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Nostalgia FED driver passes out from heat stroke.

Discussion in 'The Hokey Ass Message Board' started by Newbomb Turk, Aug 5, 2013.

  1. dreracecar
    Joined: Aug 27, 2009
    Posts: 3,476

    dreracecar
    Member
    from so-cal

    I thought this was an injected motor and not blown
    Engine did not get THAT hot that soon that the engine would "Mustang"
    If the engine was rotating and firing then it was nowhere near Hydrolocking
     
  2. BigDrag
    Joined: Sep 23, 2009
    Posts: 297

    BigDrag
    Member
    from Milwaukee


    Engine was a BB chevy injected...."on nitro".....but what % nitro I don't know. Would the mustang effect be a problem with a 30% or less nitro blend?
     
  3. I am also heat sensitive and am less then good functionally in high heat and sunlight having had 2 heat strokes in my life. Fortunately my friends know that and keep an eye on me making sure I stay in the shade and am not long in the car and will make sure I am good before I go to the line. Friends that look out for you are worth a fortune in situations like that. Once they did actually tell me "I don't think you should run in this heat and sun. " Most of the time if I am careful to stay out of direct sunlight I am ok." A crew who really know you is something one shouldn't be without. Especially if you have a weakness such as this.
    Don
     
  4. RatRoy
    Joined: Jul 9, 2008
    Posts: 376

    RatRoy
    Member

    wsdad, BoydWylie, fridaynitedrags...You armchair crew chiefs are wrong It doesn't appear you were there or understand drag racing very well.
    1. I have no doubt he passed out from the heat. After the burnout and he stopped he had to apply the trans brake to back up.
    2. When he passed out he released the trans brake which allowed the car to return to first gear and hit the wall.
    3. There was no other injury reported other than the three broken ribs so the location of the cage bars had no bearing on the accident.
    It doesn't help the guy to second guess on what he did or didn't do wrong. Things happen in drag racing very quickly, we should be thankful it didn't get any worse than it did. :)
     
  5. I agree with those that think the backing up too fast started it all. I can tell you first hand that backing up an FED fast is very difficult. It can be done, but there is little room for error. Plus, I also agree that the heat could have also been part of the problem. I the dtiver was not "very alert" due to heat, then again, that is a problem. Maybe it was a combination of the two.

    I remember way back when (a couple of hundred years ago) we were in the staging lanes for a very very long time. This was at Green Valley and it was very hot and humid. At the drivers meeting they had said "be in you cars, suited up and ready to go as soon as you enter the staging lanes,,,no exceptions. After about 45 minutes, I told my dad that I was going to throw up if I didn't get out of the car and cool off. I felt horrible and knew what the problem was. Heat exhaustion leading to heat stroke. I got out and as I did one of the track officials came running over and "get back in the car or we will dismiss you or something like that. I told him the problem and he didn't care much. I pointed to the front of the line, where all the "big shot fuel cars" were lined up. All those drivers were out of their cars with the upper half of their fire suits off. I asked, what about them? The asshole said "are you Don Garlits, Bobby Langley, Vance Hunt or Art Malone? I said no. He said then get back in the car or we will disqualify you. My dad poured a gallon of cold as shit ice water down my fire suit and I got back in. That day was as close as I ever came to heat exhaustion.
     
  6. I was not driving this car, but was close enough to the accident to say the driver was having trouble getting the engine to come back to idle long before he tried shifting to reverse. I didn't buy the heat stroke thing from the first rumor of it in the staging lanes that day, and still don't.
     
  7. tfeverfred
    Joined: Nov 11, 2006
    Posts: 15,791

    tfeverfred
    Member Emeritus

    Wow. Sometimes the HAMB is just fucking crazy.

    "If you think you could have hit the shut off switch....turn on a sand blaster and stick you face in front of it.....without a mask.....let us know how well that works out for you......this car was NHRA certified......the driver went through a horriffic event, it is easy to play Monday morning quarter back...."

    That pretty much sums things up. Glad the drivers okay.

    Unfuckingbelieveable.:mad:
     
  8. R Frederick
    Joined: Mar 30, 2009
    Posts: 2,658

    R Frederick
    Member
    from illinois

    I drove there last year, and I decided not to go this year because I didn't get around to making all the safety improvements that I wanted to do. Tech would have passed me, but ultimately, I'm responsible for my decision to race an unsafe car - I decided not to this year. Mainly a rollbar and especially a shoulder belt. I don't want to run down the strip in just a lap belt any more.
    I'm not saying the FED was unsafe, I didn't see the car. But tech is pretty soft for these events. I saw a few cars I wouldn't drive down the street, lol.
     
  9. colinsmithson
    Joined: Jan 27, 2013
    Posts: 383

    colinsmithson
    Member

    Scary did it snap a axle ???
     
  10. Rick Sis
    Joined: Nov 2, 2007
    Posts: 710

    Rick Sis
    Member
    from Tulsa OK

    45 seconds at full throttle on nitro, and it held together. That's an engine builder that knows his chops. Glad everyone will be ok.
     
  11. Rick Sis
    Joined: Nov 2, 2007
    Posts: 710

    Rick Sis
    Member
    from Tulsa OK

    Open differential. Probably a good thing in this scenario.
     
  12. J scow
    Joined: Mar 3, 2010
    Posts: 489

    J scow
    Member
    from Seattle

    Not being smart I just don't know but why build a nitro dragster but not spool the diff?
     
  13. Rick Sis
    Joined: Nov 2, 2007
    Posts: 710

    Rick Sis
    Member
    from Tulsa OK

    J, they were seldom used in the slingshot days because of handling issues, until a slew of advancements came about making them viable in the long wheelbase era. Widespread use wasn't until after the engines were moved to the rear. Garlits and some others didn't make the change for some time after moving to the rear engine cars.
     
  14. As for the don't buy the heat stroke thing tis only because you haven't been there.
    When in that condition you couldn't even say your phone number. If you aren't heat sensitive you simply do not know what it is like.
    Last time I was at shannonvlle it was about 99 F in the shade. I made one shakedown run and my pal who was crewing for me knew I was not well. I don't you think running tonight is a good idea. he said. Already well past uncomfortable I agreed . He found a couple of folks to help load the rail and we came home which is probably why I can still write this. The$65 we blew to run didn't seem real important at the moment. (Shannonville has a no refund policy.)
    don
     
  15. dreracecar
    Joined: Aug 27, 2009
    Posts: 3,476

    dreracecar
    Member
    from so-cal

    The car will only back up when the trans shifter is in the reverse possistion AND the trans brake applied.
    When the trans brake button is released and the shifter is in the reverse possistion---The trans GOES NEUTRAL
    The driver must then apply the cars brakes and move the shifter handle out of reverse thru the neutral gate into the foward gate, first possistion is high gear, and at that point the car can move foward on its own.
    If the driver was passed out when he started to back up, how did the shifter get out of the neutral gate and into a foward gear???

    30% load(nitro) is not enough to much of anything inregaurds to "blowing up"

    In this day and age of $200 spools, running an OPEN dif is just plain stupid.
     
  16. usmc50lx
    Joined: Oct 3, 2006
    Posts: 711

    usmc50lx
    Member
    from St.Louis

    Exactly!! I was a car back in the lanes and it was a damn scary sight! Glad everything is alright and as they say that's racing! Also HotrodHans that sedan of yours is off the charts man! I love it!
     
  17. rosco gordy
    Joined: Jun 8, 2010
    Posts: 648

    rosco gordy
    Member

    All driver pre race safety meeting we do it its for crew and drivers it only take a few minutes my 2 cent missed netural hit drive been there and done that
     
  18. BigDrag
    Joined: Sep 23, 2009
    Posts: 297

    BigDrag
    Member
    from Milwaukee

    Both wheels were driving the left tire lost bead when it slammed wall. Rim was turning but tire was not. Who would build a dragster without a spool or a locker type diff?
     
  19. usmc50lx
    Joined: Oct 3, 2006
    Posts: 711

    usmc50lx
    Member
    from St.Louis

    Big Drag as stated before a lot of guys did... and some still do. I used to have an open rear in my coupe, always wondered why it left 2 equal length stripes. Talked to a buddy of mine who ran Gas dragsters and in light cars with a lot of power it seems the spider gears get enough force transmitted that they send power to both tires(don't quite understand how it happens but it does) but if one tire loses traction the car doesn't try to tank steer like a spool would so it was easy to keep a darty dragster straighter with an open diff when on a smoker style pass. But if this still happens with track prep advancements and tire technology I doubt.
     
    Last edited: Aug 11, 2013
  20. BigDrag
    Joined: Sep 23, 2009
    Posts: 297

    BigDrag
    Member
    from Milwaukee

    Thanks for the clear explanation, now it makes sense.
     
  21. dreracecar
    Joined: Aug 27, 2009
    Posts: 3,476

    dreracecar
    Member
    from so-cal

    Its not about traction, Its about getting the car crossed up and hikeing one wheel up. When that happens and the dif sees a load change that action transfers to the unloaded wheel causeing wheel speed to increase then the tire diameter increases. The larger tire along with speed then turns the car.
     
  22. fridaynitedrags
    Joined: Apr 17, 2009
    Posts: 402

    fridaynitedrags
    Member

    These are exactly the types of responses I would expect from you fellows, to bluster up and get defensive when someone like me gets to the heart of the matter. And the heart of the matter is that these nostalgia cars are built to a standard that was the norm several decades ago. Many pages have been added to the rulebooks since these types of cars were state-of-the-art. They were as safe as builders could make them back then, but there is a better way today, based on deaths and injuries to drivers, crew and spectators down through the years.

    Hugh, I was the senior technical inspector at Firebird International Raceway for over two decades (May 1990 to June 2010), held an SFI Silver tech license, NHRA chassis certification license and NHRA national fuel check license, teched at NHRA Nationals and Divisional events and I know crap when I see it. Hell, most of that junk that shows up at nostalgia events, I could disqualify just by walking by it and glancing at it.

    I have no idea what makes a seemingly intelligent person build a POS like some of the stuff you nostalgia guys run down the track.
     
  23. Moon Rocket
    Joined: Dec 26, 2012
    Posts: 540

    Moon Rocket
    BANNED
    from GA


    Based on your avatar there must be something you find interesting about them? Those spindles look pretty scary to me. :rolleyes:
     
  24. metalshapes
    Joined: Nov 18, 2002
    Posts: 11,138

    metalshapes
    Member

    Unfortunately you are still not done patting yourself on the back and lecturing us.

    All that self importance smells pretty bad...

    And if you are not into the old Hot Rods, as they were and raced, what the fuck are you doing here??
     
  25. dreracecar
    Joined: Aug 27, 2009
    Posts: 3,476

    dreracecar
    Member
    from so-cal

    There was an inspector at Irwindale recently that would not pass a dragster because the front tires did not have a DOT stamp
     
  26. usmc50lx
    Joined: Oct 3, 2006
    Posts: 711

    usmc50lx
    Member
    from St.Louis

    So? You've built what cars? I see you must have looked at a bunch, so has every car show spectator.........
     
  27. Just to clarify my statement on heat stroke, I haven't heard anyone directly involved with the driver or crew make any claims of heat stroke or treatment for it after. That seams to be a rumor that was started in the staging lanes shortly after the accident. I was in know way trying to knock the driver or belittle the affects of heat stroke if he indeed had it.
     
  28. Thank you for making this statement. You said it way better then I would or could have.
     
  29. GOATROPER02
    Joined: Mar 22, 2006
    Posts: 2,059

    GOATROPER02
    Member
    from OHIO


    I have been to tracks where inpection is lax...and cars where racing that where questionable....drag and circle track both.... And im not refering to the crashed car in this thread..........who really can judge from a 50ft photo how this car was built/setup.

    Ive built and driven circle track and drag cars going on 30 years straight....

    Ive seen the end results even in properly prepared race cars.....Ive seen things nobody should see....

    There are are some really nice nostagia cars being built and raced these days so I think lumping them all together is wrong........

    So I have a Serious question sir...... Have you ever built/driven a race car?

    So often I see promotors and officials who make rules decisions either about safety or rules to keep costs down ....as in..."we are saving a racer money"......and these people have never spent 10 cents on a racecar......much less ever strapped into one.....and they dont have a clue.....

    The best officials and promotors Ive seen are usually guys who used to drive or own teams.....

    For as harsh as you seem....it would really surpise me if you have.....If you did ...I'd love to see.

    Tony
     
    Last edited: Aug 12, 2013
  30. fridaynitedrags
    Joined: Apr 17, 2009
    Posts: 402

    fridaynitedrags
    Member

    You fellows completely misunderstand and I doubt that anything else I can say will make it any better.

    To answer your question though, I'm here just like every other board member is here, to observe and help out if I can. I'm not trying to pat myself on the back. My background was questioned and I simply responded with my credentials.

    It's just natural for some of you to buck up against what I have to say. I understand I have hurt your feelings about the shit you put together. If it looks like shit and smells like shit, then it must be shit and there's nothing you can do with it to turn it into a silk purse.

    The driver of the FED may have had some heat problems going on, but Im bettin' that what knocked him out was his head hitting the front hoop of the cage. There are safety rules and parts and pieces designed to prevent that sort of thing, but some of you guys don't seem interested in driver safety as much as you do having a car look several decades old, with its inherent safety infractions as compared to today's builds.
     
    Last edited: Aug 12, 2013

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