The Chesley Dixon Fire at Swainsboro

[TerryM]

Good honest, articulate post TerryM, it's easy to feel your pain and frustration by your heartfelt words. I can imagine that was a traumatic experience for all the fans that had to witness that, I hope I never do.

I'm only asking this because I don't know, and I know their would be limits to protection, but how are driver's firesuits rated and/or certified? Are they required to be worn or required to be 're-certified' every so often? I know many drivers opt for the two piece firesuit, so is the one piece more effective? Again, I'm only asking these things because I don't know...the couple of teams I've helped with (several years ago now) the driver's firesuit was always 5-10 years old and often looked wore out. They would spend big money on a good helmet and seat, but the suit was always worn just as long as it would (halfway) fit.

I can only pass on what the announcer said after Chesley was put in the ambulance. He said he was wearing a one piece firesuit and advised all drivers in all classes to do the same. I don't know anything about ratings or certifications.

[Cardirt0]

I can only pass on what the announcer said after Chesley was put in the ambulance. He said he was wearing a one piece firesuit and advised all drivers in all classes to do the same. I don't know anything about ratings or certifications.

TerryM a man of reason...You have not had a bad day till you hear a man scream in a fire..Stand there and there is not a thing you can do to help..You feel so helpless. I have seen people toss there lunch as they watch..I watched a Man burn up Once,,, it was years, be for It stopped popping in to my head out of no were......First read this it popped back in too my head it still creeps me out..

[zeroracing]

To answer calverton, I don't know if he had an on board. I run an on Bord but honestly don't know how it would fair against a major fire. You can only hold so much on board.

[calverton]

but it would help and give him some time correct

[zeroracing]

Finnfann, Lucas oil is he only series I have ever had check my helmet and suit. They have no date on the suits, every other local track or series never checked them. One does make you wave on parade lap to show you have gloves, seen them boot a guy for not (they even tried to give him a pair and he refused). The cheap suits do not stay fire resistant for long, the old school proban stuff. Two piece suits have the obvious flaw in them. I am one of the only guys I know that wears the underwear, socks, under shirt and pants then a multiple layer fire suit. Also baklava and hood from helmet to shoulders. Most guys don't wear any of it.

The local track (Lucas oil speedway) is being proactive and has some stuff you can spray on your suit and make it flame resistant again/add more protection. I don't remember the name. Also they have the alcohol cars run stickers and have a seperate fire deal for them. Unfortunately most tracks don't take it seriously though.

Final comment, on the one piece suits, I wish they made suspenders inside them, mine always try to slide down when I unzip it and tie it around my waste, would make the one price suit easier to wear.

[44-19-21-39]

I have been watching Chesley Dixon race for several years and have cheered for him most of them, he's pretty wide open. I am definitely cheering for him and the family now. Our family is praying for all involved at this time.
With that being said, I am glad we left after the second caution in the crate race. Those cars should have never been on that 4 x 4 track. I couldn't stand to watch them tear up 50K cars for 2k to win. I am ok with the track doing the best they could with the amount of rain they had to put the race on as scheduled but they should of stopped before the first feature. I told my family when we were pulling out that someone was going to get hurt if they kept racing on that mess. I hate that it actually happened.

[Cardirt0]

Finnfann, Lucas oil is he only series I have ever had check my helmet and suit. They have no date on the suits, every other local track or series never checked them. One does make you wave on parade lap to show you have gloves, seen them boot a guy for not (they even tried to give him a pair and he refused). The cheap suits do not stay fire resistant for long, the old school proban stuff. Two piece suits have the obvious flaw in them. I am one of the only guys I know that wears the underwear, socks, under shirt and pants then a multiple layer fire suit. Also baklava and hood from helmet to shoulders. Most guys don't wear any of it.

The local track (Lucas oil speedway) is being proactive and has some stuff you can spray on your suit and make it flame resistant again/add more protection. I don't remember the name. Also they have the alcohol cars run stickers and have a seperate fire deal for them. Unfortunately most tracks don't take it seriously though.

Final comment, on the one piece suits, I wish they made suspenders inside them, mine always try to slide down when I unzip it and tie it around my waste, would make the one price suit easier to wear.

Smart by you the underwear gives you 2 to 3 more mins to get out of the car...that could mean scars or no scares...Plus you need too learn not to pull the Fire Ex. too fast wate till it gets too hot then pull it for more time too get out of car....

[TerryM]

I have been watching Chesley Dixon race for several years and have cheered for him most of them, he's pretty wide open. I am definitely cheering for him and the family now. Our family is praying for all involved at this time.
With that being said, I am glad we left after the second caution in the crate race. Those cars should have never been on that 4 x 4 track. I couldn't stand to watch them tear up 50K cars for 2k to win. I am ok with the track doing the best they could with the amount of rain they had to put the race on as scheduled but they should of stopped before the first feature. I told my family when we were pulling out that someone was going to get hurt if they kept racing on that mess. I hate that it actually happened.

I don't want this to be about anything other than the incident with Chesley, but yes, the track was terrible. We got 6 inches of rain the day before, from Hurricane Hermine. I was shocked the event wasn't cancelled or postponed. Having said that, they reworked the track after the second caution. It was pretty smooth when they restarted, compared to what it was before. But it was still heavy, soft and tacky, and that's not good racing conditions for these cars. The track conditions obviously played a part in Chesley's car hooking the right side and rolling over, but everything that followed was 100% the fault of the people in charge of making sure safety is the #1 priority.

Swainsboro is a nice facility, but it's very poorly operated. I could make an entire post about what the 00 car was allowed to get away with in the 10K to win SS feature, but that's another story for another time.

[Cardirt0]

I just hope hes OK !!!! he will do what he has too do for Him self .. What ever it is I will Back him....

[Crashmagnet]

This sounds identical to what happened at Southern Ohio. Nothing was learned. Nothing has changed. Nothing is going to change until the insurance companies shut down racetracks with insufficient safety equipment through extremely high rates.
And as far as racers and cars are concerned, the sanctioning bodies have to step up and mandate on board extinguishers, true fuel cells, and taller cages on these (not a nice word)(not a nice word)(not a nice word)(not a nice word)#d cars.
I don't know what else to say, it's sad, dirt racing is fun, everybody on this board loves it, but man it's got problems.

[Stede Bonnet]

I don't recall ever seeing an actual firetruck at any of the tracks I grew up at, but we did have a dedicated fire/emergency vehicle equipped with some rescue equipment. Always had ambulance and EMT's standing by, but not an actual firetruck, never seen that anywhere... I think making the cars more easily escapable would be a logical good move. Lower the decking, raise the halo height. Too much focus has been put on restraint, but that's normal over reaction in one direction. Another safety issue would be rules regarding the bodies and certain suspension components so they arent as prone to getting upside down. Prior to 1998, with 12 years racing experience up to then, I'd only ever seen 2 dlm's ever turn over, whats changed? Modern setups are just more dangerous, I'd like to see that change.

[TerryM]

I don't recall ever seeing an actual firetruck at any of the tracks I grew up at, but we did have a dedicated fire/emergency vehicle equipped with some rescue equipment.

That's what I'm referring to when I say fire truck. I mean a fire safety vehicle, not necessarily the big red fire truck most people think of when you hear that term.

[billetbirdcage]

I've never been all that in favor of mandating rules or safety equipment if its something that doesn't effect others, sort of like motorcycle helmet rules and etc. If you don't wear one, the risk is pretty much all on you and have no effect on anyone else, but that can't be said about eye protection on a bike where if something gets into your eye and you can't see then you could kill someone else (just an example). If you want to race without a fire suit, I really don't care as it's stupid and all on you then.

But anyways some things to improve safety:

1. All your fuel fittings should be steel not aluminum as during a roll over they are going to be much harder to snap off and run the fuel out of the lines. Granted no one does this and aluminum AN fitting are pretty much the standard. But how many times have you seen a wreck and the fitting gets snapped off the block mounted fuel pump or fuel cell? Lines rarely rip in half in my experience but fittings snap off fairly easy.

2. Battery mounting: many are not mounted that great where they can shift in the battery box and arch to ground causing sparks thus more chance to ignite any spilled fuel. A non conductive cover over the battery terminals would go a long ways to prevent arching and sparks

3. Tracks having a grappling hook or a hook on a long pole with a chain or fire retardant rope to allow people to turn a car over or move it into a more desired position when they can't get close to said car due to fire. Just something to allow the car to be turned over quickly if it's in a position that hampers the drivers or works ability to get the driver out of the car.

4. The cars are fast enough that really the frame construction rules are really not up to par and it's never checked anyways but 1.5" .065 tubing on the main cage is really sketchy for the speeds these cars are going on some race tracks. Think about this what's holding the engine from being in you lap in a head on impact? A 1/4" aluminum mid plate and 2 half inch bolts that attach to side aluminum motor mounts that are bolted to likely lightened aluminum block with 3 3/8" bolts. There isn't much stopping the engine from ending up in your feet/lap, maybe the dizzy hitting the dash bar and the headers hitting the foot box.

5. A fuel shut off (possibly with a external cable that someone could close it without getting right next to the cell) made into the fuel cell would likely help instead of relying on a roll over valve that probably isn't ever checked to see if it's working and the flapper valves on the fill cap that is constantly being bend by the funnel when filling it with fuel. Anything to make the lines/fitting harder to break off during a wreck/rollover and leak fuel would be a plus.

6. Already mentions was the obvious things like fire suppression and related safety equipment. Anyone that wears a 2 piece fire suit and thinking they have some safety is crazy. You think those flames aren't going to go right up the between the pants and jacket?????????

In short, you need to rely on yourself and make decision if it safe to race. Just remember your car may be up to snuff but you may get into a pile up and someone else's car isn't and a fire breaks out and your caught in it.

[TerryM]

I hope everyone gets a chance to read the statement put out by Bridget Dixon today. I saw it through Duane Goins sharing it on Facebook. It's one of the most emotionally touching things I've ever read. Literally brought tears to my and my wife's eyes. The work of our almighty God is a beautiful and powerful thing.

[71PRPFan]

Very sad. I lost a family member on April 19th and tracks still aren't stepping up. How many does it take

[Cardirt0]

That's what I'm referring to when I say fire truck. I mean a fire safety vehicle, not necessarily the big red fire truck most people think of when you hear that term.

You can buy back pack Foam fire Ex.. Foam from 35 feet a way if you had 2 of them one foams the driver and 1 foams the fire.. As I under stand they under a 1000 bucks
(TRI-MAX 3 CAF-Pack) Do a Fund razer and give them too the fire house in there town with the under standing that the race track gets them on race night...2 of them could have put out that fire in 2 min or less...

[Highside Hustler25]

Nobody should race at a facility without a fire safety crew on sight. I do not know of this racer but thoughts and prayers for a speedy recovery. Being burnt is a terrible and very painful injury.

[Cardirt0]

I hope everyone gets a chance to read the statement put out by Bridget Dixon today. I saw it through Duane Goins sharing it on Facebook. It's one of the most emotionally touching things I've ever read. Literally brought tears to my and my wife's eyes. The work of our almighty God is a beautiful and powerful thing.

post a link to it...please

[Cardirt0]

That's what I'm referring to when I say fire truck. I mean a fire safety vehicle, not necessarily the big red fire truck most people think of when you hear that term.

Pick up truck with a Foamer on it Small foamer put out a jet fire in under 2 min...Good foamer under 30 sec on a race car...Foam is the way too go....Water just moves the gas a round still burns foam covers it...

[davis2902]

https://www.facebook.com/duane.goins...06871826000638