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

Anyone with common sense would know that the bridge will stay until it kills somebody, which of course you believe it can't do because cars are only going 30 mph when they hit it. 

If you where in charge you'd  Probably have  pink balloons all around the racetrack pointing out the dangerous area's  so everyone could slow down until they passed that spot. All I was saying nutslapper is that every racetrack you go to there are dangers all around it. You think that inside slab of concrete at port royal wasn't dangerous or couldn't have hurt someone bad ? Get your head out from your seat cushion and look around. Do you think it's not dangerous when a sprint car gets upside down ? Nah, most think it's exciting to see. The only point I was making nutslapper was that if you look hard enough every track out there has an issue, and again, every driver out there understands the risks when they put that helmet on.  I'm sure promotors would welcome funds to fix all the problems they have. 

So answer the question smart guy. Let's hear your answer. How much speed do you think a sprint car is carrying after it digs into the fucking track and shoots upwards. 

All you people giving me shit about 30mph, physics blah blah bkah,,  how fast is a sprint going when it's at its apex during a flip? You think is the same speed as they're going on the track? Let's here your answers since I'm dumb and you're all smart. Enlighten me boys. 

You took a serious blow to the head at some point in your life didn't you? You definitely are entertaining though. LOL

I'm not the guy you're picking the fight with, but I'll respond so you can call me names when you disagree.

Sprint cars are more likely to dig into the ground when they crash in a corner. That doesn't mean they are suddenly moving at riding lawnmower speed. Jason Johnson was killed after his car supposedly lost all that speed and then hit an immovable object.

It's been my experience watching sprint cars that when they crash on a straightaway, they continue to carry that speeding for quite a while. So, if a sprint crashes going say, 120 mph down the long back chute at Williams Grove, it could still be going 80-90-100 mph when it hits an immovable object.

The people wanting to keep the bridge at Williams Grove remind me of the people who were hell bent on keeping the unsafe falling down fire hazard grandstand at Port Royal. They even got the Governor involved. Guess What, everyone survived and the track has thrived without it. The races that happen there now could not happen with it there. Nothng lasts forever. I am mostly in favor of tradition but some things you have to let go. It will be ok without it.

I bet you had a fit when they put roll cages on the cars.

I don't need to answer the question.   I've never ridiculously stated that a car would only be going 30 mph when it hit the bridge.  You also make a very broad assumption that the car would be at the top of an arc at that precise moment.   If the driver has ramped someone's right rear at full throttle just before the bridge, then it could still be going up.   How fast could it be going?  I definetly don't know, and neither do you.   

So you're saying that anyone who disagrees with you is a redneck dummy?   I have been called that before.   You might be correct on that one...

Your second sentence that you put on this post said "The bridge, it's iconic and should stay period."  So no I don't think that was your point.  However you are correct that there's a lot of dangerous parts at a lot of different race tracks.  You're also correct that every driver understands the danger when they put a helmet on.  So does that mean that because another track has something dangerous you don't try to make a safety improvement at your own track?  Does this mean we should just give up on safety?  Two wrongs don't make a right.

Well I think we agree on something at least.  I will start by saying I'm no expert.  But what I do know for sure is that no two accidents are the same.  You are correct that it is possible that a car might only hit the bridge at 30 mph.  But even at 30 mph if you were to hit that bridge at the right angle that could be fatal.  You also could have a situation where a car stops on the backstretch and if some cars are racing and someone doesn't see the car stopped could hit that car at full throttle and act as a ramp almost and maybe the first thing they hit is the bridge.  In that scenario do you think they would only hit the bridge at 30 mph?  So to answer your question there is no answer because no two accidents are the same.

If I owned the Grove and didn't have to worry about budget, I'd relocate the bridge to the top of Beer Hill parallel with the track and make it a VIP seating option (think much smaller scale Fenway Park Green Monster seating).  That way the bridge still stays a part of the tracks image and is preserved forever. 

Ran into an old friend at the National Open. He hadn't been in there in 30+ years. He said 'it hasn't changed much'. I said 'fine by me'. 
Those big metal grandstands and amenities are nice , but I'm still rather fond of wood, covered grandstands, pagodas, whitewash, pits in the infield (and smaller, shorter trailers) , and the Williams Grove Bridge. And while we're at it, those greasy, heart attack in boat, fries from the old stand by the pit gate too.
 

According to Steve Bubb's column in Area Auto Racing News a couple weeks ago, EMMR was approached about their interest in the bridge. That's pretty much it, everything else is speculation/rumor. He should know.

I remember that night out of Beaver Dam quite well when Jason Johnson lost his life. And it could happen at William's Grove. very easily with that bridge. And anyone that thinks it's not possible is a fool. But then again, I thought people in Pennsylvania were a little smarter than they are. But look who they elected for Senate. Someday Somebody's gonna hit that bridge.. And then it'll be too late. And then Your. Race track Might be gone. Something so simple is replacing the bridge with something higher. And wider. Or just getting rid of it all together. It doesn't mean people can't go in the infield. When they're in the infield? They can just stay there. They don't need to go back and forth. What happened at Beaver Dam that Night. Nobody should have had the scene. I could tell you right now that bridge is made out of the same material that sign was made out of. Every time the sprint cars go on the track there, you're just flirting with Accident waiting to happen. It was also the same. steel, i Beam. that took the life of Bill Rook At Husets I've seen it happen twice. Don't want to see it happen anymore.  Glen Murra

But was that pole that Jason Johnson hit iconic?  How long had it been there?  Did Jason Johnson know that pole was there when he put on his helmet.  According to a few clowns on this board that's more important than a human life. 

Thankfully every decade we see fewer and fewer serious injuiries and fatalities.  But that doesn't happen because people say "they knew the danger" or "this might be dangerous but you should see this track" or "it's iconic, who cares if it kills a few people".  Thankfully, I think most of the people in sprint car racing actually care about the human beings that wheel these things around the track and make safety a priority.  Thank you for bringing up the feelings we all had when Jason Johnson passed, those were not fun times.  Lets avoid them if we can.

If all the Moons lined up, The right flip at the right time, maybe the wing comes off at the start of the crash... Hell yes that Bridge could take someone out! Still it sucks for the Fans and historians to remove it. There's got to be a solution to make it safe(er), keep the Bridge in one way or another and keep most of the people happy. God knows your never going to make them all happy :)

Turn it sideways at the same location. If a rig can't go under it , they park outside. That will help with the sight lines. It can then be used for the crews that do have to park outside, as a veiwing area.

Man I forgot about this thread. Glad to see we're all getting along. Since then,  I've heard that they are building a higher/safer bridge to replace it. I find that hard to believe actually, but we will see I guess. Could it cause injury or worse? Absolutely.  But so can 500 other different objects at a racetrack.  But whatever,  it is what it is. I've never heard a driver complain about the bridge one time. Just the death trap of opening in the backstretch wall.  If they knock the bridge down and don't fix that opening.....I'l  probably worry about humanity even more than I do now. Good day fellas. Looking forward to next season.  

Why is a tunnel not an option in place of the bridge? Just off the top of my head, I can think of 3 tracks that have done that: Lincoln, Port Royal, and Eldora.