Horrible Pro Mod Crash - Your Thoughts

[1320racer]

Originally Posted by Robert Swartz

These kinds of cars always seem to be just on the edge of out of control.

and their drivers refuse to lift/abort.

[Alan Roehrich]

Failure to grasp Warren Johnson's wisdom: "wrecked race cars do not win races or money".

[Run to Rund]

Reminiscent of the wild rides with AA/FA and Wild Willie Borsch.

[kdanner]

TA/FC engines in suspended shorter wheelbase cars with less downforce, hell no it doesn't work. Been saying for a while that they better make changes to this class before they get someone killed. If not they certainly risk the whole class going away from national events.

[gonzo1066]

I pray for the driver and his family, Unfortuantly many of the safety rules there are today have been drafted in someones blood. I watched my brother in law die at my feet due to poorly designed seat belts and the lack of a tech crew at the track. I helped rase my 6 month old nephew because he lost his father, watched my BILs dad drink himself to death because of the loss of his son. Tragic just tragic.

[D.Johns]

Racing is dangerous.....plain and simple. We all know the risks when we signed up.

This thread reminds me while in the stands watching Pro-mod at this years US Nationals. A bad accident occurred and the older woman sitting just in front of us with her husband freakin out and blaming it on the driver. "What's wrong with him!?!" "Why didn't he let out?!?" What a stupid stupid man!!".

It doesn't matter if your in Top-Fuel car or 15 sec Stock car. That is one of the reasons why many insurance companies ask you if you skydive, bungee jump, drag race/road race or participate in any other dangerous activities. Accidents will and do happen regardless of where and when. I'm sure most of us know this but put it in the back of our mind never giving it a 2nd thought. If we thought about it all the time none of us would strap ourselves in the seat every weekend.

I have a few friends that build and race these types(pro-mod, outlaw, drag radial, pro-5.0,etc) of cars. They take every precaution to make them safe. They are a handful to drive no doubt and they are very temperamental because they are pushing the boundaries. But to me(and many others) that's one of the things that make them exciting to watch is its a class that is pushing the envelope of man and machine.

I look back to earlier racing with memories of "when men were men". My grandfather never wore skinny jeans and got his nails done. Men of iron. Racing was dangerous and that was the draw. Safety equipment is continually being improved and it needs to be. We just have to remember that racing and other activities are considered by others to be dangerous on some level.

I'm 100% for safety and everyone making it home to there loved ones. All of us have a choice on wether to race or not and even what class we participate in. Not everyone would strap themselves into a race car or race motorcycles. That's one of things that set racers apart. Not long ago racers were considered suicidal thrill seeking outlaws. The term "Hot Rodder" was considered a negative term , the type of person you wouldn't want your daughter dating.

[Alan Roehrich]

I find real close competition to be my draw to racing. The danger has never been the draw, it's just a risk that is accepted, the draw is beating the guy in the other car. There is of course risk involved, and wrecks happen. However, I find no lure in excessive risk, a high possibility of carnage, mechanical or physical, is a sure buzz kill for me. Watching people drive cars that are constantly out of shape, trying to see how far they can go before crashing, to try to go fast, is about like watching reality television, it does not hold any allure at all for me. There's pushing the envelope, and then there's juggling rattlesnakes.

There's a certain growing element of "fans" who go to any sort of "wild" racing see the crashes. I'm not one of them.

I've never figured how not lifting made anyone more of a "man". I suppose it makes good "film footage" for "news" at eleven though.

[Rich Biebel]

I saw a picture he posted of himself from his hospital bed. His arm is completely bandaged and his hand is covered. In the video his arm and hand are clearly outside the car getting injured.He vows to return to drag racing.

All one has to do is look at the number of crashes divided into how many runs are made to see how out of line this ratio would be.....

I am no statistician but it is almost a given that at least one car will crash and be destroyed at every race they are at.....

Too much power.....too short of a wheelbase...and drivers with questionable judgment at times....or maybe there is just no avoiding some of these wrecks as it happens to fast to avoid it....

They are more like a circus act to me....or maybe something like watching Evil Knievel or Benny the Bomb....LOL

[Mike Fuller]

Looks like a lot of parts were not tethered.

[442OLDS]

Originally Posted by Mike Fuller

Looks like a lot of parts were not tethered.

Not related to this crash,but I did hear the announcer say that a dragster or something lost a collector this weekend.It is beyond me how this keeps happening.

And a stocker lost a T-top.Pretty soon there will be a tether for that too.