Thread: Scott Kalitta crash

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All well and good and you are certainly entitled to your opinion...

However I would have to differ with some of your observations.

On Kalitta's car, the chute did deploy. It just burnt off right away...A simple cable arrangement from the burst panel to the chute handle would resolve the issue of getting the chute out instantaneously when the car bangs the blower.... A lot of the fuel cars are already running the Kevlar brakes, probably not a lot of ugrades beyond that....

The majority of the tracks (such as Englishtown) with the short shutdown areas are stuck in the real estate and or local ordance rut---there is no more property available to them to lengthen the shutdown area....

A lot of the original drag racing was on 1/2 or 1 mile courses, the 1/4 mile just became the standard in order to make record keeping standardized and to allow cars to be competive from track to track without a lot of changes to the car.... IMO saying that drag racing has always been on a 1/4 mile and the course length for fuel cars should never be shortened to 1,000 ft is no more a valid point then saying dragster originally were all front engined, so rear engined cars should never be allowed... Times change, performance levels change, and the rules have to be adjusted accordingly.... What happens in the last 320 feet that would possibly be more important then driver safety?????

Even the best funded teams would love to see the expenses lowered, shortening the course to 1,000' would lower some of expense incurred by all the big end blow ups, knocking the blower off the engine (this does most often occur beyond the 1,000 ft. mark)

So for the tracks that can't afford or are unable to attain the property necessary to lengthen the shutdown area, would you suggest that NHRA just not run there, or is it just ok to occasionally have some one run off the end in another horrendous crash???? When fuel cars were running 200 mph times, the shutdown area at Englishtown (and others) wasn't a problem, but at over 300 mph it is....

Having been a driver and or an owner in several forms of motorsports for the last 40+ years, anything that can be done to lower the cost and increase the safety while still maintaining the competitiveness of the sport would certainly get my vote!!!!

BTW, while at a National event and you go to the concession stand when the other cars are running, you are missing some of the most competitive racing anywhere on the planet!!!!! Granted it's not as fast and does require a keen eye for the details of a pass, but the factored and breakout classes are equally as hard to be competive at the National level then any fuel class....

As for Jim Head being scared.... He's an Icon of the Top Fuel ranks.... He is very analytical when studying the reasons for crashes, and his reccomendations over the years have done much to improve the safety of both the tracks and the cars.... I've never ran top fuel, my fastest ride was in top alchohol but I will tell you this.....anyone who says he is NOT scared and most respectful of the inherent danger when they strap on one of these cars is either a fool or a liar......

It does look sooooooooo easy from the stands.......................

Originally Posted by Dave Severson

All well and good and you are certainly entitled to your opinion...

However I would have to differ with some of your observations.

On Kalitta's car, the chute did deploy. It just burnt off right away...A simple cable arrangement from the burst panel to the chute handle would resolve the issue of getting the chute out instantaneously when the car bangs the blower.... A lot of the fuel cars are already running the Kevlar brakes, probably not a lot of ugrades beyond that....

The majority of the tracks (such as Englishtown) with the short shutdown areas are stuck in the real estate and or local ordance rut---there is no more property available to them to lengthen the shutdown area....

A lot of the original drag racing was on 1/2 or 1 mile courses, the 1/4 mile just became the standard in order to make record keeping standardized and to allow cars to be competive from track to track without a lot of changes to the car.... IMO saying that drag racing has always been on a 1/4 mile and the course length for fuel cars should never be shortened to 1,000 ft is no more a valid point then saying dragster originally were all front engined, so rear engined cars should never be allowed... Times change, performance levels change, and the rules have to be adjusted accordingly.... What happens in the last 320 feet that would possibly be more important then driver safety?????

Even the best funded teams would love to see the expenses lowered, shortening the course to 1,000' would lower some of expense incurred by all the big end blow ups, knocking the blower off the engine (this does most often occur beyond the 1,000 ft. mark)

So for the tracks that can't afford or are unable to attain the property necessary to lengthen the shutdown area, would you suggest that NHRA just not run there, or is it just ok to occasionally have some one run off the end in another horrendous crash???? When fuel cars were running 200 mph times, the shutdown area at Englishtown (and others) wasn't a problem, but at over 300 mph it is....

Having been a driver and or an owner in several forms of motorsports for the last 40+ years, anything that can be done to lower the cost and increase the safety while still maintaining the competitiveness of the sport would certainly get my vote!!!!

BTW, while at a National event and you go to the concession stand when the other cars are running, you are missing some of the most competitive racing anywhere on the planet!!!!! Granted it's not as fast and does require a keen eye for the details of a pass, but the factored and breakout classes are equally as hard to be competive at the National level then any fuel class....

As for Jim Head being scared.... He's an Icon of the Top Fuel ranks.... He is very analytical when studying the reasons for crashes, and his reccomendations over the years have done much to improve the safety of both the tracks and the cars.... I've never ran top fuel, my fastest ride was in top alchohol but I will tell you this.....anyone who says he is NOT scared and most respectful of the inherent danger when they strap on one of these cars is either a fool or a liar......

It does look sooooooooo easy from the stands.......................

I don't disagree with your points at all. My point is that the NHRA has enough trouble attracting fans as it is. Start slowing these cars down and making the races even shorter with lose more fans. As for wanting to see someone go off the track because I'm against shortening the track is a crazy thought, I NEVER want to see these guys get hurt. Also, you must have missed where I said that bracket racing is probably pretty darn fun from a drivers point of view, but from sitting in the stands...I (just me) find it incredibly boring. It's hard to get excited for a 10 second run when I just watched some guy go 4.5 seconds.

As for the cost, you can't control that. The market determines cost. These guys want to win so they'll spend more to go faster. Not to mention safety.

Me personally, I am totally against shortening the tracks. I am a huge fan of Jim Head as I have been watching this sport for over 20 years. Jim may just push for that solution.

However, the first thing everyone wants to do is slow these cars down or shorten the tracks. Instead, they all need to put their brains together and think of engineered safety solutions. They can still run these cars 1320' and stop them safely if they invent new ways to stop them. I promise you they haven't thought of everything yet. There will always be NEW ideas. Kinda like going to the moon, they said it could never be done and they found a way to do it. But to say there isn't much they can do because the chutes burned off or they have the kevlar brakes so that's the best, is just limiting yourself. Invent a chute that DOESNT burn or invent new braking systems OR a new stopping medium at the tracks that can't be lengthened.

I know they can find a better and safer way to stop these cars. they'll figure it out just like they found ways to get these cars to go faster and faster.

i agree dave nothing like a pair of 4 speed super stockers duking it out !!!

Originally Posted by gassersrule_196

i agree dave nothing like a pair of 4 speed super stockers duking it out !!!

Don't you just know it. Front ends comin' up square with the world.....YEAH BABY....

Originally Posted by techinspector1

Don't you just know it. Front ends comin' up square with the world.....YEAH BABY....

In my old "Mighty Mav 3" Super Gas 5 speed car, it wasn't a fun pass if you could see the ground before 3rd gear!!!!!!! Replacing the rollers on the wheelie bars was a frequent event!!!!!


Richard, should I make it down to your place to play some time, remind me to tell you the story of me, Lynn, and one of the Techs at Brainard!!!!!!

Even my old 7.90 rear engine digger got really hairy on the big end at some of the short shut down tracks. Ran it on the 1/8 and it was just as much fun, but a whole lot easier on parts.

Man, I can second that. Wheel hop from side to side in the traps at 175 mph in a 90" wheelbase altered. It ain't top fuel, but it sure will increase the heart rate.

Unfortunately, a lot of the motorsports are increasing speeds to the point that tracks don't work or the danger quotient goes way up. A collateral effect of that in NASCAR is the number of yellow flags and the number of races that go 490 miles, then have a green/white/checkered finish.

Originally Posted by Dave Severson

A simple cable arrangement from the burst panel to the chute handle would resolve the issue of getting the chute out instantaneously when the car bangs the blower....

Did you notice Jim Head had such a cable installed on his car for race day.
If they can stop a jet on a carrier deck they can come up with an emergency stop mechanism for these cars. Until they do, they need to give them more room either by shortening the track slowing the cars. Driver safety should be the first priority.

The NHRA has a shoddy record on requiring their sanctioned facilities to maintain adequate safety standards ............ and in all honesty, the IHRA is no better

There are a number of sanctioned strips out there with inadequate shut down areas and other severe safety issues ............. those situations need to be addressed by both the track owners and the sanctioning bodies ............ or the tracks need to be taken off the schedules

Scott Kalitta's death stinks just like Blaine Johnson's death at Indy in 1996 .......... the NHRA won't spend a dime on safety unless forced to do so by a tragedy like this .............

off my soapbox

and they sure can drive. lot more going on, on the inside of a stick car then an auto during a race like that.

737Pilot. No. Everyone doesn't want to slow these cars down or shorten the tracks. We want to save the driver's lives. NHRA had best do what Nascar did after losing several of their own. Look at the Allison family. They must do whatever is necessary even if it involves shortening the tracks and at whatever cost. Again, look at Nascar. Now, I have to go get my lip sewn up where I bit through it.

Well, think what you want.... But having been through a number of heart stopping runs due to different mechanical failures and driver error..... If the fans want things to consider as they are....Well they need to spend a season putting up the bucks to do it.... Our budget for two of the slow cars you refer to is over $50k a season.... So we should spend another $2K to $5K so that you will remain interested?

Nobody wants to see the cars slowed down....The rate of acceleration is incredible to witness or to feel. You seem to think some magic stopping device will appear...but until then lets just keep things as they are????

If only the 4.8 second cars are "exciting" to you, you certainly are missing out on a lot of highly technical knowledge and it's application....

As one of the drivers stated, "I'm tired of burying my friends". Maybe some magic safety device will appear eventually, but until that happens something must be done at the tracks with the short shut down areas to improve driver safety... If you can't understand this, then I must think that part of the "excitement" you go to see must be the wrecks.... If you wanted to see what is best for everyone involved in NHRA, spectator and participant, you would understand..... I have to wonder how many of your racing friends and fellow competitors you have buried......

Know, just like Papa, I'm off for stitches......

Originally Posted by Dave Severson

Well, think what you want.... But having been through a number of heart stopping runs due to different mechanical failures and driver error..... If the fans want things to consider as they are....Well they need to spend a season putting up the bucks to do it.... Our budget for two of the slow cars you refer to is over $50k a season.... So we should spend another $2K to $5K so that you will remain interested?

Nobody wants to see the cars slowed down....The rate of acceleration is incredible to witness or to feel. You seem to think some magic stopping device will appear...but until then lets just keep things as they are????

If only the 4.8 second cars are "exciting" to you, you certainly are missing out on a lot of highly technical knowledge and it's application....

As one of the drivers stated, "I'm tired of burying my friends". Maybe some magic safety device will appear eventually, but until that happens something must be done at the tracks with the short shut down areas to improve driver safety... If you can't understand this, then I must think that part of the "excitement" you go to see must be the wrecks.... If you wanted to see what is best for everyone involved in NHRA, spectator and participant, you would understand..... I have to wonder how many of your racing friends and fellow competitors you have buried......

Know, just like Papa, I'm off for stitches......

Take it easy will ya. I am not out to watch wrecks or see people get killed. Nor am I interested in slower cars regardless of what you find interesting. There a lot of things I find interesting that you would not, but I don't tell you that you are wrong because of it. And as far as the cost goes, that is determined by the MARKET which is the supply an demand thing. I don't watch this sport because of what John Force's bottom line is. If you can't afford to play then don't play. Don't blame that on the fans. Or the fact that all this damage occurs at 1001' and beyond.

If they shorten the tracks to 1000', then the set ups on these cars will evolve and adapt to that and then you will see damage and explosions occuring at say 800' feet and beyond. Then we went full circle and are back with the same debate about costs and so forth. You act like shortening them to 1000' is the miracle cure for this sport.

These guys get in the cars at their OWN risk. Nobody forces them to do it. And they know they can die. Who am I to tell them they need to race only to a 1000'?? That's for them to decide. If they get enough drivers and teams to support that, then maybe the NHRA will change it to a 1000'. But don't be surprised if a lot of fans are lost in the transition. And for an organization that struggles to maintain fans, that's not a wise choice.

I don't think a "magical stopping device" will just appear, but nothing new will be invented if they don't atleast TRY. They have spent the last 40 years trying to go faster and faster and found ways to do it but have not given the same attention to stopping. Are you telling me that there isn't a better way to stop these cars just because it hasn't been invented yet?

I find no excitement in seeing Kalitta get killed. I don't ever want to see any driver get hurt. But I refuse to believe that the "ONLY" solution is to slow the cars down and shorten the track. I do believe that if the drivers want shorter tracks and slower cars, they'd protest the NHRA rather loudly, with such action as actually parking the cars until they change it. But they aren't doing that are they?

Also, the shutdown area isn't the only danger. I remember Tony Pedgregon damn near killing a crew member by almost running over his head on the starting line due to the body hitting the throttle linkage when they tried to lift the body. He didn't even get to 1', let alone 1000' and people got hurt. As Mike Dunn always says "it's drag racing".

I'm not trying to get into a pissing match with you. I have never buried any racing friends as I don't have any, but have buried flying friends. Yet I get into a plane almost everyday.

They have been slowing these cars down for years now. They don't go nearly as fast as they could. They are restricted by tire size, gear ratio, Cubic inches, Nitro %, blower size, hat & nozzle size, and a laundry list of other engine restrictions, weight, etc. It seems lately the winner is determined by who can keep from blowing up at the big end. I think most fans go to see good clean side by side racing, not oil downs, explosions & ambulances. There will be restrictions applied in one form or another. I'm all for better braking too, but that has it's limitations also. G-Forces from stopping in that short distance is tough on the drivers also. Just ask Don Garlits and a few others.

I'm all for running the full 1/4 mile...on all of the tracks that are capable of handling the speed and getting the car stopped when the chutes get burned off.... But until then, a 1,000 ft. race is a good interim safety solution....

There have been many, many improvements in safety over the years. Unfortunately most of them came about as a result of a tragedy like this. It's just high time NHRA and the participants took a stand on these safety issues and did something about them.

No amount of safety rules will prevent all the accidents and injuries. I'd hate to see it come down to an "OSHA APPROVED" top fuel show. But the obvious things like short shut down areas can be handled easily. If the crowds won't show up to watch a 1,000' drag race at E-town, then the track will have a lot of incentive to spend the big bucks to build a new facility or buy up more land so the shutdown area can be lengthened.

I've raced on a lot of unsafe tracks, both circle burners and drag racing, usually because of sponsor commitments, points racing, or a varitey of reasons. A driver shouldn't be forced into making the decision of driving on an unsafe track or losing his ride....

It's just too bad it takes the death of people like Scott Kallita to bring the safety issue to prominence....

No hard feelings or pissin' contest on my part 737... Matter of fact I will offer you a standing invitation to come race with us sometime and get a new look at drag racing from the participant level....

Deos anybody know what the official cause of death was? Was it the fire or the sudden stop at the end?