Competion Plus story on Martindale tragedy

http://www.competitionplus.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=8100&Itemid=6

Didn't know if everyone got a chance to read this.

Jagger

 

I read his post a few days ago and it just spooked me out! I mean REALLY spooked me out.
Then seeing this. I really hate to jump on the "NHRA is bad!" bandwagon, but they do need to address some issues.

 

Martindale, Sand trap

My heart goes out to the Martindale family. Someone mentioned the sand in the shutdown was as hard as a dirt road. This is a more common problem than most people even realize as I was a witness to a top alcohol dragster crashing and being totaled beyond repair in denver on thursday testing at this years division 5 race. the car was not going very fast and went off the end of the track, no faster then the car was going it should of dove into the sand and at worst maybe tore off the nose, but instead it went through the catch net and tore the car to pieces all because the track did not have the sand tore up to make it soft before the event. the sand was as hard as a dirt road also as you could walk across it and not even leave a footprint. I wanted to post an article about this incident but do not like writing threads. But I do find it interesting that if no one says anything the problem gets swept under the rug. I believe after the accident in denver the division personel (who are not responsible for the track on thursday ) but were there watching, should put out a notice to all tracks divisional and national to make sure they address this problem and rake there sand loose before any event. I apoligize for not bringing this to the racers attention sooner. I personally try to walk the full quarter mile and check the condition of the sand in the sand traps since the deal in denver, if you do this you will be shocked to see what some of the little tracks have for saftey after the track surface ends (NOTHING). Thanks Will for this web site. Richard Putz

 

Good point, During the swap meet at Englishtown several weeks ago i walked to the sand trap. I could not make an impression with my feet in the pea gravel which had weeds growing through it. This was only two weeks after the points meet and it was obvious it had not been raked or tilled in months if at all this season. I have cell phone pictures to prove it

 

amen richard!! we get booked in to match race (aa/fa's) at all kinds of tracks... and i'm just blown away by how many drivers get their first view of a track's big end when they are closing in on it at well over 200mph (thats over 300ft/sec kids!!)

my dad is always on the big end waiting for me in case i need anything... and i won't get in the car until he and i walk the big end and work out some 'options' in case i need them

it's scary what some facilities have 'down there'. and it often goes with the territory at some smaller tracks... but you would think NHRA would set the standard in this arena? i just know that we have to look out for each other and encourage each other to take this extra step at every event we go to

i don't know any of the circumstances with bobby's crash... i just know that we all do this because we love the sport, the cars, and most of all the camaraderie and companionship of our fellow teams/families... and too many families are hurting this season over circumstances that very well could have been prevented

 

we had a fuel car go straight through the net in sydney australia at the australian nationals a few weeks ago as well , car was totaled when it hit somthing solid after the net , the driver suffered a broken finger ,,,,,,,lucky!!!!.....this is a international problem it seems.

 

They take better care of sand traps at the local golf coarse. Like to see what one of the Elite of nhra would do if they got in one of the sand traps that were hard as the ones they maintain at the tracks, they would scream bloody hell if it cost them a stroke or two, bunch of anal passages.

 

NHRA had better pray the Martindale family's not the suing type! This Atlanta situation has negligence written all over it!

 

Hi Guys,

I dont normally post up on here. I live in Perth West Australia and am involved with a Alky Altered over here. In a test session on the weekend, we ran the car for the First Full pass ever. After running a low 6 at 225mph the chutes didnt deploy. Being the first run the driver took abit of time to get on the breaks. The car continued on into the sand trap at about 150mph with the throttle blipping on it came to a stop a good 250ft into the sand trap. (300ft of trap) The only damage to the car was a smashed nose cone. The sand is soft and did a fantastic job of stopping the car. Just a good example of how a sand trap should be like and how well it worked... Thanks

 

sand

Wow Real Sand..imagine That!!!!

 

Wow, I wanted Matt to send pictures, but not like this!

Must be a really bare spot on the beach somewhere!
I know that Gary and company built a great facility, but this is the first pic I've seen from that end. Great job!

Bob

 

I'd like to take a bucket of golf balls and my sand wedge there for some practice.

 

That is quite an article. Makes me think about some of the tracks in Div. 6. Seattle has a net but no sand trap. Woodburn has neither but it does have a grass seed field. Acton has a net? (I think). Mission has a small sand trap then a net then the river. If a racer goes off the end at Mission and misses the net he better be able to hold his breath a long time. Bremerton has a chain link fence. Eons ago I attended Hawley's school for TAFC, he preaches walking the track all the way to the bitter end- good idea. Many racers never get to see the far (bitter) end of the track unless something really bad happens. I went off the end of Woodburn a few years ago. I remember how terrifying those last few seconds were as I was running out of pavement. I don't ever want to experience that fear again. Dave Germain

 

In about "83, a new promoter came in to try to reactivate old Carlsbad Raceway with an open TAD show. I told E.P.Slick to go down and look at the end, so he had a plan.
He came back with eyes like silver dollars and said we need a crew down there. The track owner and promoter said it'd be fine. Slick, Southern, McDowell, maybe Darien and a bunch more went down there to move over 25 old washers, dryers, sinks, lawnmowers, refrigerators and the like that were there. The shut off went into a canyon with steep walls where pussheads that wouldn't spend $3.00 for a dump fee would back up their pickups and push crap down the hill. Do you know whats at the end of the track you (or your driver) are about to go down?

 

How about a new rule, The guy thats in charge of taking care of the end of the track,after he's satisfied that every thing is A-OK he has to leave his wife and kids on the other side of the safety stuff, oh Waite just his kid's ( he might not like his wife ) for the whole race.

 

Oddly enough, Testing/License--this past week end at speedworld in PHX, being ive never driven a alcohol f/c before, I did go to the end of the track and took a look. Raced this track for years in brackets and s/g never paid much attention to the run off. Glad I did , helped form a plan just in case, but I didnt expect the dog on the track!!! Not a great weekend but no problems and the dog made it across.. Being really new I appreciate the comments and the input from the vets... Might save some troubles some day--so Thanks Mitch

 

Go to this site, http://groups.msn.com/RestoredSymplictyTractor/shoebox.msnw?Page=Last Page 2 there is a picture of Ron Scott's roadster, in the peat bog at the end of Dover Drag Strip, I had just finished running him, and his chute didn't open, he went by me in the shut down @ 150 MPH, that peat sure did stop him fast. He only went in maybe 50-60 ft. while your looking theres a antifreeze tester, that was used in the 30's 40's , LOOK IT"S TO TEST METHANOL!. "SO I'M NOT A MORON ! " P/S THE TRACTOR I JUST FINNISHED RESTORING.