Event Coverage Woman killed today at the drags in Arizona

Very sad to learn a woman was killed today at Firebird raceway in Chandler, Az. A Top Fueler crashed and lost a wheel/tire in the process. it flew into the pits and killed a woman who was apparantely pushing another woman in a wheelchair. Then it bounced over a few race car trailers and landed in one of the nostalgia funny car pit area trailer.

Very sad. My prayers go out to her friends and family may they be comforted in their time of grieving.

Does anyone have any more details?

Steve

Hosting-
8th annual Nostalgic Show & Go! April 11
www.nostalgicshowandgo.org

 

My info said she wasn't killed...

 

News says she was pronounced dead at the scene.


Steve
Hosting-
8th annual Nostalgic Show & Go! April 11
www.nostalgicshowandgo.org

 

http://www.azcentral.com/sports/spe...0100221nhra-firebird-raceway-fan-injured.html

 

prayers for all involved

 

Amen

 

This is very sad, I found the following statement on the NHRA website.

A woman who was struck by a tire that detached from Brown's dragster was pronounced dead at Good Samaritan Hospital. NHRA is investigating the incident. 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 wheel studs broke causing the accident...not accident causing wheel to come off....

 

Sad deal

 

Oh, well that is different then.........Who cares, the end result is someone died. It should not have happened.

 

For sure on that AMEN

 

I'd say the fact that the wheel came off the car FIRST then it impacted the wall is a big big deal. If the car hit the wall and then the wheel broke off, that is understandable. But a wheel just coming off (and tire shake has been around a long, long time) is a MAJOR problem here. It happened last year with a nitro flopper, where BOTH wheels came off, something about wheel spacers. And the people on some other boards said "wheel spacers are fine."

No, wheel spacers are not fine.

Not saying they were involved here, but it may be time for big ass hubs and large knock offs PLUS bigger wheel studs and heavier hardware.

Oh yeah, if it happened once, twice, at what point to change the equipment requirements?

 

very very sad. Thoughts and prayers for the family.

 

Me and my wife were at there when it happened yesterday, the wheel came over us and it was propably 20 to 30 feet over us at the time and it impacted 50 to 60 feet to the west of us and the car actually came to rest on the wall directly in front of us it really freacked her out at the time i actually pushed her down when we saw the tire coming our way and i saw the tire hit the crowd of people and continue bouncing i went over to where the tire hit and saw the lady and it really didnt look good after the got her out of there the covered up the whole scene and ropped off the whole area that was the worst thing ive seen in all my years of going to the drags

 

terrible tragedy so sad
i remember at topeka a wheel/tire came off a top fueler and went into the stands about 100 ft from me, it shoved a guy between the seat he was sitting on and the row above him, literally folded him in half !! they had to dismantle the stands to get him out ! he did live though, man it was wierd

 

Very sad

 

Very sad. Our prayers to all involved.

 

very sad, but it took the deaths of 3 drivers before nascar improved safety (lets hope nhra does something soon)...

 

Sad.

ESPN video of crash....

 

When you can predict everything that can happen with a Machine like that ,,then you can be God.

It is an unfortunate accident ,,all these it should not happens etc etc,,,,let it go

Things happen

I remember as a kid at the dirt track races ,,one of teh cars got a wheel damaged ( or a flat ) the rim dug up and threw a huge chunk of the clay track into the stands and someone got killed.

Should it have not happened ??

When someone dies we all say No,,or Why ,,but its life and it happens. Just like getting in an Airplane ,,flock a bird engine fails ,,etc

You can safety all you want,,there will always be accidents

 

Very sad ,condolences to the family and friends of the Lady. Looks like a combo of pedal and shake broke the studs. Thats a lot of HP jumping up and down there.

 

We forget, as spectators, that shit can happen pretty quick...

the guy in the circle is me, at Talladega last spring.

 

That's a very telling photo Rodster. What caught my attention is that no one that I can see is ducking! That would have been my first reaction.

 

I've always firmly believed that the phrase "Bad News Travels Fast" is certainly one of absolute truth, so therefore, I'm sure that a majority of you reading this already know about the tragedy at NHRA's ARIZONA NATIONALS... I feel it's my inherent responsibility to post my comments-- Because attempting to "cover it up" or "ignore" the incident is neither the moral or ethical choice... During first round of Top Fuel, Antron Brown's dragster did indeed lose control, resulting in one of the rear tires to violently fly off and hit a woman spectator... The woman was airlifted to hospital and pronounced dead... On behalf of the entire drag racing community, I'd like to express my sincere condolences for the woman and her family... We honestly try our best to make drag racing as safe a sport as humanly possible, for the drivers, teams, track personnel, and of course for those spectating... I assure all reading this that drag racing is a relatively safe sport considering all the volatility this sport actually entails, enormous effort goes into making it that way-- This was a "freak" (for lack of a better word) accident, and definitely not the norm... Once again, our sincere heartfelt condolences for the woman who lost her life and her family... We're all very sorry for what happened in Arizona... Diana

 

Very sad. Its been in the news all morning.

 

Yes it is a tragedy, others and my self have lost love ones and have no understanding of why, my daughter was at home with her two daughters when she got sick of the flue and died 4 days later. I hope the lady was doing what she wanted to be doing. Watching one of the best sports in the world.
I will never understand my daughters loss, but she was doing what she wanted, takeing care of her two kids.

 

You're somehow connected to Top Fuel racing? Please explain, I read your words and it confuses me. From what I can tell you have a website and sell CDs, how that gives you the notion to say " we honestly try our best...." I don't see it.

Do you work at a chassis shop or design Top Fuel parts? Please enlighten.

 

This is very sad news. I was going to go out there but it keep raining.

 

I shall always carry memories of deaths that occurred at the drag strip where I flagged years ago. If possible, humans try to prevent this type of thing, but sometimes we can't.
My condolences and prayers are respectfully offered to all concerned.

 

Sad day...RIP