Tragedy at Thunderhill
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2 drivers died today at Thill (unfortunately, I was one of only a handful of people to see it--2 other PDC'ers saw it as well) when Robert Smeltzer driving a GTA and another gentleman in a new generation RX7 collided just before reaching the braking zone in T14--the RX7 driver crashed, but was fine. I am not posting this as news, but because 2 good people died doing what we love and because there are things to be learned from this.
Robert was pushed onto the dirt on the left side of the track and shot across T14 to T8 at unabated speed (no slowing down on dirt and gravel). At what I would guess was close to 100mph, the GTA passed directly in front of a gentleman in another, but older generation RX7--the RX7 driver was also at full speed preparing to turn into T8. Robert shot directly in front on the RX7, and the Mazda driver died instantly. Robert's passenger side cage was pushed all the way into the middle of the cockpit.
The RX7 driver had nothing to do with the outcome of the accident--he found a huge and heavy V8 GTA car directly in front of him in T8. Robert was unable to stop a car careening across dirt and gravel at full speed, without scrubbing much if any of it off between T14 and T8.
According to the SM drivers, both broke their necks and smashed their helmets against their steering wheels. Both helmets were smashed in at their chins. Neither was wearing HANS devices.
The Thill EMT response was one of the worst I have ever seen, and proper medical attention was provided by 2 extraordinary SM drivers--Craig Evans and Tony Silva. The track safety response was extremely slow, and the corner workers had to be asked by the drivers to radio for help and an additional ambulance.
As this was a test day prior to an SCCA event, the track support and safety team was not the normal SCCA affair. With the SCCA crew in place, I have no doubt the response time would have been markedly improved.
I doubt that any EMT or safety crew could have done much if anything to save Robert--our SM drivers said that he had a faint pulse when the arrived. What worries me is that if any of were to have an accident on a test day at Thill, and our survival depended on a rapid response--well, the crew in general supporting the track today just scares me, and I'll leave it at that.
PDC friends--whether you are racing or driving a street car at DE events--PLEASE spend $1000 on a HANS. I can't say they would have kept either driver alive today--that would be speculation about a crash that was the worst I have ever seen at an SCCA event. Ever.
With a HANS, you can at least say that you have done everything possible to protect yourself and go home to your family at the end of a day or weekend of fun.
I used to work next door to Robert Smeltzer at Sears Point--he was a damn good guy, and incredible fabricator and mechanic at Huffaker ,at Tom Gloy's Trans-Am team, and one heck on a GT1/GTA driver. We also went through driver's school together.
F*ck. I love this sport--I have dedicated my life to it, but no matter how many times I have been witness to it, death at the racetrack is hard to accept.
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2 drivers died today at Thill (unfortunately, I was one of only a handful of people to see it--2 other PDC'ers saw it as well) when Robert Smeltzer driving a GTA and another gentleman in a new generation RX7 collided just before reaching the braking zone in T14--the RX7 driver crashed, but was fine. I am not posting this as news, but because 2 good people died doing what we love and because there are things to be learned from this.
Robert was pushed onto the dirt on the left side of the track and shot across T14 to T8 at unabated speed (no slowing down on dirt and gravel). At what I would guess was close to 100mph, the GTA passed directly in front of a gentleman in another, but older generation RX7--the RX7 driver was also at full speed preparing to turn into T8. Robert shot directly in front on the RX7, and the Mazda driver died instantly. Robert's passenger side cage was pushed all the way into the middle of the cockpit.
The RX7 driver had nothing to do with the outcome of the accident--he found a huge and heavy V8 GTA car directly in front of him in T8. Robert was unable to stop a car careening across dirt and gravel at full speed, without scrubbing much if any of it off between T14 and T8.
According to the SM drivers, both broke their necks and smashed their helmets against their steering wheels. Both helmets were smashed in at their chins. Neither was wearing HANS devices.
The Thill EMT response was one of the worst I have ever seen, and proper medical attention was provided by 2 extraordinary SM drivers--Craig Evans and Tony Silva. The track safety response was extremely slow, and the corner workers had to be asked by the drivers to radio for help and an additional ambulance.
As this was a test day prior to an SCCA event, the track support and safety team was not the normal SCCA affair. With the SCCA crew in place, I have no doubt the response time would have been markedly improved.
I doubt that any EMT or safety crew could have done much if anything to save Robert--our SM drivers said that he had a faint pulse when the arrived. What worries me is that if any of were to have an accident on a test day at Thill, and our survival depended on a rapid response--well, the crew in general supporting the track today just scares me, and I'll leave it at that.
PDC friends--whether you are racing or driving a street car at DE events--PLEASE spend $1000 on a HANS. I can't say they would have kept either driver alive today--that would be speculation about a crash that was the worst I have ever seen at an SCCA event. Ever.
With a HANS, you can at least say that you have done everything possible to protect yourself and go home to your family at the end of a day or weekend of fun.
I used to work next door to Robert Smeltzer at Sears Point--he was a damn good guy, and incredible fabricator and mechanic at Huffaker ,at Tom Gloy's Trans-Am team, and one heck on a GT1/GTA driver. We also went through driver's school together.
F*ck. I love this sport--I have dedicated my life to it, but no matter how many times I have been witness to it, death at the racetrack is hard to accept.
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So much for T-Hill being the safest track around. I'd much rather hit a wall then GET hit by a car doing 100MPH.
