(02-23-2013 06:03 PM)stinkfist Wrote: I have been to many races and there has always been one common denominator....never sit lower than row 30...praying for those that were injured.
It's been while since I've set foot in a auto racing venue, but I distinctly recall the last time that I did, that I would not sit down front. I'm keeping a good thought for everyone affected by this incident, I heard about a few minutes ago on Fox Sports Radio. Close to 30 or more people were taken to the hospital for injuries, but to what the extent of these were, they couldn't say at the time. I never like seeing a car crash at an auto race, it's an unfortunate part of the sport. It was reported of a car actually going airborne that set this whole thing off.
(This post was last modified: 02-23-2013 06:09 PM by Matrix.)
(02-23-2013 06:03 PM)stinkfist Wrote: I have been to many races and there has always been one common denominator....never sit lower than row 30...praying for those that were injured.
It's been while since I've set foot in a auto racing venue, but I distinctly recall the last time that I did, that I would not sit down front. I'm keeping a good thought for everyone affected by this incident, I heard about a few minutes ago on Fox Sports Radio. Close to 30 or more people were taken to the hospital for injuries, but to what the extent of these were, they couldn't say at the time. I never like seeing a car crash at an auto race, it's an unfortunate part of the sport. It was reported of a car actually going airborne that set this whole thing off.
(02-23-2013 06:03 PM)stinkfist Wrote: I have been to many races and there has always been one common denominator....never sit lower than row 30...praying for those that were injured.
Smaller debris got halfway up the upper deck today.
(02-23-2013 06:03 PM)stinkfist Wrote: I have been to many races and there has always been one common denominator....never sit lower than row 30...praying for those that were injured.
Smaller debris got halfway up the upper deck today.
Shrapnel kills. Anything is possible. One could throw a golf club and have it bounce back into their jugular like the guy in New Orleans 25 or so years ago. I don't like black face (sitting low) and I don't jump out of planes. But I do play golf.
Over time, cars have become lighter, yet are still running at basically the same horsepower with basically the same COG. It is just a matter of time before the entire car shatters into the stands....just saying. I like my odds up top (plus it is a better view anyway)
Hope everyone comes out ok but I will say people are taking unnecessary risks at those races with nothing but a light fence between the grandstands and the track. Searing either needs to be moved back or heavier fencing needs to be put in.
(02-23-2013 09:51 PM)cyc46 Wrote: Hope everyone comes out ok but I will say people are taking unnecessary risks at those races with nothing but a light fence between the grandstands and the track. Searing either needs to be moved back or heavier fencing needs to be put in.
I'm not a huge race fan but I watch a race from time to time. Just saw the video of the wreck and seriously....? It's 2013, we watch tv on our phones, remote control drones are on the battlefield and we are using what looks like a chain link fence to separate fans from cars that are traveling 190 mph? How does this not happen more often?
(02-23-2013 09:51 PM)cyc46 Wrote: Hope everyone comes out ok but I will say people are taking unnecessary risks at those races with nothing but a light fence between the grandstands and the track. Searing either needs to be moved back or heavier fencing needs to be put in.
I'm not a huge race fan but I watch a race from time to time. Just saw the video of the wreck and seriously....? It's 2013, we watch tv on our phones, remote control drones are on the battlefield and we are using what looks like a chain link fence to separate fans from cars that are traveling 190 mph? How does this not happen more often?
These fences are more than "light fence" and "chain link fence". A plain old chain link fence would not withstand a car hitting it at 20 MPH without falling completely over. And I think what made the accident worse was that there was a cross-over gate where the car hit the fence, so that helped rip the car apart even more.
I've been to Michigan International Speedway ~12 times sitting in the front row for handicapped seating (for a family member), and Daytona & Charlotte once a piece, and I've thought about situations like this before, or the Carl Edwards crash at 'Dega a few years ago, when sitting there. When cars going by at 180+ MPG only 10-15 feet away, there is little you can do.
(02-24-2013 12:40 AM)MidnightBlueGold Wrote: These fences are more than "light fence" and "chain link fence". A plain old chain link fence would not withstand a car hitting it at 20 MPH without falling completely over. And I think what made the accident worse was that there was a cross-over gate where the car hit the fence, so that helped rip the car apart even more.
I've been to Michigan International Speedway ~12 times sitting in the front row for handicapped seating (for a family member), and Daytona & Charlotte once a piece, and I've thought about situations like this before, or the Carl Edwards crash at 'Dega a few years ago, when sitting there. When cars going by at 180+ MPG only 10-15 feet away, there is little you can do.
There's no perfect answer for keeping debris/car parts out of the crowd when something like that happens. Those fences do an amazingly good job of keeping the cars themselves within the confines of the track when a 3,400 lb collection of metal hits it at 170+ mph. Debris and parts that come off of the cars are the bigger issue. The entire thought process of what could happen changed with Bobby Allison's Talladega crash a few decades ago.
Having said all of that, and understanding the pricing tiers at races.....with attendance down like it is, NASCAR should work with the superspeedways to empty out the lowest rows when there's no reason to put people down there. Common sense is tough to come by sometimes, but even understanding pricing differences, why put people in the most dangerous seats when there were so many empty ones?
If we can figure out how to make 358 cu.in. with 60 year old induction technology push a 3,400 lb box 200 mph, I think we can figure out how to seat 100K people safely in a 160K arena.....I acknowledge the exaggerations that are for emphisis.
It really is amazing that no one was killed by this tire/suspension flying into the stands. Hopefully those that were seriously injured can fully recover.
It'll be interesting to see if/what kind of changes ISC makes to their plans regarding the major renovations to Daytona that are set to happen in the next couple of years.
(02-24-2013 01:58 AM)Harry J Wrote:
It really is amazing that no one was killed by this tire/suspension flying into the stands. Hopefully those that were seriously injured can fully recover.
It'll be interesting to see if/what kind of changes ISC makes to their plans regarding the major renovations to Daytona that are set to happen in the next couple of years.
Talk about the picture saying a thousand...just wow.
Perhaps there can be a technology like the glass at NHL games? Obviously that glass wouldnt hold up to a car hitting it at 180mph right now but perhaps there is a technology that can be developed.
WTS, nothing will be full proof other than not putting people 20 ft from cars going 180mph.
(02-24-2013 10:50 AM)aTxTIGER Wrote: Perhaps there can be a technology like the glass at NHL games? Obviously that glass wouldnt hold up to a car hitting it at 180mph right now but perhaps there is a technology that can be developed.
WTS, nothing will be full proof other than not putting people 20 ft from cars going 180mph.
...would be black in 50 laps
Certain tracks not having seating close to the track....yep, but that is major dollars... Will they do it? This is the question. My fear is many will have to die before that happens...just like the Hans device relative to Earnhardt
The apathy of the NASCAR official pissed me off. Saying that there were no plans to change anything and all the protocols worked. Move the people back before you kill someone. Shrapnel is exactly right. It's like selling tickets to a bombing in a war.
(02-24-2013 10:50 AM)aTxTIGER Wrote: Perhaps there can be a technology like the glass at NHL games? Obviously that glass wouldnt hold up to a car hitting it at 180mph right now but perhaps there is a technology that can be developed.
WTS, nothing will be full proof other than not putting people 20 ft from cars going 180mph.
...would be black in 50 laps
Certain tracks not having seating close to the track....yep, but that is major dollars... Will they do it? This is the question. My fear is many will have to die before that happens...just like the Hans device relative to Earnhardt
There is technology that could continuously clean it. That's the easy part.
(02-24-2013 10:50 AM)aTxTIGER Wrote: Perhaps there can be a technology like the glass at NHL games? Obviously that glass wouldnt hold up to a car hitting it at 180mph right now but perhaps there is a technology that can be developed.
WTS, nothing will be full proof other than not putting people 20 ft from cars going 180mph.
...would be black in 50 laps
Certain tracks not having seating close to the track....yep, but that is major dollars... Will they do it? This is the question. My fear is many will have to die before that happens...just like the Hans device relative to Earnhardt
There is technology that could continuously clean it. That's the easy part.
It would be interesting to hear what that would be that wouldn't impair vision.
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