Forum: HoseHeads Sprint Car General Forum (go)
Moderators: dirtonly  /  dmantx  /  hosehead

After another fire involving methanol during a race ...The question arises how good is your fire protection at your tracks.

Methanol presents a different problem than gas...what it takes to put it out and how protected is your fire crews....can they save a driver in time....tee shirts and blue jeans don't cut it in fire fighting anymore...how trained are your fire crews...ole billybob has been a fireman for 30 years...but never been trained.

I see the traveling groups have stepped their game up with traveling safety crews and knoxville has what looks like a good program..

So how does your track compare?

Did tee shirts and blue jeans ever cut it in fire fighting?

I'm with PeteP on this one.  I'm not even the least bit worried about what their requirements are.  Above my pay grade, and there were a whole lot of Monday morning quarterbacks after the Southern Oregon Speedway incident.  If I were a driver, I wouldn't race anywhere I didn't feel their equipment and training were adequate.  As a fan, I'm assuming every driver on that track understands the risks they're taking.  If tracks, series, drivers feel the need to up the requirements for their safety teams, I'm all for it.  I also understand there is a tremendous cost in having a safety team like Knoxville, so it's completely unrealistic to believe all of these smaller tracks can afford to take that type of costs on.  

And as Pete said, as a driver, you wouldn't catch me sitting in the car without a fire suppresion system!  I know they don't always work (ie Macedo at Knoxville last year) but they have to greatly improve your chances.  

I served on a carrier working in catapults and damn near got wiped out a few times.  You learn to have your head on a swivel and anticipate which direction the shit will fly if things go south.  I trained in fire fighting and got checked out on turret and handlne on a crash truck on shore duty.  Hand line is where we wore a fire proof suit and approached the fire.

I'm not an expert by any means but I've worked around fast deadly machines and showered with pieces when one exploded.  When I look at some of these race tracks I just bite my tongue after working in an environment that took safety so seriously.  Sprint Car crashes resemble aircraft crashes in a lot of ways and need to be given the same kind of attention to detail.  That's just my opinion and not anything I'm going to stand my ground and argue.  We are fortunate that all the bigger tracks around here are exemplary in the way the handle safety.  I stay away from the sketchy ones.  

Stan Meissner

How many times have the fire supression systems worked? In theory I think the concept is a great idea. In reality, what is in place today (mandatory by many groups) is wishful thinking. The saying "it's better than nothing" doesnt hold water. That 7 pound bottle bouncing around inside the cockpit while flipping eventually is going to bite someone and that guy or gal is going to wish something different was in place. 

Can it be done? Yes, but not at the cost that racers and teams are already complaining about. 

Plenty of racers don't have fire suppresion systems and they still race. Lots of tracks have inadequate fire crews and racers still race.  Some people like to watch racing and have never raced but they think they have all the answers for the people that actually race. Let the real racers do their thing and enjoy watching.

Yup, agree 100%

You do everything possible to prevent a tragedy and if one happens in spite of everyon's best efforts it's much easier to sleep at night.  I've seen big fast machine kill and injure people and none of them are pleasant memories.  I'd prefer not to see that with my entertainment.  When I was a kid my dad took me to a racing banquet where Eddie Sachs was the keynote speaker to put things in perspective.  A few months later we know what happened.  That hit me pretty hard as a kid.  

Stan Meissner

Kind of staying on topic: If you are a regular weekend racer and you are not required to have a fire suppresion system in your division and someone gave you 2,000 bucks to buy a fire system or buy tires or other consumables what would you purchase?

I never like seeing or hearing of drivers being injured or worse but the danger of auto racing is part of the reason I got hooked on it. Brave men doing brave things and not concerned about much but having a fast hot rod and beating their competitor... 

Zero times that I know of one to work in a sprint car the last two seasons. But I have seen two of them come out of a car and then activate.

if he replys you might be surprised at  the how many tally 

Worst case scenerio is when there are a pile up that ignites.  You're very demanding with your entertainment if you like watching those types of things for entertainment.  https://kansasracinghistory.com/Hutch_Nationals/webpages/Hutchinson_fire.htm

Stan Meissner

I feel honored that you replied to one of my posts twice. Now try reading my other post. A little reading comprehension can go a long way.

How is she doing?  Last I read she was still having breathing issues.  I hope there has been an improvement there. I cant imagine how sick her dad must be. 

She is doing better from the update I read yesterday. 

The older I get the faster I was

Thanks for the update. Have they posted a legit gofundme or anything like that?  

Marked free from taking Sprint Car racing so seriously that I would never insult someone for not respecting my opinion.  

Stan Meissner

Thanks for informing me that crashes and fires happen in racing.  You'd think I'd have noticed that all those years I was sending photos To publications.  They'll even chase you around the infield sometimes or try to hit you with a flying wheel.  That's why I compare it all the time to being on a carrier.  Never know when or from what direction chaos is coming and have to always have the head on a swivel and be prepared for the worst.  

Stan Meissner

Ahhh. I was at many . Probably more than you. But I've been keeping track as much as I can since I've been making clamps for them (which in my case, haven't failed like others).

Do you own a sprint car team or make a living driving a sprint car? I would love for the onboard fire supression to save lives, however, they dont work today as they have been envisioned to.