Another Big Crash In Indy Car

Best video I found: http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/more-sports/video-franchitti-car-airborne-houston-article-1.1477854

Ian F wrote:

Toyman01 wrote: Not much of a crash fence. It looked like at least one entire section was launched into the crowd, chain link, posts and all.

The announcers mentioned the fence destruction, basically saying it was designed to do that - come apart on impact. Apparently if the posts are mounted more solidly, the crash is worse... I'm sure it's a balance they try to maintain and they'll take this data and make improvements. Fortunately, it doesn't sounds like anyone was seriously injured.

I would have thought that the primary reason for the fence would be to keep the carnage on the track, not to make the crash survivable. It's a catch fence to stop the car from leaving the track. Kind of defeats the purpose if the fence leaves the wall and hits the crowd. If I was the fence designer, I would call that a failure. It should deflect, not be thrown into the grandstands.

Graefin10 wrote: The clips I saw on news reports don't clearly show how this happened. I'd like to know what caused the wreck. Can anyone describe the events leading up to the contact with other cars and the wall?

Looks like Sato lost rear in traction, "getting loose" when Franchitti was moving in on his left side. Franchitti's right front hit Sato's rear left (Franchitti's front of the tire makes contact with Sato's rear of the tire) and began to catch air after the suspension in that particular area shredded due to the extreme uplift of two tires propelling Franchitti upward, and you see the result.

In reply to N Sperlo:

Yeah, I had come to the same conclusion with the exception that I couldn't tell the Sato had lost traction.

In reply to Toyman01:

Sort of... but it seems Weldon's death changed things a bit. There was probably some limitations to the fencing design due to the temporary nature of it being a street course as well.

Toyman01 wrote: I would have thought that the primary reason for the fence would be to keep the carnage on the track, not to make the crash survivable. It's a catch fence to stop the car from leaving the track. Kind of defeats the purpose if the fence leaves the wall and hits the crowd. If I was the fence designer, I would call that a failure. It should deflect, not be thrown into the grandstands.

But would a regid fence have worked better for the spectators? I'd say by giving and adsorbing energy it may have helped both drivres and spectators. If the concrete blocks been totaly rigidly pinned in place, would the car have then ripped the fencing and allowed more fence/car parts to tear through it and enter the grandstand?

In reply to Adrian_Thompson:

I don't disagree that the fence should and has to give. But I wouldn't think it should separate. Kind of like the cable barriers on the interstate. It should deflect, absorb energy, the posts can even snap off but, the system should stay intact and capture the car.

The temporary nature of the fence is probably where the problem occurs. Most permanent catch fences have cables tying the system together.

Graefin10 wrote: The clips I saw on news reports don't clearly show how this happened. I'd like to know what caused the wreck. Can anyone describe the events leading up to the contact with other cars and the wall?

Video seems to show Sato getting loose and then Dario is on top of him before he can even react.

Looking at this another way, if the fence was not there, how bad would it have been?

That was a fast and violent crash, what fence post could actually handle that much force without being a telephone pole designed to kill a driver.

I suspect all that could be done with ONE fence was done, the question is, Do we need a second catch fence/net?

The problem is Indy car asks for large hosting fees that most real road course can't afford hence still no Road America on the schedule. Most street courses are funded through local business/government support to bring people into the city so the can afford the sanctioning fees until they realize they aren't making money and they go away (Baltimore).

Most street courses are really limited in what they can do for run off etc., hence the concrete tunnels they end up running through. I'd say Belle Isle has the best change to move barriers back and create real run off as it's not a true street track so they don't have pesky skyscrapers in the way of things.

Scary wreck--- good to hear Dario is on the mend. I was able to spend a bit of time with he and his brother Marino this year at Monterey. Both of them were extremely nice / funny / laid back guys.

Dario is a class act---- hopefully he heals quickly.

yamaha wrote: ...(there isn't a perfect barrier afterall)

I'm not a race spectator, but if I was, I would argue that a television is a perfect barrier. And it's closer to the bathroom.

;-)

David

DWNSHFT wrote:

yamaha wrote: ...(there isn't a perfect barrier afterall)

I'm not a race spectator, but if I was, I would argue that a television is a perfect barrier. And it's closer to the bathroom. ;-) David

TV may be the best barrier and the best way to get the story of the race, but you just can't beat being at the track and 'feeling' the cars close up in person. I love F1 and Indy on TV, but you just can't beat being at the track. I'm always amazed at the Detroit Indy race at how much you can see the drivers working and man handling the cars. Also they look so much cooler in person. Seeing 3-4-5 cars fighting into a corner just isn't the same on TV as in person. Ditto F1 cars, especialy the sound. I can't wait to go to COTA for the Grand Prix next month and hear that wail of 18k rpm for the last time.

Adrian_Thompson wrote: TV may be the best barrier and the best way to get the story of the race, but you just can't beat being at the track and 'feeling' the cars close up in person.

I've been to Indy500 twice now, and I've watched a few SCCA races on SpeedcastTV. The best thing for me live? Being able to watch whatever action I want when in person. The SCCA race had a few friends in it but since they weren't at the first 3 cars I never saw them.

Well, I did once, when one got lapped by the leader.

LainfordExpress wrote: I'm pretty sure they're divorced now.

She's twittering her concern...

http://msn.foxsports.com/motor/story/ashley-judd-dario-franchitti-together-rushes-side-hospitalized-houston-grand-prix-crash-13-spectators-divorce-january-100713