rebelracewriter Posted May 4, 2003 Report Share Posted May 4, 2003 While this doesn't pertain to a circle track, racing is still racing and I found this quite disturbing. Last night while attending the pavement show at San Antonio Spwy, there was a crash at Alamo dragway which is directly behind the SAS granstands. An altered coupe got sideways, hit the wall, started flipping and burst into flames. The driver of the car in the other lane stopped to try to assist his fellow driver, but was unable due to intense heat. The ambulance arrived on scene and tried to fight the fire with a 20# Kidde fire extinguisher from 30' away, into the wind. He might as well have been trying to piss on it for all the good it did. The track had NO Fire team and the SAS Fire team had to be called and rushed over to the dragstrip. The driver was severly burned and air lifted out in grave condition. The car was burned beyond recognition. Many drivers loaded up and left after that. POINT, If you think, "oh it won't happen to me", it just might! So if your track isn't properly equipped w/EMS and Fire teams, I'd tell the owner, "Sorry, until you get them, SEE YA"! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zoom Posted May 4, 2003 Report Share Posted May 4, 2003 That is disturbing. What is worse is that that particular track will let anyone run anything for $10. The only safety equipment required is an old helmet. My son has taken his RX7 convetible out there and run. No roll bar or hoop, no saftey inspection done by the track. nothin. That is what is making the money for the track because on a good night, there are about 10 spectators. I wonder if the track even has insurance. Very disturbing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boerneracehounds50 Posted May 4, 2003 Report Share Posted May 4, 2003 Reb.....as you and some know, this has been a pet pieve of mine and I get on my soap box for a while on this issue,I went to 2 years of college and extencive training for Fire and rescue in the racing area,when I see most tracks having little to no fire crew really pisses me off.When I lived in Iowa we had 6 pick-ups all equiped with 150 # purple-K, AND HALON 1211,co2 and water/foam presses,and covered 6 tracks a week,with 2-3 trucks at each track,2 in the infield at each corner and one in the pits with a crew of 8 all together.The best fire protection at any dirt track.It amazes me down here in Texas how this isnt even considered.Tracks think a 10-20# abc or a water press is enough.There is a fairly new product out on the market called COLD FIRE,its an additive to water presses that cool and extinguish the fire 20 times quicker than water,used by Nascar and NHRA,its great,non hazardist,and safe for people and the enviroment,any tracks intrested,p-m me and Ill give you the info.Drivers need to address this issue and be aware of what the track has,the problem is....most dont care untill it happens to them or a fellow racer....and then 9 out of 10 times.....ITS TOO LATE. ------------------------- GO SPURS GO Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boerneracehounds50 Posted May 4, 2003 Report Share Posted May 4, 2003 Just to add a note here,SAS does have one of the best Fire/Rescue out there,the only deal with SAS is they have 2 trucks all on the front strait,they need one on the back enterance to the pits so if something happens back there they can respond to it in half the time,on a half mile time is critical....But they are good. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
krusty_rusty Posted May 4, 2003 Report Share Posted May 4, 2003 does anybody know the condition on this guy, or somewhere where I can get it at, being in the pits I didn't see anything. How long did it take to get him out of his car? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boerneracehounds50 Posted May 4, 2003 Report Share Posted May 4, 2003 Just heard on Kens 5 that the driver died at Brook Army Medical Center with burns over 80% of his body.The driver Tony Rodriquez was reportedly trapped in his burning car for a great length of time before the SAS fire team got to him.Our thoughts and prayers go out to the family. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rebelracewriter Posted May 5, 2003 Author Report Share Posted May 5, 2003 Thanx for posting the info for me BRH50, I was busy typing(LOL) up my TSRS story. One would guess this will be the end of Alamo Dragway as we know it. At the least, I'll bet NHRA pulls their sanction. The other option is probably going to be, lawsuit!! My sympathy goes out to the family. It's a shame it takes a tremendous tragedy to bring safety issues to the foreground. KUDOS to SAS/ROMCO to have a full service safety team on hand. (Two ambulances, 1 full size fire truck, another fire/EMS rescue team in a big SUV and ROMCO's response team) It's too bad that the SAS Team couldn't get over there in time to save the mans life. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SASPEEDRACER24 Posted May 5, 2003 Report Share Posted May 5, 2003 I can tell you this whoever owns the lease on that track will be put out of business for that one. If im not mistaken I was told the the leasees are the Martinez bros. It was a very unfortunate accident and I hope whoever is responsible gets what is coming to them. NO RACER DESERVES THAT TREATMENT. BTW was there any reports about the person that was sent by abulance from the track to the hospital. I heard it was a safty crewperson that came down with something. Marc Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
97car Posted May 5, 2003 Report Share Posted May 5, 2003 Beorneracehound I remember that Devils bowl in Mesquite had a fire team in each corner in the 70's,and always had 2 ambulances back then,I don't know about now. This is sad to hear,but judging from the past experiences with the promoters of the strip it doesn't surprise me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jp17 Posted May 5, 2003 Report Share Posted May 5, 2003 In the SAS pits you're for the most part isolated and when we saw the smoke it didn't even occur to me that it could be from the drag strip. When a number of the SAS safety crews headed that way the rumor in the pits was the guy was still in the car. Apparently that was was indeed the case. I suspect then that the rumors we heard of safety "officials" from the drag strip actually coming to SAS to borrow fire extinguishers is also true. Even more apalling was that cars ran long after that tragic accident. Again all the information I have is, at best, second hand but if Alamo Dragway lacked sufficient safety personnel and, as a result, a man died something drastic needs to happen. If, because of that gross negilgence a man paid the price with his life and afterwards, knowing that, they still continued to race then someone needs to be in jail. JP Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boerneracehounds50 Posted May 5, 2003 Report Share Posted May 5, 2003 I just heard on WOAI news in San Antonio,that this driver who was driving a 32 coupe or looked to be like one,did not have any roll bars in the car nor was he wearing a FIRE SUITE,sounds like the Alamo Dragway needs to be looked at real close for allowing anyone to do this,Goes right back to what we are all talking about..its the tracks that need to enforce this. ------------------------- GO SPURS GO Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SASPEEDRACER24 Posted May 5, 2003 Report Share Posted May 5, 2003 And to think some of these guys run those same cars on our streets and in some cases race them there. Imagine what would have happened if that happened on Military Drive on a Sun. night. For those who dont know thats where all the street racers go on Sun night. Alot of them are yungters with NOS and no rollcage and on city streets instead of what was thought to be a safe place for these kids to race. Wonder if it changes any kids minds who would have plunked down the $10 to race instead of racing on the streets? Marc Roy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jcleaver17 Posted May 5, 2003 Report Share Posted May 5, 2003 Being what yall would consider a "youngster"(17) i think that having that drag stip is alot better than having people racing thier litter rice rockets out ont he streets were if they get in a wreck...they not only hurt themselves...but they could hurt other people....it is very sad that the drivers were not required to wear a fire suit.......and not roll cage??....what were the thinking....personally if my 69 camaro (420hp) didnt have a roll cage...i wouldnt drive it....this is a problen that liek many of you said...needs to be fixed....my deepest regards are sent out to the drivers family... Jonathan Cleaver Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rebelracewriter Posted May 5, 2003 Author Report Share Posted May 5, 2003 SASpeed, Do your pix show it at least had a hoop type roll bar, like most altered coupes? But racing, in a nitrous car, w/o a firesuit is not good. Mr Mabrito's write up was fairly tame compared to what we've portrayed. jcleaver, You related to the "Beaver" LOL How many times you get asked that? Or is Leave it to Beaver, too far before your time? Seriously, it's good to hear that racing-wise you seem to have your head on straight. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jcleaver17 Posted May 6, 2003 Report Share Posted May 6, 2003 LOL beaver cleaver.....no at least i hope i have no relation to him....lol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.