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fast fred
Junior Member
USA
24 Posts |
 Posted - 08/26/2007 : 11:43:42
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does anyone know how the driver of the jet is doing? is he okay? does anyone have name and address that we can send a card to???
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Darrell
Administrator
58 Posts |
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wir803
New Member
5 Posts |
Posted - 08/26/2007 : 20:57:27
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| the driver is in stable condition at theda clark medical center. state law prevent any other information to be releasted |
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85 CAMARO
Average Member
USA
35 Posts |
Posted - 08/26/2007 : 22:16:06
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| Go to Jetwebb.com and click on forums. There is a picture from the starting line at W.I.R. an some comments from his son. Safety crew at W.I.R. is the best in the business along with Theda Clark. |
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89firebird
Advanced Member
USA
313 Posts |
Posted - 08/26/2007 : 22:28:43
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| Thanks for the thread Darrell! For those of you who were not there lastnight, it was a very horiffic sight!!!!! I've seen bad crashes before, but nothing like this. It's simply amazing the driver is alive!!! The chassis in that car obviously did it's job well!!!! I think the WIR crew cleaned that mess up in a amazing amount of time! Other than part of the concrete retaining wall missing, you really couldn't visibly tell there had just been a massive disaster on the track. If anyone at any point hears any updates-PLEASE post them as we are all very concerned for this entire family that stopped on there way home to California just to give us all a great show!!!!! |
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asuchan
Starting Member
1 Posts |
Posted - 08/26/2007 : 23:00:58
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I can tell you that DAD is doing ok and is resting in a local hospital. He did crack a couple ribs, bruised a lung, and broke an ankle. He did either move over or was forced over by the funny car. Mom and one of their neices are there with Dad right now.
As far as the truck goes Mom said it was totally destroyed. I can't say enough about the people who helped build the truck and the safety equipment manufacturers that we use to keep us safe.
If you would like to send your well wishes, you can send them to Racejetcar1@aol.com. Keep the prayers coming.
This is what his son posted @ jetwebb.com |
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Randy S
Average Member
25 Posts |
 Posted - 08/27/2007 : 11:06:37
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One thing no one has mentioned is the new concrete guard rail. It did it's job in keeping the car on the racing surface. That is critical in protecting everyone. That's why Roger has put in the concrete guard rals and moved them closer to the track surface. It keeps everyone safer. That's what it's all about. |
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wirtower
Administrator
88 Posts |
Posted - 08/27/2007 : 15:06:52
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| Amen to that Randy...we have seen more than a few times this year that the wall is definatly doing the job it was meant to do. My heart stopped as those cars headed for Aaron's booth and once again the wall did it's job. Last year that car may have jumped the guardrail. Thank you Rog, and Thank You God. |
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urr_done
New Member
2 Posts |
Posted - 08/27/2007 : 22:10:54
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| First things first i understand this is racing but i was in shock to hear from the funny car driver reaction in the pits after the crash. the way he tells it was that he was ahead of joe at first and was almost to the end and saw the cs2 pass him and thought ok well talk in the pits and figure out what well do on the next run. the next thing he said floored me, he says so yeah i shut down and the next thing i knew the jet hit the wall and i was getting showered with parts from his car. and the way he claims it he magically jumped out of his funny car and ran to joes rescue. Now i myself had a clear view of the whole run and saw the funny car cross or damn near cross the center line and he nothing whatsoever to say on the matter, the way he made it sound was he made a clean run. as a side note was the an e.t. for joe. also and i hate to ask does anyone have video of the run? all of us who were the are very happy to hear that for the most part joes ok! |
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89firebird
Advanced Member
USA
313 Posts |
Posted - 08/27/2007 : 22:23:17
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| Joe may be having surgery this evening for his ankle if no emergencies come into the hospital where he's at. He also has a bit of a back problem and will need to wear a back brace for a little while. Looks like he will be fine with some recovery time. (very sore recovery time!) There is video of the crash, but I'd rather let them bring it out if they choose to rather than calling them on the carpet on the WIR web site. Sorry |
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dragmaster
Average Member
USA
48 Posts |
Posted - 08/27/2007 : 23:56:52
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Just to look at this from another angle, 1: the driver was ,not seriously injured, thank God, but the way the truck was built also helped his chances of survival. 2nd: the rescue and ambulance crews made great calls; they stabilized and extricated the driver properly. WIR has a great safey crew and when you see them be sure to tell them thanks, their presence allows us to enjoy what we do with the peace of mind that in the event that the worst happens, our lives will be in good hands.
There is another matter that is worth while bringing up. Roger has been improving the track each year. Even though some may think the racing surface should be a more urgent priority, but the concrete barriers and the Armco moved to the edge of the racing surface helped contain the vehicle. Thanks Roger. However more could be done, the Jr. turnout should have a hinged barrier across the opening, that would prevent head on impact with the turnout wall. The other improvement would be the removal of the armco barrier at the shutdown end. A sand trap and plastic fence would reduce the possibility of a head on with the armco. I would rather end up in the parking lot than plastered on the armco. This is just my two cents worth. Again, thanks Roger for making improvements while times are tight for everyone. |
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burmie1932
Advanced Member
USA
107 Posts |
Posted - 08/28/2007 : 20:03:27
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Glad to hear he is doing as good as he is. As everyone knows I firmly
believe that moving the rail in lane two may have prevented me from rolling over and ending on top or over the rail. I agree Roger and
Dan have made great safety improvemts.
Now for something else that a lot of us seen Sat night. I was also horrified to see Buffy, I believe, run from her car as Dan sent Steve Jaeger down lane two. How did that happen? Why don't the crew at the top end call back when the track is clear? This had to scare
the you know what out of both drivers and their crews. I know things happen fast at times, but this could have been a disater for all. |
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wir803
New Member
5 Posts |
Posted - 08/28/2007 : 20:52:10
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Steve in answer to your question first Launderville's have had a problem with their power on/off switch in the past. They have been asked to correct the problem which is when the chute comes out the vibrations shut the car off. They are not able to restart it to clear the track. When the car is in lane two and has to wait for a slower car in lane one from the safety truck you cannot tell if the car is running or not. Saturday night we called the line and told them to hold. We were told the tree hand already started. I immediately went to the hole in the wall and preceeded unto the track and started waving my arms to get the drivers attention and to get them to slow down faster. I, with all my years experience know most of the drivers and how they come off the track. If they go by me at the truck and things look good I do not watch them off at the end of the track. Case in point...two runs before Chris Merten came down track and his chute did not come out correctly. As we headed for the truck we watched Chris go up the hill in control and slowing down. I knew that Chris had a problem and knew to watch him. Had Chris come down and the chutes came out correctly I would not have watched him to the turnoff. This is why for years I have told drivers to stay off the hill and the emergency runoff unless you have a problem or we have no way of knowing there is a problem. This kind of gives you an idea of how things happened with Buffy and
Steve.
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BuffyWied
New Member
3 Posts |
Posted - 08/28/2007 : 23:23:44
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| First, I have never had a problem with my power switch, and that was NOT the case Saturday. So for you to say that I have had a problem with it or that I have been asked to fix it is absolutely incorrect! If it was the case and I have been having a problem that gives you all the more reason to watch me turn off the track. Besides for the three races last year this is my first year, please tell me when I have been talked to about a problem I have never had. The starter can see clear to the finish line and should never let the next pair of cars stage until all other cars have cleared the track. It is very important that the safety crew is there to see every pair of cars down the track and safely turning off. When we pass the safety crew they should not stop watching us until we have safely made the turn off and stopped. What else is there job at that point because there should be no other cars on the track? There are no excuses for this, it was a mistake that should not have happened. It did happen though and everybody is okay hopefully we can learn from this to never let it happen again. Second, when I was still racing my sled I had broke a drive chain as I crossed the finish line. I crossed the finish line at about 125 mph. I had no drag from the sled to slow me down and also no brakes. By the turn off I was probably still going about 100 mph. I had no way of stopping, nobody never once came up the hill to see if I got it stopped. I walked down the hill to get help and still no one from the safety crew came to see what was going on, or if I was okay. Some one had talked to Randy and his answer was that we need to perform maintenance. I am sure everybody knows you can do all the maintenance possible and parts still break. We are not out there with parts/equipment that we believe are unsafe. I do agree with the safety crew that you should only go up the hill in the case of an emergency. |
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89firebird
Advanced Member
USA
313 Posts |
Posted - 08/29/2007 : 17:47:36
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| I have seen a few cars from Hot Rod go up the hill on a regular basis because they can't stop their cars before the turn off. If you can't slow your car down before the turn off, you should slow your car down period. I myself go through two $100 sets of brake pads a year so I can get mine stopped in time. I agree the hill should be a "emergency only" resort. That way if someone goes up the hill, things can be paused until the safety crew checks everything out. I personally was glad to see the crew finally enforce the "Red Line Rule" in the stagging lanes. Everyweek I over hear somebody making some stupid remark about it, but if you think it's stupid, ask Cara how it felt to take the weight off of my driveshaft in the side of her head. Those of you that think it's such a big joke, I wonder, have you ever been along side of a 700 horsepower car coming out of a burnout when they star to hook and their wheels studs shear off and come flying out like 5 bullets??? The funny thing is I witnessed a Top racer last weekend tell his kid to get back behind the red line, but then 5 minutes later he was standing out there himself watching for about 15 minutes. I guess he's just good at giving advice |
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wir803
New Member
5 Posts |
Posted - 08/29/2007 : 18:47:48
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| buffy last year the three times you racesed the car it did the same thing it did saturday night? I talked to tech. and let it in their hands if they did'nt come to you about the car stalling like that i'm sorry I beleved that had happened.about the sled I was not there and have no answer.also remember that I also have to check the track after cars go by. I am looking for parts and maybe oil. The new wall makes this hard. As you have noticed I now stand between the wall and the return road so I can look down track. This puts me in an unsafe place if a car goes out of control near the top end. If you look there are two hits to the wall by the safety truck where I stand but I need to be out there to keep track of the track. Saturday night on three different occasions I had small parts come off cars that I would not have seen had I stood away from the wall. Is there something we can do to help you with the car stalling and do we need to keep watching or is this something you will have fixed when we come back. One last thing Buffy...if you look in the rule book you are to have one two inch red working tail light. The ones you have now cannot be seen at night from the safety truck to the turnoff. The purple does not show up making you hard to see at night. |
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update??
