Olitho

For those of you who had not heard, there was a death at a NASA HPDE3 event at WSIR last weekend.

A petition has been created requesting input on safety improvements at WSIR, specifically Turn 9.

I urge everyone to click on this link and sign it:
http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/P...edTrackSafety/

Please spread the word, we need as many signers as possible.

For those who want to do more reading on the issue, here is good link:
http://www.trackhq.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1191

Slalom4me

Slalom4me

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heavychevy

signed

Olitho

Here is the official NASA statement:

Dear NASA members and racing community,

A tragic accident occurred at Willow Springs Raceway on May 24th which resulted in life threatening injuries to one of our members. Due to the number of erroneous accounts posted on the internet including supposed “first hand reports” which we know are false, we are publishing this statement of facts in hopes that the racing community will be respectful of the family and refrain from further uninformed speculation.

At 11:30am Joseph Drey was driving his 2002 Mini Cooper S in NASA’s High Performance Driving Experience when the vehicle left the racing surface at the exit of Turn 9 and subsequently turned back across the track. While sliding across the infield dirt, the vehicle rolled an unknown number of times, landing upright but causing the driver to be partially ejected from the vehicle. The vehicle sustained the most significant damage located in the right rear, with additional damage extending to all remaining portions of the vehicle. The left front wheel assembly was separated from the vehicle while the other wheel assemblies remained attached. A fixed back racing seat was properly installed and remains securely attached he the vehicle. A DOT approved 4 point harness restraint system was being utilized. Rescue teams were performing lifesaving measures within 1 minute from when the car stopped rolling and immediate medical aid was administered by NASA Safety, paramedics, and 2 physicians. The patient was transported to the hospital via air ambulance where further medical treatment occurred.

It is with great regret we must recount this tragedy and all information from this event will be analyzed by experts and/or manufacturers. Should anything be learned which could improve the environment for our drivers, changes will be reflected in the NASA Club Codes and Regulations.

Sincerely,


Ryan Flaherty
National Chairman
National Auto Sport Association

mikahb

Very sad news.

Oli, I think this is a great cause, and I appreciate your initiative and organization in setting this up.

I hope your well-organized and logical assult can bring about some action. Like many - I will be disappointed if it does not.

trackboss

I haven't run WS in a few years, but I can tell you when I did T-9 was not the most dangerous. I've seen several cars go off there at high speeds with no problems. I've gone two off there a couple times. One resulted in a spin on the track which was not bad. The other was not dramatic however it made be think about the upcoming pit wall straight ahead. There are a lot of drainage ditches at WS that are not very visible from a distance. The area off T-8 could use some help as that is a very high speed part of the track. The area between 4-5 needs help as you do not want to go off there. I will most certainly cause damage. Finally, I think exiting T-6 is probably the worst. There was, probably still is, a big ditch there. Exiting 6 there is a bump which upsets the car and if one goes off there and into the ditch rollover is likely. I suppose if you lost brakes going into T-1 that would be bad too. The whole track needs help in runoff, but because it is in the desert the drainage ditches will be difficult to work around.

-V

John Shiels

God Bless him.

Slalom4me

My vote is that the following suggestion has merit.

Something like the Accidents and Incident Reports section of FAA,
only on a scale manageable, affordable and meaningful for motorsport?


.

Carl Johansson

Partially ejected? man that argues for a roll bar and at least 5 point harness. The write up says he had a 4 point - nothing about a cage or bar. I do HPDE's quite a bit. You would never catch me on a track without at least a roll bar - and 5 points harness. I wonder how tight he had the belts?

Thoughts and prayers go out to his family and friends

Carl Johansson

Cloaked323

That's very unfortunate, I was headed there that day but for reason that doesn't need to be discussed I missed this event I'm glad I did. This is a dangerous sport, several of my colleagues remind me of this every time I tell them that I won't be in Wednesday because I'm going to the WSIR the big track, interestingly enough they chase criminals for a living.

BQuicksilver

Very sad news to see, for sure.

Why exactly is there a need to improve safety in this corner? From what I've read here I'd point my finger at a relatively high COG car going off and rolling in a high speed corner and the driver being ejected from his *4 point* harness.

Cloaked323

WSIR hasn't changed turn 9 has had it's share of offs, but it's a high speed race track and you better be on your "A" game when you're driving there or slow down. IMO this is an old school fastest in the west road course that can be unforgiving and it is no secret.

Olitho

This is a very true statement at that is why there is the movement to make it more forgiving. The current plan that seems to be gelling is to ask for more paved run-off inside of turn 9 to allow cars to scrub more speed on asphalt while going off on the inside. This will help keep the cars from digging into the dirt and flipping.

Better maintenance of the variation in height of the surface of the dirt to track outside nine is needed, too.

Please sign the iPetition at:
http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/P...edTrackSafety/

bobmoore2

They also need to better maintain the dirt to track surface height on the outside going down the hill between turns 4 and 5. You can see that the edge of the dirt is several inches below the edge of the track there.

If you have driven this track a few times, you have decided which parts of the track can be driven at 105%, and where it's more sensible to drive at 95%. For me, the exit of turn 4, the getting-light spot on turn 6, all of turn 8, and the exit of turn 1 are 95% spots. Personally, I do not consider turn 9 one of the more dangerous curves, although the exit speeds there can be a little daunting sometimes.

It takes a lot of skill, a lot of practice, and a little courage to be a fast driver at Willow Springs. However, the very fastest drivers on Willow Springs (the top 0.5%) are the ones with lots of skill, too much courage, and very little common sense.

Bob

ryan0

I'm not sure if this is the right course of action. If you start making it easy to "tell" tracks what to do, what's next? It is the drivers responsibility. Period.

He chose not to run with a cage. He chose to be going faster than his knowledge/skills could handle. I would hope the driver would tell you the same if he could. He was out doing something he had a passion for, and took risks. Hell, i've done it in many a street car and knew it probably wasn't a good idea going in. But I was lucky enough to stay out of trouble.

A well known evo driver did the exact same thing in turn 9 a few years back and walked away. He was new to the game, but chose to be in a full caged car.

In all honesty, the only way to "stop" this kind of incident is to either limit the speeds, or mandate safety equipment. Who wants that?

the blur

This guy was unforturnite. It's says he had a proper seat, and harnesses, but he was still partially ejected. One of the harnesses probably came loose. and at times, I feel I can't get my harnesses tight enough. No matter how tight I pull down, it seems that they should be tighter..... and then after a few laps, it's even more appearant.

Olitho

Ryan, I can't disagree with you more. We have all stepped beyond our talent at times. This is all about reducing the dire consequences when we do. Other times it could simply be oil on the track. In either case I don't want a wadded up car if more asphalt could be added on the run-off on the inside of the turn and the outside edge could be more regularly groomed to keep the dirt and asphalt level.


Oli

ryan0

yeah, but where does it end? sand traps (which everyone complains about the delays, since cars have to be towed out), 200 ft run offs, etc?

i dont know. but i do know as soon as the 'improvements' drive up the costs everyone will complain again.

Olitho

Yeah, I know, but that is a past time for everyone in almost every avocation I participate in.

Hey, why don't I see your car # and name on the race roster for this weekends CalSpeedway ROval?