minitech

I just heard it was a 73 year old man and that the car hit one of the flag holders stands. Does anyone have more info on this?

Was it related to the new extension on turn 10? Is there anything new to be concerned about there?

John Shiels

c4cruiser

According to this news report it may have been a heart attack.

trapp

I was there monday....no problems. You would have to almost purposely try to hit a stand....none of them on the new extension is really reachable...I one after the "new turn" is up on a hill out of the way..

MySR71

Check out this thread over on another website:

http://www.corner-carvers.com/forums...ad.php?t=43806

I saw a news story which said an autopsy was going to be performed to determine if the driver had a problem which resulted in the crash or if the crash caused his death. Sad news either way.

trapp

http://www.theh-p.com/articles/2010/...ws/1826521.txt

Sounds like a heart attack while lapping.....no effort to stop and damage to car was very little..sorry to hear about it...like I said you would almost have to try to hit the flag tower on the new corner.

Han Solo

What a bummer. Hate it for his family but at least he died in the saddle with his boots on.

Man this it turning out to be a bad year for track incidents.

SIK02SS

That's really too bad. Sunday was a weird day for us at Thunderhill. Parked right across from us was a good looking older Red Porsche wide body. Well on sunday he came off track before his race ended and apparently (i hadn't witnessed this part) just sat there in his car until someone came up and asked if everything was ok (car on, no movement..). Guy was un-responsive, passer by yelled to him through passenger window and still nothing; grabbed the cage and shook the car--still nothing. He went to get help and not a couple minutes later the track medics were there and pulled him out of the car. took his suit down to his waste and were doing chest compressions for nearly 15 minutes from what I saw. No one knows (as far as I know) what happened or if he's okay. But this all happened right in front of us

Knowing a bit about first aid and cpr, chest compressions for that long isn't good..

TJM

At 61, my Doc tuned down my medical form.

Nothing wrong. Low BP, strong heart, other than cancer .. zip. Healthy [ well sort of ] and strong [ a little fat, but HEY!! I'm 61 I earned it].

Turned me down flat. Said Road racing is too stressful?

Seemed that there was some sort of medical sector murmur about just these sorts of sad things happening.

NOW!! I have to go Doctor shopping.

TJM

John Shiels

When I go I'd rather have a wheel in my hand than tubes down my throat in the hospital or even lying in the hospital bed.

flink

Go for it. I do think that for us OldFarts a coolshirt system is important - that heat does add to the physical stress a lot.

For the doctor shopping: ask around the local race forums, perhaps? NASA Norcal link to this handy looking guy: http://racephysical.com/

Chris: the Porsche driver did pass away. I believe his name was Michael Sondel. Apparently he was only 58.

SIK02SS

****

That's very terrible to hear. Oli and I talked last night and we both commented how the last thing we saw going on track for the race was 2 ambulences and this guy who things were not looking good for when we left our paddock

Godspeed

BuckeyeZ06

Reading about these things reinforces my efforts to stay in shape. While I am younger than these two examples (48 years old), I recognize that you really have to work at being healthy.

I used to run about 20 miles a week, but the pounding on my legs made it so I didn't want to run for more than 2-3 months at a time, and then I'd quit. Now I use an elipitical for 40 minutes almost every day (5-6 days per week) and I don't feel beat up at all, hence I do it more.

Since January I have lost 18 pounds (well, I did bounce up by 3 recently), and my vitals are great: resting heart beat is 55-57, BP 110/70, and cholesterol is 180. Right now I am 7 pounds heavier than when I got married 21 years ago.

I like my life and want to continue living it. This is how I accomplish that goal. These guys may have benefited from the same efforts.

I am finished with my public service announcement (or bragging, depending on your perspective!).

Olitho

I hear you Dave. When they reduced the C5 weight I knew I could not get there with the car. I was weighing a cushy 206 lbs at the time. I have been dieting and exercising for a year. I am now just under 180 lbs. I don't run any more either. My knees just can't take more than a short run. I just turn 49 last Friday and I am doing an elliptical, too, or just walking for an hour or more regularly. I walk a lot now.

I did not figure Sondel made it. I feel so horrible. My son said they were still doing CPR when they loaded him up after doing CPR continuously for over 20 minutes trying to revive him. I figured at that point they were just doing CPR on the way to the hospital to let a Dr. make the declaration. How sad....

Do shop your doctor. We have a very fast 78 year old Andy Porterfield of GT1 and Corvette racing legend out of SoCal. He is still racing GT-1 cars and entering Turn 1 at ACS at 189 MPH. Then we have another driver in our regional SCCA HP class. He is 98 years old. Yes, 98! I will be racing with him in my race group in a week. He is very aware when the T1 cars come Thundering through. He is my hero. I hope I can be doing that at 98. He has on occassion retired from the race early when it is 100 plus degrees. But wow! I want to be like him.


Oli

SIK02SS

Oli and Dave--I whole heartedly agree, and I am almost half your guys age (no offense on that comment). I have always been very athletic and competitive, but lost my way (on the athletic part) a few years ago. Since getting the T-1 car last year I weighed 220 (6'3), today I got on the scale at 176.5, and I've finally slowed down to losing maybe a pound a week..but have upped my work outs tremendously. My life consists of: I work full time during the week, play full time on most weekends, and train full time during the week after work. I hit the gym very hard and it's noticeable to me when I get in the car and out of the car. I don't have a family of my own, but I do care about the family and friends I do have and want to be here for a while

This is a very taxing sport that we do, not just physically, but mentally as well. I would encourage everyone who races or does HPDE to workout both their mind and body; if they do, I guarantee they will feel the difference on the track.

rustyguns

rustyguns

Hot Damn! 98 years old !!!!!!

BuckeyeZ06

Last weekend I ran a 12-hour race at Nelson Ledges with three other drivers. Circumstances had me driving the car for over 6 of those hours, including 2 hrs and 45 minutes of the last 3.

At mid-night, when the race was over, I was tired. My forearms were sore, my hands were numb, my eyes burned, my ears ached (from the radio ear buds!) and my forehead had a rash from the helmet being on for so long.

But the next day I woke up and went to church like nothing happened the day before. But boy did I sleep.

I did need help getting out of the car at the end of the race.

SIK02SS

That's really awesome Dave!

63Corvette

[QUOTE=SIK02SS;1575144132]Oli and Dave--I whole heartedly agree, and I am almost half your guys age (no offense on that comment). I have always been very athletic and competitive, but lost my way (on the athletic part) a few years ago. Since getting the T-1 car last year I weighed 220 (6'3), today I got on the scale at 176.5, and I've finally slowed down to losing maybe a pound a week..but have upped my work outs tremendously. My life consists of: I work full time during the week, play full time on most weekends, and train full time during the week after work. I hit the gym very hard and it's noticeable to me when I get in the car and out of the car. I don't have a family of my own, but I do care about the family and friends I do have and want to be here for a while

This is a very taxing sport that we do, not just physically, but mentally as well. I would encourage everyone who races or does HPDE to workout both their mind and body; if they do, I guarantee they will feel the difference on the track.[/QUOTE]

I concur..............especially if you are racing a vintage car which does not have power anything! At the first two races I ran on the West coast we lost a driver each race due to heart trouble. Please take care of yourself and listen to your doctor.