Death At The Track

[71Fan]

Quotes from The Charlotte Observer...........my comments are at the bottom or in parenthesis.

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An Observer investigation, published in November, found that since 1990, at least 269 people have died in U.S. auto racing.

Of the 204 drivers who died since 1990, an average of 14 a year died in crashes, while three others died of health problems on the track.

Last year (2001) was particularly troublesome, with 39 deaths, far more than racing's average of 22 a year.

The newspaper's (Charlotte Observer) database showed widespread head injuries among drivers, and barrier and fence failures that sometimes killed fans. At some small tracks, which account for the majority of deaths, the study also found poor emergency response and inexperienced and unhealthy drivers.

Head and neck injuries killed at least half the drivers.
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.....another source sez Lowe's tops the list since 1990 with 7 deaths, and as near as I can figure these stats do not include motorcycles or go-karts.

So while it might be real easy to point fingers at the Daytona and Dega wreckfest or Loudon as being dangerous places to race, the stats show that racing in the US is a very very very dangerous sport and that singling out a particular track or race is kinda hard to do.

 

[Flyboy]

Very True Very True

 

[TexasRaceLady]

From Jayski's site: (wonder if he'll be "found" on Totally Nascar?)

Sad News II: Allen Fletcher died Tuesday morning at Eastern Maine Medical Center in Bangor after suffering a head injury during a crash in his pro-stock class race car in Saturday night's 35-lap feature race at Unity Raceway (in Maine). The accident occurred when Fletcher lost control of his car in turn one on the 23rd lap of the race. Fletcher's car spun and hit driver's side first into banking on the backstretch. The jaws of life were used to help in removing Fletcher from his car. Fletcher received treatment from the track's emergency team, the Unity ambulance crew and EMTs, and then was taken by helicopter to EMMC where he was placed in the intensive care unit.(Bangor Daily News)(10-2-2002)


Sad News: Modified Driver of car #56, George Handley Jr. of Springfield, IL was fatally injured on lap four of the feature event in a multi car accident at Illinois State Fairgrounds. The other drivers taken to the hospital, #33 Ron Cusack and #3s Dan Schlup Jr. were treated and have been released. A trust fund for the Handley children has been set up at Illinois National Bank. Donations can be made at any branch, Handley's family said the money will be used for their college educations.(Track Enterprises)(10-2-2002)

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Racing is indeed a dangerous sport. I can only thank my lucky stars that all the years we raced, our track had no serious injuries.

 

[Flyboy]

The accident that I always think about is Davey's Helicopter accident at Talledega! I have the insider info on the crash. It was easily preventable and Davey just didn't listen!

Sad day for racing and for aviation !

 

[kat2220]

I don't mean this in a callous way at all, but how many atheletes in other sports have died??

One takes a chance just jogging today!!

 

[Flyboy]

Its True. Its True

Kat2220 is my favorite thread poster

 

[71Fan]

Estimates of how many drive competitively in the United States range from 50,000 to 400,000.

By comparison, four football players out of about 1.8 million die from on-field injuries each year. Nine others die from health problems such as heatstroke.

http://www.canoe.ca/Slam011111/car_deaths-ap.html

 

[bump drafting]

I remember when I died. Nobody even checked to see why. I just layed there in that big pile of pasta while they all gathered around the soda machine wondering why the Mountain Dew always ran out before the root beer. It was very sad and I'll remember those who didn't mourn my death. I will haunt them with visions of Cagney and Lacey in a hot tub.

 

[DE Wrangler 2]

Anything but Cagney and Lacey........I'm sorry man!!

 

[cutiepie24]

whats wrong with cagney and lacey? I liked that show.......

 

[HardScrabble]

I'm not quite sure how to interpret the figures compiled by the Observer. With no historical perspective, thses numbers may be alarming or they may just as easily indicate progress.

Racing is now, has always been, and will always be inherently dangerous. So much more dangerous than the stick and ball sports that comparisons between the two stretches credibility to the limit.

The current state of safety awareness in the major professional series is unquestionably higher than it has ever been in the past. That there is more to be done to improve those measures already in effect and more measures to be put in place is just as true. The fact that many organizations are working together to further the safety of the drivers and surrounding personnel makes this awareness apparent.

I cannot address the state of safety awareness at the multitude of local and regional series racing. One would hope that some trickle down effect from the major series is impacting the safety awareness at these levels as well.

The National Speedway Directory lists 1381 active race tracks in the US in their latest edition. 1022 ovals, 286 drag strips, and 73 road courses. This is a somewhat staggering number of venues. At worst we can hope that the owner/operators of each of these facilities is both aware of and places a high priority on safety of both the competitors, officials and spectators. My worst fear is that somehow this survey of the Charlotte Observer is construed by some well intentioned but misguided bureaucrat as a problem which must dealt with by some national oversight committee. This type of action would doubtless spell the end of many of these 1381 tracks and racing for thousands of fans, drivers and crewmen. The only prevention of htis the aggressive and committed effort of promoters, track owners, sanctioning bodies, and the competitors themselves to make safety a priority issue.