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

Why hasn't anyone developed a rear end tether? Pretty simple solution to some of the bad injuries Drivers suffered to their backs creating devastating results 

What drivers suffered bad injuries to their backs with devastating results from rear ends?

I would think a tether might swing the loose end of the axle into the drivers compartment.  If the axle breaks, I want it to get away from me as quick as possible.  Not keep it close by swinging around me.  

Brandon McLain
United Sprint Car Series Driver
2014 Season
National Rookie of the Year!
National Points - 8th
Southern Points - 3rd
Asphalt Points - 3rd
18 Races, 3 Top 5's, 14 Top 10's

A lot of Sprint Car racers that have landed flat on the frame rails and the read end shears the but bar or smashes it flat and slams you in the ass and basically tries to drive your ass through your shoulder blades, at least that's what it feels like strapped in tight and getting slammed in the ass by the rear end on a flat hard landing after big air. It's just the way it is when you land that way and I can't picture a rear end tether that will work to change it because there's not that much suspension travel in the upward arc that you can limit so it doesn't impact the butt bar that won't totally mess up the way the car handles. This happened to me towards the end of 95 and I fractured my L1 and L2 vertebrae. I was fortunate and didn't require surgery at the time. It's happened to many other racers some with serious back and neck injuries some with lesser injuries. Sometimes just landing flat on the rails after multiple flips without the rear end slapping you in the ass will still result in fractured vertebrae's. It's just one of the inherent dangers of racing. A shock absorbing mounting between the seat and chassis might be something to look at ?
I take it the O.P. is referring to Chase Johnson's crash at Gold Cup and his devastating neck and back vertebrae fractures that required 9 hrs of surgery. It's a damn shame, he is a fine young man and was becoming a heck of a good racer. He has a long road of recovery ahead of him. 

The older I get the faster I was

that was the argument on here against front axle tethers. i do not claim to have all the info, but I have not heard of a front axle getting inside the car and hurting the driver.

Its nice to hear from voices of experience. I heard of a product called the Crash Pad which I assume the driver sits on. I wonder if there should be a similar porduct with a higher density for underneath the seat?  I'd hate to see a tether turn into a whipping machine.