O/T Antron Browns crash

[shawdaddy]

This has to be horrible for all parties involved.

Woman Dies After Being Hit By Tire From NHRA Crash

Tire Came From Crashing Dragster

POSTED: Sunday, February 21, 2010

UPDATED: 10:39 pm EST February 21, 2010

CHANDLER, Ariz. -- A woman died Sunday after being hit by a tire from a crashing dragster at the NHRA Arizona Nationals.

The woman was watching a first-round Top Fuel run at Firebird International Raceway when Antron Brown's Matco Tools/U.S. Army dragster went out of control on the strip and its left rear wheel came off.

Alia Maisonet, a spokeswoman for the Gila River Indian Community, said the woman was airlifted to a hospital for treatment and later died. Gila River emergency personnel were among the first to respond to the scene.

Maisonet said she didn't know the victim's name or hometown.

"The entire NHRA community is deeply saddened by today's incident and sends its thoughts and prayers to the woman's family and friends," the association said in an e-mailed statement.

Franki Buckman, the track's executive vice president, said Firebird International Raceway also is deeply saddened by the incident.

Brown was released by the track medical staff, but went to Chandler Regional Hospital for further observation, according to a statement put out by Don Schumacher Racing before the woman died. The NHRA said Brown wasn't injured.

 

[Ron Olson]

I just read the news on AOL, this is terrible. Antron has to be devistated over what happened.

The usual jack-asses in their comment room disgust me as does AOL's reporting.

 

[Terry Keeley]

Very sad, Antron must be devastated...

I know tire shake can be violent, but I don't ever remember a wheel coming off because of it.

Eric Medlin's shake was so bad it killed him, but the wheels stayed on the car.

Anyone?

 

[brandonclan]

Terrible........

My thoughts-prayers go out to her family and also to Antron.....tough all aroubd.

 

[Ron Olson]

Unfortunately something like this was bound to happen. The NHRA is looking into it. We've heard that before when Scott Kalitta died and the track got shortened to 1,000 feet. They didn't want to blame a too-short shutdown area or the cement retainer that was stupidly placed at the end of the strip.

I believe what we're going to see in the future is chain-link fencing along the sides of the track. Tires can really bounce as I've seen in person at one of our local short tracks. Flying debris from a tire or exploding engine will result in more injuries or deaths unless higher walls and fences aren't put in place. At our area dragstrip the spectators are also way too close ot the action without much protection.

 

[Norm Doerr]

Very sad, Antron must be devistated...

I know tire shake can be violent, but I don't ever remember a wheel coming off because of it.

Eric Medlin's shake was so bad it killed him, but the wheels stayed on the car.

Anyone?

Wrong wheel Spacers , I am not sure they use them on his car BUT I have see Funny Cars use them and shear the studs right off. The most recent example is Tim Wilkerson's son lost both rears as a result of using the wrong wheel spacers.

 

[TUNLBOTR]

Very sad, Antron must be devistated...

I know tire shake can be violent, but I don't ever remember a wheel coming off because of it.

Eric Medlin's shake was so bad it killed him, but the wheels stayed on the car.

Anyone?

Wrong wheel Spacers , I am not sure they use them on his car BUT I have see Funny Cars use them and shear the studs right off. The most recent example is Tim Wilkerson's son lost both rears as a result of using the wrong wheel spacers.

From the video I saw the wheel still looked intact, so a stud failure just as Norm speaks of most likely. Would going to a 8 lug configuration versus the 5 or 6 currently used be a solution, or perhaps a splined hub/wheel assembly with single spanner like F1 and IRL use be more efficient?

 

[shawdaddy]

I worked at the Gainesville raceway for over 5 years and old saw this happen one time on a PRO-MOD car. Broke both axles at the hub and the only thing that kept the tires from running down the track was the body. This just sux for the people involved. I think it was a freak accident with on body to blame but a failed part.

 

[Ray Sametz]

Like Force said, 1 in a billion chance. Saw vid from behind cars, if the tire hits the car a foot lower it stay on the track. Instead it was launched way down the track. Many years ago a camara man was killed by a flying blower which brought the safety straps. Tech's need to figure a way too keep tires with the car. Our prayers for the women who was killed.

 

[68Bud]

I believe the NHRA will have to come up with some sort of tether setup to retain the wheels to prevent this from happening again. After Wilkerson's boy and now Antron's accident, something needs to be done. The IRL implemented their tether system after fan fatalities at the Charlotte race a few years ago, perhaps NHRA will adopt something similar now. I was more alarmed by the way the engine puked all the oil when the car went over on it's side. It emptied right under Antron and could have been a real ugly situation had it caught fire. Hopefully this tragic event will improve safety for everyone, racers and spectators alike.

 

[misshydro]

This happened to Rickard Petty too.. happened when NASCAR outlawed the HEMI's in the mid 60's and boycotted NASCAR and went to drag racing.... His front wheel came off the went up into the growed and killed a little boy...If you remember on his 65 prostock baracuda it said outlaw on the side of his car and after the accident he took it off.. still haunts him today about it..