Scott Kalitta reportedly killed in funnycar crash today

[Ron Ward]

Re: Scott Kalitta reportedly killed in funnycar crash today

First, my most sincere condolences to the Kalitta family and the DHL team. The loss is incredible.

I have been unfortunate enough to see similar fates of drivers on tracks with long shut down areas, too. Heartland Park Topeka has one of the longest shutdown areas in the country and yet it has had similar tragedy.

Recently, at the World Street Challenge in St Louis, Steve Matusek had a run in with the sand trap after his parachutes failed to blossom after making a 200+ mph pass and he found himself caught up in the catch fence in the sand. Miraculously, Steve was able to walk away. I realize all circumstances are different and pose unique challenges for the race tracks and safety crews. As hard as the NHRA and SFI work to make drag racing safer, it is a fact that there will be certain instances that sadly, nothing can be done. I agree with DF that an additional 100 or 200 feet of runoff would probably have not helped.

In all seriousness, we must remember that drag racing IS a dangerous sport. Drivers and crewmembers alike are all at risk not only on the track but in the pits as well. I hope everyone remembers to think safety when at the races.

Ron

[Brian Lohnes]

Re: Scott Kalitta reportedly killed in funnycar crash today

Scott...there is definitely a sand trap at E-town one of the videos circulating around makes it seem as though there isn't.

It acted as a launch ramp instead of a catcher's mitt.

Brian

[VTJUNK]

Re: Scott Kalitta reportedly killed in funnycar crash today

I've seen some tracks that had those catch fences like airports use to slow down planes. I don't recall seeing those in that video of the crash. I thought those were pretty much standard at all tracks. Of course if the car is still going at a good clip, it still might be useless. Maybe time to move that road and add length to the sand, and remove that wall. I mean come on, a cement wall? That's crazy. I bet it's part of the demands of their insurance carrier.

[Freiburger]

Re: Scott Kalitta reportedly killed in funnycar crash today

Also, I don't think Scott deployed the chute, though that's pure conjecture. The cars are set up so that the chutes are pulled with the body comes off. I suspect he was unconscious from the explosion, which might explain why there was seemingly no attempt at braking or steering.

[dieselgeek]

Re: Scott Kalitta reportedly killed in funnycar crash today

Scott...there is definitely a sand trap at E-town one of the videos circulating around makes it seem as though there isn't.

It acted as a launch ramp instead of a catcher's mitt.

Brian

Looking at the aerial views of both Pomona and E-town, they both have about the same length of trap - you're right - but there is a safety net at Pomona.

I'm not sure if it matters how the chute was deployed, would the brakes make that much difference at that speed? where would he have steered if he had been conscious? Isn't the real concern that only a single chute failure is enough to keep the car from smacking the wall? I haven't driven a 300mph dragster, but I am under the (possibly wrong) assumption that the brakes don't have much effect as compared to the chutes. I know at bonneville the brakes aren't crap compared to the chutes at those speeds.

-scott

[V10Mercury]

Re: Scott Kalitta reportedly killed in funnycar crash today

Scott...there is definitely a sand trap at E-town one of the videos circulating around makes it seem as though there isn't.

It acted as a launch ramp instead of a catcher's mitt.

Brian

Looking at the aerial views of both Pomona and E-town, they both have about the same length of trap - you're right - but there is a safety net at Pomona.

I'm not sure if it matters how the chute was deployed, would the brakes make that much difference at that speed? where would he have steered if he had been conscious? Isn't the real concern that only a single chute failure is enough to keep the car from smacking the wall? I haven't driven a 300mph dragster, but I am under the (possibly wrong) assumption that the brakes don't have much effect as compared to the chutes. I know at bonneville the brakes aren't crap compared to the chutes at those speeds.

-scott

From what I heard Steve Matusek burned right through the brakes and they were worthless when his car went off the track at St. Louis WSC-1, and that was only 200+ mph.

[outlaw57]

Re: Scott Kalitta reportedly killed in funnycar crash today

I wasn't sure on the length of shut down....at 300 mph with no chute it looks very short on video, looks is the word. thanks for helping me understand the length, i was unsure!

[V10Mercury]

Re: Scott Kalitta reportedly killed in funnycar crash today

I wasn't sure on the length of shut down....at 300 mph with no chute it looks very short on video, looks is the word. thanks for helping me understand the length, i was unsure!

I agree, from the video it looks REALLY short

[Scott Liggett]

Re: Scott Kalitta reportedly killed in funnycar crash today

Also, I don't think Scott deployed the chute, though that's pure conjecture. The cars are set up so that the chutes are pulled with the body comes off. I suspect he was unconscious from the explosion, which might explain why there was seemingly no attempt at braking or steering.

I saw the chutes out in the vid, but they were pretty burned and tangled which pretty much made them useless.

The one thing I found inexcusable at any track is having concrete barriers placed in the direct path of the vehicles which seemed to be the case here. To me it's about as idiotic as having a brick building at the end of the track. Hopefully, they will learn from this tragedy and it will never happen again. It just sad that people have to die before safety issues are really fixed.

[383S-10]

Re: Scott Kalitta reportedly killed in funnycar crash today

That of what part of the problem was that car never stopped. First of all there should have been a sand trap before the track ran out completely....without stopping an unstoppable car the safety crews had no chance of getting to him in a timely fashion. Second there should never be any stationary device of structure to impeded the runoff any car that cant be stopped by the driver for whatever reason. Now the explosion could have injured him no one knows for sure but the impact with the concrete wall with a man-lift parked right behind it lessened his chances of being rescued.
Some tracks have the runoff after the finsh line graded up an incline to take momentum away from the cars traveling down track to the turnoffs.
This not a rant ......I just do want see more people die in the sport hobby I love if it can be helped......

[Silver68RT]

Re: Scott Kalitta reportedly killed in funnycar crash today

I was wondering if they could adapt an aircraft carrier arrestor hook type setup to drag cars. Maybe incorporate a hook into the wheelie bars, and string some arrestor cables across the track just before the sand trap, with some kind of reel mechanism to slow the car down. It's proven technology, but I don't know how hard it would be to adapt, and how hard it would be to catch a wire. The sand trap doesn't seem to work well if you're really moving when you hit it, like if you're out cold, no chute, no brakes. I remember Del Worsham's car going airborn when the nose dug in. A jet fighter weighs something like 20 tons, so it ought to be possible. What do you think?

I'd have no problem with them going to 1000 ft, or something like that, either. I think they have to do something - Scott's accident should never have turned out like that. Eric Medlen's was something they'd never seen before, but guys have been going off the end of the track since they invented dragstrips.

[fabricatordave]

Re: Scott Kalitta reportedly killed in funnycar crash today

im sure that wall at the end of the track has a public road on the other side?

[malc]

Re: Scott Kalitta reportedly killed in funnycar crash today

Jeff Burk at DragRacingonline had this to say about track length,
http://www.dragracingonline.com/burksblast/x_6-3.html