008)
Disrespectful to all the previous world record holders and short sighted. They need to apply an technological solution, like air intake limiters used on American Le Mans sports cars.
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White Goodman 10:25AM (7/03/2008)
Additionally, racers in the NHRA can earn championship points for running record passes. How are they planning to compensate for comparing a 1000' pass to a 1/4 mile record pass? Last year Tony Schumacher won the championship on the last pass of the season by breaking the record, so this is NOT a rare or trivial situation.
Simply an absurd knee-jerk reaction by the NHRA in response to the national media attention of the Scott Kalitta incident. I doubt Scott or any of the current or past racers agree with this decision. They all know the danger involved and they all choose to continue to pursue their dreams despite the potential harm.
Kevin 10:16AM (7/03/2008)
I can't say I like this plan at all...
Basically, the sport is going to end up with a few weeks (months?) of racing that has no real bearing on the record books at all. Although I suppose it's similar to all the added tyre-chicanes in F1 just after Senna's fatal crash.
I'm glad it's only temporary until bigger changes can be made. Cars, aerodynamics, fuel... there's lots of factors that can be looked at to make drastic cuts in speed. I hope they look at making them safer as well, instead of simply slower.
It's unfortunate for a sport to move backwards, but when lives are on the line it needs to be done.
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TJ 10:21AM (7/03/2008)
Not sure I agree with this... Bandimere is a very well laid out track. from the Rocky Mnt News:
"Our job (at Bandimere) is just to make our track as safe as possible in terms of our track surface, retaining walls, sand traps, nets and the medical staff we have at the track and how quickly they can respond," Bandimere said. "We send thousands of cars a year down our track, and we are extremely picky when it comes to technically inspecting cars for safety issues. That's not to say other tracks aren't, either, but that's the way we do things.
"Plus, when drivers get behind the wheel, they understand the risks that are involved with racing."
Jeff Sipes, media-relations director at Bandimere, said there hasn't been a driver fatality during the 28 years of the Mile-High Nationals. In the 50-year history of the speedway, there have been two on-track fatalities, he said.
John Reynolds, of Loveland, died in August 2003 when he crashed his 1991 Pro Modified Corvette during eliminations at the Super Chevy Show. Frank Quitter, of Thornton, died in September 2004 when he wrecked his motorcycle during a race weekend."
I think it is an unnecessary precaution.
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mushy 10:21AM (7/03/2008)
I Personally don't care for this solution. What is it supposed to accomplish. When these cars get up to 300mph they are traveling at around 440 feet per second. So in about the time you can blink that 340 feet will have passed.
While what happened is very sad and obviously something needs to be done, changing the race to 1000 feet is not the answer. They could have changed to and 1/8 th mile so people in the sport would have something to reference it to. I've never been to a track where they race 1000 foot races.
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why not the LS2LS7? 11:46AM (7/03/2008)
They want more run-off room, and this adds 340 feet of run-off room without extending tracks.
Presumably they'll come up with an arrester system to install on the tracks so they can go back go 1/4 mile rather soon.
I think this is a stupid idea.
TJ 10:25AM (7/03/2008)
Not sure I agree with this... Bandimere is a very well laid out track. from the Rocky Mnt News:
"Our job (at Bandimere) is just to make our track as safe as possible in terms of our track surface, retaining walls, sand traps, nets and the medical staff we have at the track and how quickly they can respond," Bandimere said. "We send thousands of cars a year down our track, and we are extremely picky when it comes to technically inspecting cars for safety issues. That's not to say other tracks aren't, either, but that's the way we do things.
"Plus, when drivers get behind the wheel, they understand the risks that are involved with racing."
Jeff Sipes, media-relations director at Bandimere, said there hasn't been a driver fatality during the 28 years of the Mile-High Nationals. In the 50-year history of the speedway, there have been two on-track fatalities, he said.
John Reynolds, of Loveland, died in August 2003 when he crashed his 1991 Pro Modified Corvette during eliminations at the Super Chevy Show. Frank Quitter, of Thornton, died in September 2004 when he wrecked his motorcycle during a race weekend."
I think it is an unnecessary precaution.
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TJ 11:25AM (7/03/2008)
Sorry about the double post, not sure what happened....
shirtman 10:29AM (7/03/2008)
Don,t shorten the track. What i saw was the chute didn't open because it was on fire. and there were not proper emergency barriers at the end of the track. Real drag races are 1/4 mile. Its not the indy 400, or the 23 hours of Le mans. My sympathy to the Kalitta family. but leave the 1/4 mile alone.
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Chance 10:49AM (7/03/2008)
An integrated safety system that knows when an unsafe condition exists and then counters the events can be designed and built using off-the-shelf technology. Once a car is through the lights the condition needs to be chutes, brakes and no fuel/ignition. A more advanced system is also possible that could expand the advantages. My company and others would gladly assist in the development.
MajorGeek 10:42AM (7/03/2008)
Im confused, not a big fan but this is the first death I have ever heard of and frankly I am suprised there are not more deaths in racing, a testament to the safety standards. So 1 death in Top Fuel and Funny cars in how long means gigantic changes? Im sorry for the guy who died but I simply don't get this. Please enlighten me if I missed something?
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adrenalnjunky 11:30AM (7/03/2008)
One of John Force's drivers, Eric Medlin was killed in March of last year after blowing a tire in a practice run. Slammed one wall, then the other. died of what they say was basically being shaken badly enough to cause a traumatic brain injury.
Then September 07 John himself had a serious crash that could have easily killed him. You can check it out on you Tube if you haven't seen it - blows a tire, and it snaps the chassis in half when he pulls the chutes.
Although neither situation would have really benefited from the shorter racetrack, both could have been potentially lessened with S.A.F.E.R. barriers in place.
Disgruntled Goat 10:44AM (7/03/2008)
I agree. I'm all for safety but this just sounds kinda dumb. Quarter mile racing is quarter mile racing and yea, it is dangerous, but turning it into arena football is not the answer, short term or long.
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Vince 10:44AM (7/03/2008)
Separate autoblogracing.com PLEASE!
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Luis 5:41PM (7/03/2008)
How about just a separate Vince.com?!...
mike 10:51AM (7/03/2008)
It will be interesting to see how the die hard drag fans react to this, and what the NHRA can come up safety wise as a standard for the shutdown areas. This will give the cars a little more shut down room, but considering what happened, I don't know that it would have helped in Kalitta's situation.
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Aaron 11:01AM (7/03/2008)
What did Scott die from? The explosion? Or hitting the cement wall at the end of the track that was installed to prevent drag cars from popping out onto a city street at the end of the track? If it was from the explosion, no distance is safe from these vehicles as they have exploded at the start of the race, in the middle, and towards the end. If it was from the cement wall, that track needs to add a sand pit to the end of the track to help slow down a vehicle that has gone out of control.
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Ian 12:35PM (7/03/2008)
The track has a sandpit. All NHRA tracks have a sandpit. Theres is also a net at the end of said sand pit. What Scott Kalitta hit was the pillar that holds the net to the ground. This is made of concrete since just sticking a pole in the ground a volleyball net isn't gonna do jack.
Aaron 2:30PM (7/03/2008)
Thanks for the information. I did a Google Maps search on the Englishtown NJ track (where Scott died) and I see the sand runoff pit (looks kind of short). And your description of what he actually hit tells the story of what actually happened. Thanks.
I'm just glad that NHRA has said this is a temporary solution while they review what they can do to make it safer. I suspect that SAFER barriers and a redesigned retention net that removes this concrete pole will be their primary focus.
Max 11:17AM (7/03/2008)
Ya, because another 300 feet would have saved his life.
Give me a break, this isn't a solution at all. Drag racing is done at either 1/8 mile or 1/4 mile...end of story. The safety issue lies in the track design, not the length of the race. The track was unsafe at any length.
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