10-17-2011, 04:04 PM
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Senior Club Cobra Member
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Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: Meriden,
CT
Cobra Make, Engine: ERA 427 SC s/n 718, 428 FE
Posts: 1,732
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Not Ranked
Racing is and always has been a dangerous sport. Back in the 30's and 40's, midget drivers were killed at a rate of more than one per month, and the midgets were usually racing at under 100 mph. We have gotten spoiled with the incredible safety features on these race cars. Drivers regularly survive 200 mph crashes and talk about it minutes later on TV. These cars should not race on high-banked one-half mile stock car ovals however. The lesson should have been learned ten years ago at Charlotte when three spectators were killed by flying debris at an IRL race there. The speeds are so incredible, when something happens, no one has the time to avoid the crash. With the open wheels and wings, once they jump over another car they are literally out-of-control airplanes with nowhere to go but up. Robin Miller said he had never seen so many nervous drivers before a race as there were yesterday. They are under contract however, and cannot just 'call in sick'.
Time to either remove the wings and "let 'em drive it", or just get them off the banked tracks. Indy cars had problems back in 1959 at Daytona and also at Monza, Italy, and the speeds were a fraction of what they are today. They have to think this thing out very carefully. Condolences to the Wheldon family.
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