[trackbird]

Article:

http://www.nbc4.tv/news/4562562/detail.html

Pics:

http://nbc4.tv/slideshow/news/4562709/detail.html

More info at corner carvers:

http://corner-carvers.com/forums/showthrea...ead.php?t=23616

Emergency Crews Respond To Fatal Crash At California Speedway
Second Person Hospitalized After Crash

POSTED: 3:23 pm PDT June 2, 2005
UPDATED: 5:16 pm PDT June 2, 2005

(IMG:http://images.ibsys.com/2005/0602/4562735_200X150.jpg)

LOS ANGELES -- Two people were killed Thursday in a crash at California Speedway in Fontana.

A private car club was renting the speedway at the time of the crash.

A Porsche Carrera GT crashed into a retaining wall and came to rest on the track's infield. Authorities said two people were in the vehicle at the time of the crash.

One person was pronounced dead at the scene.

The second person in the car was transported by Mercy Air to Arrowhead Regional Medical Center. That person later died.

The track is home to the California 500, Nextel Cup 500, the Toyota Indy 400 and other motorsport events. The 2-mile D-shaped oval surrounds an infield portion used for road courses and a 13-turn interior test circuit.

Private parties can rent the track to turn laps.

Be safe out there guys.

[Crazy Canuck]

From a post on Corner Carvers:

http://corner-carvers.com/forums/showpost....73&postcount=71

This was posted earlier today on the F-list;

>From a posting on the Porsche Owners Club bulletin board by someone named Johninrsf:

Just to clarify what happened, I spoke to someone this evening who was there as Chief Driving Instructor and learned the following:
(1) The oval was not in use. They were only using the infield.
(2) The accident took place just past the bridge by a small access road that is used to enter the track from the pit, if you're only using the infield.
(3) Ben [the driver] was allegedly going over 160 mph after the bridge --this is pretty incredible for such a relatively short straight following such a slow turn.
(4) Participants were told to stay to the right just in case traffic was entering from the pit to the left.
(5) Ben was to the left, not the right.
(6) Ben was in the midst of an extra lap (they weren't supposed to take) after his run group had finished.
(7) The individual who organized the event was directing cars from the pit to the track and probably made a mistake in letting another car out when Ben was still on the track --he probably, mistakenly thought everyone was off the track as they were supposed to have been.

just to really show how important it is to follow protocoles and what instructors/organizers tell you.
They don't do so to piss people off, but mainly for safety/survival of all.
It's a very sad story, and I feel sorry for their families loss, but it seems that the guy was looking for it.

Now, my next mods (been in plans for quite awhile):
fire-suit
fire-extinguisher
neck-protector
upgrade my roll-bar to a 6-pt
race-seat + harness

All this will be done before I start doing faster events than AutoX.
Only live once.