Track Safety

[AaronEF8]

Hi guys,

Was just flicking through Corral, and found this thread, it's a pretty good read for anyone who is 1/2 serious about any type of track racing. Basically it's about a guy whining that his track won't let him run his 11sec/120mph Mustang with no cage and an expired helmet.

http://forums.corral.net/forums/showthr ... ?t=1009057

Some of the posts cover the real advantage of a proper driving suit, gloves etc, and some of the stories really opened my eyes.

Sounds a bit boring yeah, but I want all sub-12 sec E-series owners to live!!

Feel the <3

[Jim Beam]

I think in Aus quicker than 10.99 and you need a cage. quicker than 9.99 and you need a chute.

Most of the info there was really useful too. Definitely an eye opener.

[Gunns]

Aus: ANDRA Rules
quicker than 10.99
- 4 point roll cage
- 6 point harness

quicker than 9.99
- 6 point roll cage
- 6 point harness
- fire suit

95mph
- Tail shaft loop

130mph
- Chute

160mph
- duel chute

NOS = Firesuit, boots & gloves regradless of speed + there must be a remote shut off for the bottle

Transbrake = trans sheild or balistics blanket

PD blowers must be tethered to the block or engine mounts

Modified firewall = Firesuit, boots & gloves

[Commando]

95mph
- Tail shaft loop

Damn, I should probably get one of these before heathcote! Especially since it already hits harmonic before the finish line n/a

[AaronEF8]

Heathcote isn't ANDRA approved is it?

[Gunns]

Heathcote isn't ANDRA approved is it?

correct!
they have VL's doing 8's 160mph, no cage, no harness, no chute, no sheild for the transbraked powerglide. The rules their are a joke.

[Commando]

Natural Selection <tm>?

[Steady]

Al, it's 140+ for a chute.

And I don't see the big deal with Heathcote, they did tell QWIKVL to fit a cage, I assume thats who you are referring to, seeing as I can't think of any other street driven VL thats gone 8.9@158 at Heathcote.

I think it's a rarity, its not like they have 8 second cars barrelling down there every test n tune.
Their safety record speaks for itself IMO
Some dickhead killed himself with a jetcar, and some bloke in a VL can't put his helmet on properly, and luckily lives to tell the tail.

8 second stock suspension street cars FTMFW
And if you are doing that without a cage, I think it's safe to say you realise the dangers, and have made your decision.
Heathcote simply caters for nutcases

Just to add more, cause it's something I feel strongly about, I think Heathcote should be appluaded for using common sense and not following an outdated rule book to the letter.
I'm sick of organisations/governments trying to wrap everyone in cotton wool.
If you are willing to take the risks, why shouldn't you be able to do so?
It's safer for 8 second VLs to be running at Heathcote then hitting up the prinny.
Rant over.

[Damo]

is Calder Andra sanctioned ?

[Barnsy]

I believe for some burnout comps in Vic they require a tailshaft loop to be fitted

[AaronEF8]

Yes Damo it is.

The ANDRA rulebook seems a bit outdated, I thought as much until I read the thread I posted. I wouldn't like to be taken out by the guy in the other lane who wasn't wearing a firesuit in his 9sec car and it burst into flames or something. I know it doesn't happen much, but knowing my luck, it'd happen to me.

On another note, anyone heard of the Las Vegas Raceway midnight meets? There's a *massive* problem with street racing in Vegas, none of this stock XR6T and VX shit, more like 50+ sub 10sec cars with slicks/front runners. LV Raceway hold these events with no scruitineering and usually with a hand start. If anyone remembers that F350 running a low 11, that's where it was.

Yeah it is safer for that VL to be at Heef-kit than on prinny, but if you can spend 50k or whatever on making a car run an 8, you can buy a $700 firesuit, or a scattershield for the trans. With the extra grip/load of a dragstrip, imagine if the trans let go? It could have killed people in the crowd and chopped the drivers legs off without a problem. Then where would Heathcote be?

[Commando]

Left without a leg to stand on?

Boom tish

[Gunns]

P.S the waver that heacote make you sign is not sh1t if something happens. Its called duty of care.

I think spending a little bit of cash on safety is not to much to ask, but if the car is to be street driven, there should be some leanency given by the track officals as some of the thing that are asked for can not be done and still have the car road leagal.

[Steady]

It could have killed people in the crowd and chopped the drivers legs off without a problem. Then where would Heathcote be?

QWIKVL was the car that did a 9? (from memory) at an AFF drag day, so we could potentially have been rid of one AFF member.

I understand what Heathcote do *sometimes* isn't safe, I understand people could get killed, and thats supposed to be bad and stuff, etc. etc., but people should understand that hey, it's not exactly a safe sport.
To watch, or to participate in. Sht happens sometimes.
I know thats not the way the world works, but the worlds fcked, so I won't agree with it.
So until Heathcote do get sued out of existence, I will continue to support them, and I will continue to support fast cars, whether built to ANDRA specs, not built to ANDRA specs or completely unsafe.

And before someone says that I'd think differently if I was the one that lost my legs, or if a member of my family was killed or a friend, nope, I wouldn't.
Blaming other people for your misfortune is a fckwit septic thing that is becoming way to common here.

[Commando]

^^^ I agree 100%, if you're aware of the risks and still attend, you should accept whatever happens. If you're not happy with the risks, back off from the staging area (as a driver or spectator). If you've got an ANDRA spec car & someone in a dangerously unsafe shitter rolls up next to you, you could always object & back off from the starting line & allow someone else to race them, lest they lose control at half track & take you out, or their trans blows up & your car cops damage from the shrapnel.

[AaronEF8]

lol dave.

I never ever said I didn't support fast cars and Heathcote. I've driven a 1800km round trip to go there. I'd rather not die or worse still be permenantly injured because someone else built an unsafe car. I know no-one *MEANS* to make an unsafe car, but it happens. Using common sense instead of having to make rules would be wicked, but there's too many dumb kents out there with no common sense, and they ruin it for everyone else.

Like I said, on an 8sec car that cost 50k plus to build, it's very little outlay to put on a scattershield and wear a firesuit. At 150mph I can't see a rollcage doing much when it goes pearshaped though.

IMO, someone else's CBF factor killing/maiming you isn't the same as your own CBF factor killing/maining yourself.

[Commando]

Yeah, I get you mate Good point

[Steady]

All I disagree with is Al's fairly strong words against Heathcote, when they've done alot to support car clubs like this one.
Try hire out Calder for a club day, see how far you get.
And I don't think they are as unsafe as has been made out, like I have said, there is more of a common sense component to how they conduct themselves.
Does a 10.7 VY really need a cage for example?
What about an XR6T that runs 140mph, but only does 11s (LOLOLOLOL, we are the new Supras)
We are talking about cars that generally destroy some element of their driveline every other run anyway.
Bah, I'm drinking, I should be stirring up other cnts, not making coherent arguments!!!

[AaronEF8]

Isn't when you're drunk the best time to argue? Wanna argue about that?

The VY and XR6T things are what makes the ANDRA rules a bit old-fashioned. Roll cages are illegal in road cars, but there's poo-loads of GenIII's that run 10's nowdays.

QWIKVL got told to go home after one run didn't he? In honesty though, if I owned that car, I probably would have done the same thing he did, though with a scattershield, harness and full firesuit. And a change of undies. 260kmh in a VL would warrant it I think.

I just like arguing all the time.

Dave I was lolling at your legless comment

[Gunns]

I support Heathcote and race there more than I do at Calder. I don't feel the track is unsafe, I feel some of the cars they let race are a bit of a joke. A little bit more comon sense needs to used. As said above there are lots of cars in the 10sec bracket that are street cars so having a cage is unpractical and in some cases illegal. But for these people other measures like fire suits etc should apply. I don't feel a scatter sheild for a trans braked car is to much to ask.

[Frost]

whats the standard test n tune entry at heathcote? $20-$25 do you think they could do this if they were covered by andra?

Calder isnt under ANDRA sanctions and wont be unless that section of the drag strip is moved off the race track.

I think heathcote is an excellent facility for small clubs, iv been there many times and iv never seen a sub 10sec car run next to an e-series GLI etc.

Read your entry ticket to any motorsport event "MOTORSPORT IS DANGEROUS"

[67rce]

95mph = Tailshaft loop ? willowbank dont enforce that, my AU did 4 runs in a row and i didnt get told/asked about a tailshaft loop

[Steady]

Calder isnt under ANDRA sanctions and wont be unless that section of the drag strip is moved off the race track.

Thats exactly what is happening when Calder closes during July/August, except vice versa, the new straight for the circuit will be pit lane.