Forum: Oklahomatidbits.com General Forum (go)
Moderators:  /  David Smith Jr

Eddie works with my dad and I have started to help him out in the pits. I was there Friday night when this happened.

First off Eddie is Ok just sore and hurting . He has 2nd to 3rd degree burns on his left side and minor buring on his right. The 3rd degree burn is about 1in by 3 in. He was suppose to have gone to the burn doctor on Monday but could not get in. They are trying to get in this Thursday to see the doc. He is getting around by using crutches. Sunday when my dad talked to him he was suppose to take pain meds every four hrs.

As far as what happened from me looking at it when the car came in and what Eddie told my dad was that. One of the fuel lines to the pump was not tighten all the way. Eddie told my dad that he felt the spray coming off of four but was hoping it was water. I think the flame you saw was the brake fluid that had leaked down on his foot and the floorpan b/c the methanol fire had melted the brake reservior and it was all over the inside of the comparment. Eddie said that his dad thinks that there is about two hours of work to get the car back running again. Eddie will need a new firesuit though.

He is ready to get back out there as soon as he can.

"The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands 
in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he 
stands at times of challenge and controversy." 
Martin Luther King, Jr. 

Erich Petersen 

I missed him at Meeker, Saturday, but didn't know why he wasn't there. Guess I gotta start going to SFS on Friday nights. Glad to hear Eddie is ok. Look forward to seeing him at the track.

all i know is he run up to the track in turn 2 and his leg was on fire. It scarred the sh*t out of me. My first human fire. So the only thing i could think of was spray him down with the fire bottle. But im glad to hear he is OK and we cant wait to see him race again. Good Luck Eddie

Dont get mad at me, im just the pushtruck guy.


www.myspace.com/pushtruckguy

It Toke The fairgrounds Guys Way To Long To get To Him way To Long Some Other Driver Got Out Of His Car And Help Him before The Officials Got to him Thats Sad.

The Deeper The Better. GO DEEP!

Glad to hear you are doing better, hang in the Eddie and see ya when you get back to Meeker

Danny Waller Jr.
Pro/Street Stock #1J
2006-2007-2009-2010-2011-2012 6 Time BMS Pro/Street Stock 
Champion
4 Time BMS Fall Nationals Champion
2 Time BMS Spring Nationals Champion
Driver: Johnny Reed Jr.

well im sorry driveitindeep that our response time is not to your liking. there were alot of events that caused me to not be able to get to him in time. I drive as fast as i can while still being safe.

Dont get mad at me, im just the pushtruck guy.


www.myspace.com/pushtruckguy

I think back to the mid-'80s when Larry Hill outfitted his corner workers in fireproof suits. Quite cutting edge for the time. In fact, I would put that safety crew from over 20 years ago against today's Knoxville safety crew any day. God help the driver who is involved in an inferno at SFS today. The safety crew is not well prepared.

Dont get mad at me, im just the pushtruck guy.


www.myspace.com/pushtruckguy

Dont get mad at me, im just the pushtruck guy.


www.myspace.com/pushtruckguy

Here's a novel idea. Why don't they position fire extinguishers on all the official staffed four wheelers that always seem to zoom around along with their golf carts. Fire training on their part would also be helpful and life saving.

Out of all the things that can happen in a race car fire scares me the most. I've seen pictures of the Hutch fire and even though that is very unlikely to happen today, it could. The thing I see here is that Matt and the other guys did everything to the best of their ability and training. That is the problem however... these guys are not put through a fire course. Every vehicle should have a fire blanket and at LEAST 2 fire extinguishers and every worker/push truck driver should go through a course. It's just good business, people can sue due to the tracks negligence on this issue.

yes this is very true. I always try to keep 2 to 3 extinguishers in my truck at all time just for this type of thing. I got the fire put out as quick as i could and the only thing that kept me from getting to him quicker was i had to wait on traffic to get across the track. I would try my best to get a driver out of a full car fire risking burns and serious injury on myself if thought i could save a drivers life. i dont want anyone thinking just cause im young i would turn and save myself, I havent been around racing for long but i do have basic safety training from other people helping give me pointers. I have come a long way and i learn something new every day. but there is no one to blame here and no lives were lost so we do have to be thankful for that. But as i said earlier if you think that new procedures are in need then i suggest you talk to Tom. I am a huge safety person myself. Thats why you dont see me blasting trough the pits or into traffic on the track.

Dont get mad at me, im just the pushtruck guy.


www.myspace.com/pushtruckguy

I have a 11/4" wrench if yall need to borrow it!!! That was Skeery!!!!!!!!!!!

They have NOT a clue out there huh!!!!!

matt you should not try to defend the whole sfs on this one you all have radios and all have eyes from what i understand eddie was on fire down the front stretch as well befoere going off the track in turn one which points the finger in the other direction the red should have been thrown long before it was then you or the other push trucks would have been there alot sooner probably long before the 35 car got out to help him which was very honerable by the wayto early in the night to crunch time i think especially when it has to do with fire or of that seiousness

Joey B

don't all these thing ultimately rest with the promoter?

Lanny is the promoter. Damn near every decision made with his show lies with him......... it's his call where the personnel on the track is. Doesn't every decision lie with the promoter?

I agree with a post above..........................1 guy with a 4 wheeler and a couple of fire extinguishers ----------sittin dead center on the middle of the half mile's back straightaway.................could go some distance to avoid a guy being on fire as long as Guinn was. One guy on the back strait with a 4 wheeler could get to anywhere on the half mile in a pretty reasonable amount of time.

thats JMO. Many of ya'll race or are ont he track and stuff - ya'll know where the problems are and aren't.........................

How much would could a wouldchuck chuck if a 
wouldchuck could chuck would

I was not Trying To Attack anybody personaly. We thank Yall guys For what You do trust me. Because We Need You Out There. But Its Just Like The EMT Guys Toke a Long Time To, It Just Seemed Like Forever Is All trying To Say. I Have Been On Fire Rolled A Car And All Of The Above And because Of You Guys Iam Still Here. What i am Trying To Say Lets pay more Attention.

The Deeper The Better. GO DEEP!

I applaud Matt and the #35 car's driver in their efforts. But I really believe there are two basic problems here. (1) the proximity of fire extinguishers to this or future incidents and (2) where the car came to rest. Both are interrelated. After the car went over the berm (aka) hump between turn 1 & 2, he was out of sight of infield and most personnel who were oblivious to the severity of the situation. Many times cars gone off the track with no flags thrown. The ultimate call would have to come from an official where the entire track could be seen and the incident assessed to determine whether a yellow or red flag thrown. I think there was a late response until the driver was seen on fire and running to the top of the hill in an attempt to get someones attention.

I agree with ya on that. I saw the fire when Eddie rolled over the top of the track in turn two. i told my buddy they need to throw the red right now. How come they didn't? I don't think they were watching him. I do think alot of people probably thought it was just an oil fire too. JMO Reguardless, any time we see fire the red should be thrown from here on out. I've been on fire before and it's scary but then hurts like nothing you could ever imagine. NOTHING !!! Keep them wounds clean Eddie. Hope you heel up soon.

I would dare say that EVERY track in the area, could improve in the area of safety. Whether it be in the form of more or better fire or extraction equipment, training, response time, or what have you.

As someone else pointed out in another thread, every driver should practice getting out of his car, while upside down, sideways and with the idea that the car is on fire. Obviously you'd want to do this w/o the motor.

Likewise, every track should have fire and emergency extraction drills, if not weekly, at least a few times per season, and any time new personnel are brought in.

In a perfect world, we wouldn't even be talking about this subject. Now that it has been neccessary, at least this brings the issue to light. Maybe Lanny won't make any changes, maybe Mark, or another promoter, owner, driver, crew member will read this thread, and make changes themselves.

Let's make sure we all don't get so caught up in the thrill, excitement, etc. of racing; and forget to all BE REAL CAREFUL OUT THERE!!!