Lightning doesn't strike in the same.....whoops! Now I know why I always sit in the stands coming out of turn 1!
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When you go to a race you are taking a chance. Late 90's or early 2000's either CART or IRL race at Michigan. People were hit by parts 50 rows up. Their is no way to make it 100% safe for drivers, crews or fans. Most tickets have a disclaimer printed on them and most pit passes have a waiver to sign. It's easy to second guess the track, but fans put them selves in bad positions. Go to Eldora and see how close hundreds of people stand to the track. I do it every time I go. If something ever happens to me, it is not Eldoras fault.
2 years ago when I was down there, Tyler Dipple rolled his mod right by the flag stand, it was a yard sale. Parts went into the stands that night and they hauled a feller out in the squad. As for what it was that hit him, I'm not sure. It was good bit down from where we sat.
Safety is hard. The last death from a late model going into the bleachers was years ago, and the victim was in the 12th row up. The last spectator to die at the Indpls. 500 was sitting in the top row.
You raise some good points. Another track that needs to address this issue is Tri-City Speedway in Granite City, IL. While I enjoy going to the races there, I am surprised a sprint car has not gotten into the grandstands at that facility. A few years ago a non-wing sprint car would have easily cleared the fence, but hit a light pole and fell back onto the track. They definitely need to address it, before something like this incident happens there.
One of the first Indianapolis 500's we ever attended was 1987. A spectator from Wisconsin was killed that day. It was a little past half way through the race. He was setting in the top row of the grandstands between 3 & 4. A wheel had come off Tony Bettenhausen Jr.'s car and was hit by Roberto Guerrero who was running at full speed. That collision launched the wheel and tire all the way to the top of the grandstands. The man never knew or saw what hit him. It goes to show that there really is no 100% safe place at a racetrack. But in regards to the Volusia incident Josh is 100% correct. They should have learned from Joey's tumble.
fryfan, I went to Tri City for the USAC Gold Crown midget show a couple of years ago and feel much the same way. A car got in the air just off of turn 4 and was easily high enough to clear the catch fence I've attended several other events at TCS but always made sure we were setting as high as possible.
There are areas of the grandstands at Bubba Raceway Park that make us a bit nervous, too. When they come off of 4 and drift out towards the outside wall the trajectory the cars take makes us a little nervous. My wife refuses to sit in that area of the grandstands.
The liability of the track in this situation is huge, since they already had one go over the fence earlier this week. The owners/management had proof that it could happen, and did nothing to increase safety afterward. Most of these tracks are a tragedy waiting to happen. The seating is built way too close to the tracks, and the catch fences are not adequate to stop a car.
they fixed it. they removed the back stretch bleachers.
Probably headed to double fencing like Eldora has done where they fence off a "landing" zone outside the normal catch fence. Eldora had to take out the bottom few rows on the front stretch to accommodate this, many tracks that I have attended would have to relocate bleachers altogether in order to pull this off.
Lasalle stands are right on top of track but the wall is very high before the fencing starts. They should of removed the bleachers after Saldana incident. Anyone heard on condition of the 3 hit?
Go to Screven and when the SLM come screaming out of 4 and down the front stretch and tell me if you don't wonder ? A car gets up into fence or clears it !!! A lot of people are going to get hurt.
Reminds me of Rockford Il. WOO sprint race last year, We were in the third row from bottom off turn 4, rough track, cars bouncing all over, that antique fence of theirs wasn't going to stop much!