Racers For Coffee

The death of a child at a Tacoma Dome motorexhibition yesterday is bringing forth a predictable discussion which includes everything to fingerpointing to debating the cultural mores of working class males.  This situation, resulting from a reported errant shaft chipping away from a driveline and flying into the stands, immediately recalled decades of debris at fuel features.  Drag racing’s top catagories had a reputation for parts flinging, particularly at venues with close-in grandstand viewing: Lions, Irwindale, Puyallup and Woodburn come to mind.  What particularly comes to mind is the infamous Herm Pederson episode involving questions of construction following Herm’s crash at an OCIR PDA race.  That event changed the legal exposure culture on the drag strip forever.

The Woody Gilmore legal and business response of ceasing operations begins to feel like a likely outcome, here.  Liability insurance, difficult to get as it is, may soon go out of reach for any so-called “motorsports” features subjecting people to the reach of parts.  Reevaluation spectator safety from an analytical, not reactionary standpoint is critical as we creep closer to the Pomona opener.

As I discussed within my house earlier today, racing as “inherently dangerous” is a standard phrase on tickets, racing release forms and restricted areas throughout drag racing.  Glendora is right about one thing: their liability insurance and safety oversight really is as good as good gets when high performance machines are let loose with what can be totally unpredictable situations.

I salute NHRA for this..for Wally Parks’ sometimes heavy-handedness in insisting upon dedication to safety.  I wonder how drag racing will end up without his leadership..and if the sport can take yet another PR hit of this nature.

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