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Alan Roehrich · 03-30-2007, 08:14 AM

It will be VERY difficult to create a retaining wall material that will deflect and/or deform to absorb impact and not grab cars that do not hit it "square". And grabbing (like the safer barrier will do) a car and forcing a direction change will likely create a much more dangerous result. Drag cars are not designed to take a hit like a circle track car, if the wall grabs it, the wall may just shred the car and then sling it back out into the track.

I don't know what the solution is, I don't claim to know, but I do know what a safer barrier will do when hit at the angles MOST COMMON in drag racing accidents. It's already happened in circle track racing, and I actually got to see some of the testing done. It rips the side right off a Cup car. Imagine what it would do to a drag car, like a Pro Stock, or any dragster or funny car.

A POSSIBLE solution might be to set the concrete BACK, and install some sort of foam or water bladder in front of it, covered by some sort of continuous cover (overlapping steel plate?) that won't grab a car that does not hit it square. Narrowing the track some in the process, so that the cars do not have room to accelerate much if they turn sharply towards the wall. The other problem with a system like that is keeping the car down and on the track, as opposed to launching it into the crowd. You have to keep the track very visible to the fans, so you can't raise the wall too high. The big cable type fences will also grab and shred a car. The next solution is to raise the stands and set them back. How much and how far will be acceptable to the fans? In the end, sadly, another factor is "how much will it cost?" Human life is priceless, however, unfortunately, there is not an unlimited amount of money available to fund projects like that.

One thing is for sure, they certainly do not need to just "do something" for the sake of saying they're doing something. The last thing they need to do is make the problem worse.

Alan Roehrich

Bring "AA" classes to NHRA Stock Eliminator!

03-30-2007, 08:14 AM	#16
Alan Roehrich VIP Member Join Date: May 2006 Location: Murfreesboro TN Posts: 4,930 Likes: 1,003 Liked 1,079 Times in 282 Posts	It will be VERY difficult to create a retaining wall material that will deflect and/or deform to absorb impact and not grab cars that do not hit it "square". And grabbing (like the safer barrier will do) a car and forcing a direction change will likely create a much more dangerous result. Drag cars are not designed to take a hit like a circle track car, if the wall grabs it, the wall may just shred the car and then sling it back out into the track. I don't know what the solution is, I don't claim to know, but I do know what a safer barrier will do when hit at the angles MOST COMMON in drag racing accidents. It's already happened in circle track racing, and I actually got to see some of the testing done. It rips the side right off a Cup car. Imagine what it would do to a drag car, like a Pro Stock, or any dragster or funny car. A POSSIBLE solution might be to set the concrete BACK, and install some sort of foam or water bladder in front of it, covered by some sort of continuous cover (overlapping steel plate?) that won't grab a car that does not hit it square. Narrowing the track some in the process, so that the cars do not have room to accelerate much if they turn sharply towards the wall. The other problem with a system like that is keeping the car down and on the track, as opposed to launching it into the crowd. You have to keep the track very visible to the fans, so you can't raise the wall too high. The big cable type fences will also grab and shred a car. The next solution is to raise the stands and set them back. How much and how far will be acceptable to the fans? In the end, sadly, another factor is "how much will it cost?" Human life is priceless, however, unfortunately, there is not an unlimited amount of money available to fund projects like that. One thing is for sure, they certainly do not need to just "do something" for the sake of saying they're doing something. The last thing they need to do is make the problem worse. Alan Roehrich Bring "AA" classes to NHRA Stock Eliminator! __________________ Alan Roehrich 212A G/S