Bob Schacht quotes

[HardScrabble]

I am not sure if this is a complete story or only an excerpt. It is all that I have seen. I someone here subscribes to "Winston Cup Scene" they might offer more insight.

In his first interview since his driver Deborah Renshaw was involved in a
fatal crash during ARCA practice at Lowe's Motor Speedway, team owner Bob
Schacht says his driver had virtually no advance warning of trouble. "I know
everybody's trying to bash me and her inexperience," Schact tells this
week's NASCAR Winston Cup Scene. Schact, who was spotting for Renshaw from
atop team's transporter in the infield, says the driver could not have seen
the stopped car of Eric Martin from her vantage point on the track. "I know
they're talking about the 18 seconds..., but the time we were told that the
yellow was out, she was already through three and in the middle of three and
four. So by the time I relayed to her that there was yellow on the race
track and it was in four, she was already in oil and the water and really
couldn't react." Busch Series team owner Rick Goodwin told Scene he is still
committed to offering the 25-year-old Renshaw an opportunity to drive in the
series next year.(Scene Plus)(10-17-02)

 

[71Fan]

Too early in the morning to comment. Just wanted to say thanks for posting this

 

[HardScrabble]

As a follow up to the first post here, the "Tennessean" has the following article on the investigation by ARCA. One can only hope that in the future.....

By LARRY WOODY
Staff Writer


An investigation of last Wednesday's fatal accident at Lowe's Motor Speedway concluded there was a delay in transmitting information about Eric Martin's crashed car to Deborah Renshaw, who slammed into Martin's stalled vehicle seconds later and killed him, ARCA President Ron Drager said yesterday.

Drager said ARCA officials interviewed Bob Schacht, Renshaw's team owner who was spotting for her during the practice session at the track in Concord, N.C., and Renshaw, who is recovering from her injuries at a Charlotte-area residence.

''We feel that a spotter in the spotters' stand could have prevented what happened,'' Drager said.

Drager said Renshaw, who suffered a concussion, is unable to recall many details of the crash. He said Schacht's description of the events, however, fit with Renshaw's vague recollection.

When Martin crashed, Drager, working in the control booth, said he immediately issued a warning over ARCA's radio frequency to which all spotters were tuned: ''Turn four. Put it [caution flag] out.'' Spotters were then supposed to relay the warning to their individual drivers.

Based on a review of interviews, tapes and radio transmissions, Drager said Renshaw was going down the backstretch when Martin spun and hit the wall as he exited turn four and Schacht's attention was directed entirely on Renshaw.

Renshaw said she was almost on the accident site — traveling at around 170 mph — before she heard a warning shouted over her radio headset. She said she hit oil and water on the track and could not stop her car.

''By the time Bob got the information [about Martin's crash], Deborah was probably entering the third turn, and by the time he relayed it to her, she was probably between three and four,'' Drager said. ''There was oil and water and other debris scattered all through there.''

Had Renshaw's spotter been atop the grandstands he would have been able to immediately spot Martin's crash and could have saved several seconds in radioing a warning directly to her, Drager said.

ARCA and NASCAR (the organizations are not affiliated) passed rules after the accident requiring all spotters to work from the spotters' stand atop the grandstands at each track, rather than on top of infield transports where visibility is limited.

Also at issue were yellow caution lights which are supposed to come on at various points around the track. Drager said Renshaw ''frankly, was not much help'' in recalling whether the lights were on or not.

Martin's team owner, Wayne Hixson, did not cast any blame for the crash, saying ''It's just a wreck. It's just something that happened.''

Martin's teammate, Ron Cox, last night said he thinks ARCA ''handled it as good as they could'' and that ARCA is as safe as Winston Cup.

''You're responsible for paying attention out there, but I believe the bottom line is, when it's your turn to go, it's your turn to go,'' Cox said. ''Eric Martin was my best friend, and I know that he died doing something he loved.''

Drager said he considers the investigation closed and hopes the new rule sparked by the tragedy will result in safer racing.

''Safety is a moving target,'' he said. ''We are constantly making adjustments.''

 

[majestyx]

thanks, HS. I just hope that Debra takes Sterlings advice and tries to put the accident behind her and continue her quest for the Busch ride (it is still hers if she wants it) and does well.