Should the Englishtown raceway lose its NHRA race date?

Question

Due to the death of Scott Kalitta should Englishtown lose its race date? I personally think that they should take the race away with the provision that if they increase the length of the shutdown area that they are welcome to have the raceday back.

Answer 1

If they fix the shut down they should let them run

Answer 2

NO WAY ! I would say ALL drag strips will be evaluated. Englishtown is tradition. I've seen Top Fuel & Funny Cars not stop in the sand traps. Drivers injured, no deaths.

Eric Medlen was killed, the track (Gainesville) had nothing to do with it.

Cruz Pedregon said it best-when he was driving funny cars that were doing 240 mph, all these sanctioned tracks still have the same shut-down distances even though they are running over 300 mph. This has to be addressed.

Answer 3

That's a pretty ignorant question. An accident happens, so let's stop racing or take away an event. With that line of thinking, just about every race track across America would be shut down.

Answer 4

That's a great question. The thing is that ALL tracks should be evaluated. If track is found to not have enough shutdown room...just run it 1/8 mile...ADRL has hit the jackpot with that. 1/8 mile racing is every bit as great as 1/4 and there wouldn't be near as many bad accidents and deaths due to short shut downs.

Answer 5

Im sure if the NHRA see fit to do that they will. But I see the NHRA telling them to do something or make them do it. I bet after this weekend all the NHRA sactioned tracks will be looked at for this. There isnt much of a gravel pit there in Englishtown.

RIP and Godspeed Scott.

Answer 6

Can't agree with you more.

Answer 7

i think the accident needs to be looked at in perspective...

say they did lengthen the track (which is impossible at englishtown)...according to the circumstances of the accident (ie...chutes not opening, not braking, crashing at almost 300 mph) even another 1/8 mile i don't feel would have changed the outcome of the crash.  MAYBE the car would have slowed down to 200 mph by then (with luck) but still...crashing into anything at 200 mph is a pretty sure bet to be fatal.  and a longer sand trap i'm not sure would have done the job either.  the wall was there to protect the innocent people that drive down the road lying just beyond a few trees....

i say that it is not possible to lengthen the track where it stands because there is a road not 100 yards from the end of the track.  it's a pretty main road and i'm not sure they would move it just to lengthen the track.  it could POSSIBLY get moved back (towards the towers) all together but there's not much room to do that either, the buildings would have to get moved and would cost huge $$.  i agree that with the cars going faster, different precautions must be looked at but to take away this event from my home track of englishtown i don't feel would do any good to any future accidents at other similar track.  as has been mentioned, there would have to be an all around remodeling of tracks meeting these same standards.

so what if someone crashes into a side wall and dies?  are we going to do away with side walls?  it is a dangerous sport and the drivers are fully aware of it's risks.  it doesn't make it any more right or any less sad but the whole thing must be looked at in perspective before we go "pointing fingers" and putting blame on any one factor.  it is a combination of events that caused the crash and will it always be in this sport.  "punishing" the track and the people that come to see these races is no solution.

Answer 8

Nope.  If that were the case, there are a bunch of other tracks in the circuit that need to lose their race dates as well.

Answer 9

they really have to work on the shutdown area.  The sandpit may not be big enough, but I doubt it would have saved him had it been.  RIP Scott.......

Answer 10

I agree the little sand pit at the end was way too small. Not near enough time to scrub off speed and then a concrete retaining wall.....what were they thinking