I am sure by now that alot of Nascar fans have seen the violent wreck that Michael McDowell had on Qday at Texas Motor Speedway. By far it was one of the most violent hits that any driver has taken. While watching the wreck. What exactly is it that saved this young driver from serious injury?
Now I know alot people are saying that the newer car is what saved him. But is that really true? Or are you just saying that because you are trying to find a reason to accept it? Because after all, the car is here to stay whether we like it or not. And even though some don’t like it. Is this a reason to all of a sudden change your mind because of what happened to McDowell?
So before you make up your mind and say it was the car. Lets look at a few things. What would have happened if the safer barrier wasn’t being used? How much harder of an impact would have he had hitting solid concrete? Alot of us seen how many times McDowell flipped and barrel rolled down the track. But how many times in the past have some of our drivers flip and roll just like him and walk away?
Here is one example of Sadler back in 2003 going for the ride of his life in the older car. Wreck. Or Ricky Craven in 1996. Wreck. Or we can go all the way back to Richard Petty in 1988 for this one. Wreck. You be the judge. Here were 3 examples in 3 different decades of just how safe the cars have always been. Im not trying to downplay the newer car.
But we all know just how important the safer barriers have been. Wasn’t it Jeff Gordon saying that Las Vegas needed to add the safer barriers to the inside walls as well? Or do we look back to the death of Adam Petty, Neil Bonnett or even Dale Earnhardt Sr. Dale didn’t hit the wall as hard as McDowell. But had the safer barriers been invented back then? Do you think that maybe we would still have these 3 drivers?
Safety in Nascar has always been top priority. All the way from the steel roll cages. To all of the other safety features that are used week in and week out. The Hans device. The helmets. The fire suits. The safety harnesses. All of these things and more go hand in hand to keep our drivers safe in case of accidents.
Hats off to the research and developement team who have taken there time to develop all of these safety features and more. They are the unsung heroes of the sport. And a big hats of to Dean Siking from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and his team of engineers for developing the safer barriers that are used at all of Nascar’s oval tracks. Because of their time and dedication to the sport. They have probably saved another one of our driver’s lives on Friday. Im Out
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2.0.5.4/467 Fri Sep 5 03:26:17 UTC 2008
26 Comments
Unekone
Apr 06 2008 21:35
Personally I am glad...
that all of the safety precautions have been installed. Racing is a dangerous sport and I know that the “old school” racers didn’t have these safety mechanisms but there is no glory in watching someone get hurt/die unnecessarily. I’m glad about the strides that NASCAR have taken to improve the safety of our drivers – I wish that it would have been this way before Dale Sr. got killed! Anyway, those are just my opinions and you have created another wonderful post as usual Frevr3.
EARLZZZZZZZZ
Apr 06 2008 08:48
WOW
Good stuff “3” as always
annticki
Apr 05 2008 20:13
Michael's Bristol crash
was declared unsurvivable after it was investigated.
I’ll never forget that crash. Michael isn’t a small man, is about 6’5” and that crash left him sitting on the ground with a shell around him. It truly wasn’t his day to die that day.
BristolMike
Apr 05 2008 18:40
The most spectacular looking accidents.
Seem to be the ones that cause the least driver injury. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QVlj7F8OJCY
Michael Waltrip’s 1988 Bristol crash gives a good example. It’s the ones that the car stops immediately and does not absorb the impact of the crash and forces the driver to absorb it are the ones that cause the driver damage. The first rule of physics is that energy cannot be created or destroyed it can only be transferred. When the energy is transferred to the car it’s spectacular when it’s transferred to the driver it’s deadly.
nascar365
Apr 05 2008 18:25
Hi There...
Been gone for a few weeks. But had to drop a comment on this one.
They are making a big deal over this little wreck!!!!!
Don’t get me wrong I am glad the dude walked away with a smile on his face.
But I have been around this sport for a long long long time.
I have seen wracks with the now old car and they walked away from them too.
And that’s when a driver was’nt a sissy they had to cowboy UP. NO soft Walls, Helmets didnt have face guards.
They got into the cars knowing they could die!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
That’s when NASCAR was a real mans sport.
Sorry guys I just like my men to be men…!
They have way to Meany sissy boys running today.
And Nascar thinks all us old fans have road off into the race dust. And we can’t remember the WRECK THAT RUSY TOOK DOWN THE THE STRATE NOSE TO TALE ALL THAT WAS LEFT WAS THE CAGE. HE WALKED AWAY TOO NASCAR.
Good Post Frever3fan:)
forme
Apr 05 2008 17:43
I agree its not just the COT that improved safety.
Frevr3fan,
I agree with you in much of what you say regarding NASCAR’s attempts to take a inhiertly dangerous sport, and make it safer. I also agree it is not just the COT. As to Dale Sr.’s accident, I’m not sure that the safer walls would have helped in his situation. I think a hans device would have done more to save his life. His injuries, one of which, a baisular facture, (when your head actually pulls away or is fractured where the base of the head and neck meet.) I think the differnt configuation of the new seats would have helped Sr. too. Unfortuneatley, Sr. chose not to use the hans device. However, I think that his death influenced the other drivers, all of whom now wear one. So as you say – hats of to the R&D safety program in NASCAR. To the developers of the safer barrier walls, and the configuration of the seat, and the COT. I hope no one forgets that Sr.’s death was also a driving force for safety. If we forget those who have lost their lives, and new safety measures were instated because of that, then those men really have died in vain. We can hope and pray that no one else has to die befoe a new safety device is implemented. With better R&D, and drivers more willing to try something new deemed safer; then perhaps we will not have to mourn another driver lost.
forme
annticki
Apr 05 2008 16:53
I was just pointing out
wrecks that changed Nascar. Bobby’s certainly did.
Frevr3fan
Apr 05 2008 16:42
I was gonna
Add Bobby Allisons wreck in this blog. But his car didnt do what Pettys, Sadlers, And McDowells car did. All he did was tear up the fencing. I know that it was bad wreck. But his car didnt tumble and flip as bad as the rest.
annticki
Apr 05 2008 16:40
Crashes that changed Nascar
You have to remember Bobby Allison’s 1988 crash into the fencing at Talledega.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wySxP-tWZQU
And restrictor plate racing was born.
rubbercatfish
Apr 05 2008 16:38
What?
I’m sure I don’t know what your talking about!