The most basic idea behind a drag strip is to provide a safe, controlled, environment for people to race their cars. A basic expectation of drag racers is that the track they are running down has at least some basic safety standards that would help them in the event of a crash. This video shows a track that falls outside of parameters.
Vinny DiRose recently finished a bunch of changes and upgrades on his bad ass, blown 1957 Chevy door slammer. Last weekend he was competing at Capitol Raceway in Maryland. As you’ll see in the video he launches, has to pedal the car, then things go bad and he wrecks. After rolling over, the car bursts into flames. Sadly, that’s not the shocking part.
The “fire crew” bursts onto the scene as a bunch of people wearing t-shirts and shorts. Thankfully, Vinny was able to get out of the car because if he was in any other position, he’d be dead. The car sat there, on fire, reportedly for nearly 20 minutes before a local volunteer fire crew could get to the track and put it out. Needless to say, it is a total loss.
There was no sufficient fire fighting equipment at the track, and judging by the lack of safety gear on the safety response team, their training was probably insufficent as well.
This track is owned by a man who operates an NHRA Pro Stock team, someone who sees the NHRA Safety Safari work on a near weekly basis during racing season, and someone who sure seems like he should know better than to run a race at his own track that they do not have the capacity to do in a safe manner.
Good tracks set themselves apart when the shit hits the fan. Training, equipment, organization, and readiness come to the forefront instantly. To be kind, we’ll say that this is not an example of any of those things.
This is truly hard to watch.
Our heart goes out ot Vinny. We’re very happy that he made it out of this mess with his health.
Absolutely right, DISGUSTING! Would have been a good thing if the safety crew would check its equipment every once in a while as well as practice drills. I could have PISSED harder than those damn fire extinguishers!
Was his choice to race there, I doubt it was his first time racing there or at least spotting the response crew or seeing them in action one time or another. Hell he could have heard how they were, in the end its drag racing and it happens and its your choice rather or not you want to go race your car and race it at a track. Should keep in the back of your mind every time you pull up to the starting line that you may crash and lose the car.
Look at the big gap in the wall just behind the car after it crashes. How is this an NHRA sanctioned track?
Brian is a classy guy in not naming the owner of the track. He did say he also owns an NHRA Pro Stock team…suffice it to say he can certainly afFORD proper safety equipment at his track. If not, than maybe he needs to keep one or the other, not both.
What the heck was Richie’s last name on Happy Days?
I agree with Robert,I feel bad for the owner driver of the car.Even if its a little strip little event safety should always be first and the fire crew should always be trained and good at what they do.(look at the chap in the blue t shirt lets off the fire bottle in the air and on top of the car not under the it i dont think they know heat/fire rises come on guys its basic science!)and yeah i was’nt there it’s easier to say than do but come on thats someones hard earned money going up in smoke! i hope the owner can fix his car and i hope the track crew learn from this.look at the pro mod fire from Santa Pod i was there yes the car was totaled but the fire crew did their best and they were well equiped with good training….Rant over time to look at the rest of bangshift 🙂
Truly a bad deal. I know Vinn, and know how hard he worked building that car.
Let that be a leason to everyone with a car of this caliber, in any type of racing, spent your money on a state of the art top of the line fire suppression system, because you never know what may lye ahead, or who will be thwere to help.
Good luck Vinn, in your quest to rebuild her.
I that I was watching the Keystone Kops.
Why is it that every car fire you see at a dragstrip…. NO ONE can figure out how to turn off the fuel??
Well, hate that, that had to go down. He only had to lift once and he knew he was done. He didn’t need to get on it again, once was enough. This isn’t T/F
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