Scott Kalitta, The Accident Report

[malc]

I´m posting this up, found it on another website.

http://www.njsp.org/news/pr091708.html

Can a motor carry on funtioning,maintaining full power, after a huge mechanical failure, explosion and fire ?

[Brian Lohnes]

Re: Scott Kalitta, The Accident Report

Malc, it's can't run at full power, but it can still manage to run. I once saw a nostalgia front engine fuel dragster on a test day. They were running an iron 392 Hemi in the car and were very new at trying to figure out the tune up. Long story short is that when the driver hit the throttle to do a burnout it blew half of the block apart, but amazingly the thing continued to run for a minute until the fuel was shut off. There were connecting rods slinging around in the open.

When the motor gets warm enough a nitro-burning engine can basically go into auto-ignition. A/Fuel can speak to this a lot better than I, but if you notice at the end of a run when you listen to a fuel dragster shut down, it's not killed by shutting down the ignition, but by stopping the fuel, that's why the motors seem to idle up just before stopping, they are leaning out.

The detailed time information in this report came from the delphi "blue boxes" that are installed in all the nitro cars now.

I think the only thing that really catches my attention in that report is the fact that they seem to be claiming that Kalitta was applying the brakes, presumably because there are skid marks on the track. I'd submit that those skid marks were caused by the car bouncing, becoming airborne and smashing back onto the track, it was stated in the report that the car was coming off the ground and this reduced the stopping ability of the car.

I mulled doing this as a news item here at CJTV when the report was released, but frankly, it was everywhere and already readily accessible to everyone that wanted to find it.

A sad day summed up in a very analytical manner.

Brian

[FORDGUY]

Re: Scott Kalitta, The Accident Report

Driver Toxicology
Post mortem toxicological analysis of blood obtained from Scott Kalitta during his autopsy revealed the presence of Ethanol at a level of 23 mg/dL. This level converts to a BAC percentage of .02% BAC. This level, 25% of the legal limit for intoxication in the State of New Jersey, remains in violation of NHRA rules (Section 1.7, I., B.1.) as well as N.J.S.A. Title 13 Chapter 62 New Jersey State Motor Vehicle Racetrack Regulations.

ouch.

[A/Fuel]

Re: Scott Kalitta, The Accident Report

Driver Toxicology
Post mortem toxicological analysis of blood obtained from Scott Kalitta during his autopsy revealed the presence of Ethanol at a level of 23 mg/dL. This level converts to a BAC percentage of .02% BAC. This level, 25% of the legal limit for intoxication in the State of New Jersey, remains in violation of NHRA rules (Section 1.7, I., B.1.) as well as N.J.S.A. Title 13 Chapter 62 New Jersey State Motor Vehicle Racetrack Regulations.

ouch.

all that means is, he might have had a few beers with dinner the night before.

[Scott Liggett]

Re: Scott Kalitta, The Accident Report

Or he inhaled a lot of exhaust from the Top Alcohol racers.

[SpiderGearsMan]

Re: Scott Kalitta, The Accident Report

most of the alky dragsters are running nitro

when I want scientific answers , I always ask a state trooper
once again , why does NJ involve itself in racing ?

oh , yeah , to get a break from noise pollution legislation , they had to give Nj a little control

[FORDGUY]

Re: Scott Kalitta, The Accident Report

Driver Toxicology
Post mortem toxicological analysis of blood obtained from Scott Kalitta during his autopsy revealed the presence of Ethanol at a level of 23 mg/dL. This level converts to a BAC percentage of .02% BAC. This level, 25% of the legal limit for intoxication in the State of New Jersey, remains in violation of NHRA rules (Section 1.7, I., B.1.) as well as N.J.S.A. Title 13 Chapter 62 New Jersey State Motor Vehicle Racetrack Regulations.

ouch.

all that means is, he might have had a few beers with dinner the night before.

yeah... but as it states its a "violation". the sharks will look for any angle at all to shift blame, ya know? nothing gives reasonable doubt or plausable deniability like a positive drug or alcohol test. slow reaction to a fast moving situation may sound like impairment to a jury that frowns on the sport anyway.

[Eric68]

Re: Scott Kalitta, The Accident Report

My bet is cough syrup. Heard he was sick at the time.

[Fordplay0621]

Re: Scott Kalitta, The Accident Report

NJ, and NHRA seem to work together well enough that there is no blame on either of them. Maybe they should give Breathalizers before runs. Nah! to many Rules to follow to begin with.

You may even conclude, that it is a Dangerous Sport...

[SpiderGearsMan]

Re: Scott Kalitta, The Accident Report

nascar has the breathalyzer at seekonk

[Brian Lohnes]

Re: Scott Kalitta, The Accident Report

Seekonk Speedway....the only auto racing facility in the state of Massachusetts.

Brian