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Had fun at the Track the other day!


R W Burgess

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Look closely. When the car goes to the right and begins to roll, the driver's door pops open and he is ejected into the center grassy strip. He is a rare example of someone who was ejected and lived. As the car is finishing its rolls, he stands up and begins to walk away.

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Guest Jim_Edwards
Looks like no seat belts or racing harness, seat even come out of car. Must be very relaxed on safety at that track!! Very luck driver...

He probably wouldn't have survived if he hadn't been thrown out before things really got nasty.

Very stupid driver.........all the moron had to do was to shut it down on the first indication the car was out of control. Actually should have had better sense than to even get into that pile of junk.

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....Actually should have had better sense than to even get into that pile of junk.

I'll do you one better than that. To allow someone in a car that crispy to go down what is obviously an established (sanctioned?) track unbelted (and likely with an unbolted seat) is shocking. That video has been on the web for at least 4 years. If that track owner can still get insurance for this place today after this video became public knowledge, I'll be amazed. Also the insurance agent that sold it to him/her deserves what they get.:(

Edited by Dave@Moon
typo (see edit history)
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Times were different when the video was apparently shot. Assuming the track was where several sources of the video indicate it was, it had to have happened in 1988 or earlier. There are also references to the driver being a stunt man, so there may be more to the story.

Baylands Raceway Park

Added information: I just looked at a few different versions of this video online. It was certainly at Baylands. The cars in the background also make it appear to be around 1987 or so.

Edited by MCHinson (see edit history)
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Guest Jim_Edwards
Times were different when the video was apparently shot. Assuming the track was where several sources of the video indicate it was, it had to have happened in 1988 or earlier. There are also references to the driver being a stunt man, so there may be more to the story.

Baylands Raceway Park

Added information: I just looked at a few different versions of this video online. It was certainly at Baylands. The cars in the background also make it appear to be around 1987 or so.

I have a hard time believing even a Stunt Man would have taken the risk. As for the safety issue, even some of the crappy tracks I occasionally took a car to in the late 1950s and early 1960s were already turning away cars that flunked a safety inspection. The first thing that resulted in safety inspections in the 1950s was clutches flying apart and chewing up legs and even at times worse. No steel plate over the bell housing, no race!

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I was never a drag racer myself, but in the mid-1970s I did go to Keystone Dragway in New Alexandria, PA a number of times with friends. That place (which had fewer seats than many little league ball fields--it was not a big track to say the least) required drivers to be belted and helmeted at that time no matter what they ran,

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I'll do you one better than that. To allow someone in a car that crispy to go down a what is obviously an established (sanctioned?) track unbelted (and likely with an unbolted seat) is shocking. That video has been on the web for at least 4 years. If that track owner can still get insurance for this place today after this video became public knowledge, I'll be amazed. Also the insurance agent that sold it to him/her deserves what they get.:(

________________________________________________________________________

Come on Dave! didn't you see the retro rocket flames on the ejection seat. The only thing that failed in this test was the parachute. This is the pre-testing for the 2015 new car safety ejection seats!!

D.

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..... The first thing that resulted in safety inspections in the 1950s was clutches flying apart and chewing up legs and even at times worse. No steel plate over the bell housing, no race!

MANY years ago I heard that steel plate referred to as a "splatter shield". :rolleyes:

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________________________________________________________________________

Come on Dave! didn't you see the retro rocket flames on the ejection seat. The only thing that failed in this test was the parachute. This is the pre-testing for the 2015 new car safety ejection seats!!

D.

I'm glad the escape hatch worked! Could you imagine....:eek::D

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Sorry Susan but no, I actually thought you were being facetious. Here is a little history;

D.

One of the best of the best of the original RamChargers was Wayne Erikson.

During his race that weekend his clutch exploded. He was not directly injured by the explosion, but his fuel line was inside the car by the clutch and was severed by shrapnel. He suffered severe burns over most of his body and died two weeks later from the effects of the burns.

Wayne's accident led to the requirement for scatter shields, and the ruling that fuel lines could not be inside the car. It is my understanding it also in part led to the formation of the Specialty Equipment Manufacturers Association, so there could be common standards for safety equipment, like scatter shields.

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Guest Jim_Edwards
MANY years ago I heard that steel plate referred to as a "splatter shield". :rolleyes:

Both "spatter" and "Scatter." I didn't use either term out of respect to those not ever having been involved in the world of drag racing not knowing the terms.

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Guest Jim_Edwards
Sorry Susan but no, I actually thought you were being facetious. Here is a little history;

D.

One of the best of the best of the original RamChargers was Wayne Erikson.

During his race that weekend his clutch exploded. He was not directly injured by the explosion, but his fuel line was inside the car by the clutch and was severed by shrapnel. He suffered severe burns over most of his body and died two weeks later from the effects of the burns.

Wayne's accident led to the requirement for scatter shields, and the ruling that fuel lines could not be inside the car. It is my understanding it also in part led to the formation of the Specialty Equipment Manufacturers Association, so there could be common standards for safety equipment, like scatter shields.

Good memory.

In thinking back, it's a wonder many more weren't killed drag racing in its early days given the nature of many of the pathetically created piles of junk that would show up. They were fun, but very dangerous times.

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When I heard "splatter shield" used it was used not in terms of drag racing but in reference to local rules at local tracks for "run what you brung" type racing. The cars had to at least have a "splatter shield" and the doors had ot be chained or welded shut. And the driver had to wear a helmet. :cool:

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Here is a picture of a car that didn't have a trans blanket, which automatic's use. Notice the missing gas pedal... it's next to the door threshold along with the drivers foot. Don't know how tech inspection missed that one!

http://image.hotrod.com/f/9546372+w750+st0/p112826_image_large.jpg

D.

Another term for Susan...Trans blanket!!! and we call this BUZZ SAW action.

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