STILL TALKING SAFETY #13
I agree with Burk on the HANS device. It's a tragedy that
Shelly Howard's life could have been prevented by a paragraph
in the rulebook. I realize that a lot of the lower-buck
teams struggle, but surely if they can find the money for
this week's graphic paint job, or some trick looking valve
cover, they can find a way to get a HANS device.
NASCAR had to lose Dale Earnhardt to wake up. . who does
the NHRA have to lose?
Bill Bench
STILL TALKING SAFETY #14
Jeff, was it ever established that a broken neck caused
the fatal crash of Shelly Howard? I was led to believe it
was a head-on collision at 250 or more mph. I've been racing
"pipe" cars 35 years. They won't take a hit at
below 50; they were built to roll, not impact.
Bill Dee
STILL TALKING SAFETY #15
ADVERTISEMENT
 |
Years
ago I watched Johnny West hit the wall at E-town and wind
up with a broken leg because he was knocked out by the impact.
The next NHRA Safety Safari official I saw I asked why there
couldn't be a remote shut-off device controlled by radio/laser/?
to shut the cars off. He gave me some b.s. answer and now
we have the Shelly Howard disaster.
The 90% and then 85% and now rpm limiters are killing the
sport. Why not safer walls, mandatory HANS devices and remote
shut -off devices? I'd even be in favor of a retaining wall
down the center of the track or a "double wall"
chassis to lessen the force of mishaps.
I don't go to the races for the competition. I go for the
spectacle of the Fuel classes. Well, at least I used to
go. The rpm limiters were the last straw.
Keep up the good work.
Joe Unger
