Fontana speedway accident

[AR4me]

A colleague forwarded me this sad story from the LA Times.
http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la...nes-california

Jes
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2 Amateur Racers Die in Crash at Speedway
The La Jolla men were driving the course during a club day at the Fontana racetrack.
By Martin Henderson
Times Staff Writer

June 3, 2005

Two San Diego County men died when the Porsche they were racing crashed and caught fire Thursday morning at California Speedway in Fontana, authorities said.

Benjamin Miles Keaton, 39, and his passenger, Corey Nicholas Rudl, 34, both of La Jolla, died from injuries after Keaton lost control of a 2005 Porsche Carrera GT.

The car left the track, careened onto a grassy area and struck a barrier. The engine compartment then caught fire, according to a San Bernardino County sheriff's report.

On-site medical personnel, the same used for NASCAR and Indy Racing League events at the speedway, responded at 10:40 a.m. and quickly extinguished the fire, sheriff's officials said.

Rudl, who worked in Internet marketing, was pronounced dead at the scene; Keaton was airlifted to Loma Linda University Hospital, where he died about an hour later, according to the San Bernardino County Coroner's Office.

Both suffered multiple traumatic injuries, but neither suffered burns, said Supervising Deputy Coroner Randy Emon. The vehicle made a passenger-side impact at more than 100 mph. Both men were wearing helmets and safety belts, authorities said.

"The driver's side was in good shape, but the passenger side was obliterated," Emon said.

The accident occurred while the track was being rented by the San Diego chapter of the Ferrari Owners Club. Such events are common at the speedway; the facility is in use nearly 300 days a year for a variety of events, including track days by auto clubs and driving schools.

The men are the fourth and fifth fatalities at California Speedway since it opened in 1997.

Champ Car driver Greg Moore was killed during a race in 1999, and Ricky Lundgren died during competition at an AMA Superbike event in 2003. Another motorcyclist died during a track rental in September.

[nizam]

Discussed at length here:

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/showt...a&pagenumber=1

By the way, he wasn't "RACING" his car. It was a parade lap. Although you can imagine, from the journalistic point of view, it sucks to print "he crashed his Carrera GT on a parade lap".

Granted, he was doing 165mph on a parade lap ... which he wasn't supposed to be doing. Sigh. I feel sorry for his family, and the passenger, and the passenger's family.

[lawrencedesigns]

Sad, sad story,
But it makes me think. As a former SCCA national driver, I have always believed in preparation and safety.
I don't know a thing about private club events. Is full safety equipment required? Street legal three-way belts are not speed-rated safety equipment. Was the car equipped with full cage and at least five point harness? If not, why was it on a racetrack?
Secondly, was the driver competition licensed? At speeds like that, I think a program similar to the SCCA system should be required.
Finally, why are passengers allowed? When I was an instructor for Jim Russell, our on-track sessions were in a "station wagon." Never as a passenger in a race vehicle. It just doesn't make sense to me.
Am I wrong?

[nizam]

Quote:

Originally Posted by lawrencedesigns Sad, sad story,

[AR4me]

Nizam,

Reading the thread it is my impression it wasn't a "parade" lap. Initially, it appears so, but later there is a clarification.

This makes me think that Norm has the ideal car in his Giulia - getting a faster car doesn't make anyone any better. Sure, you lap the track quicker, but truly not due to driver proficiency, which must be the ultimate goal.

Jes

[Bruce Colby]

Right on Jes. A wise man once said, "If you want to make your car go faster, learn to drive it better."

As for the accident, I know all our hearts go out to the family and friends of those we lost.

[argtv7]

They were only running on the infield portion, like AROSC does. Same configuration as our National Convention a few years back. Absolutely terrible. I'm speechless.

[TEAMRX7]

First of all I would express of sympathies to the families who were affected by this. I am not putting blame on anyone by any means. I was not there, and I do not know all of the details. With that said I have this to write.

For all of the people who come up to us and ask if we have open track sessions during lunch, this is why we do not. Remember two people were killed at Buttonwillow earlier this year. This is also why we have the licensing process we have. It maybe flawed, there maybe people who do not get there licenses when they feel they should. But it works and we are a very safe club. The last thing any of us want is something like this to happen, not only at our events but also anyone else's. Lets continue with our safe record.

Greg

[Bruce Colby]

A couple of quick notes:

I just read the entire set of posts on the pelicanparts BB (see Nizam's post above for the link). There does not seem to be a complete consensus that the accident took place during a lapping session. A number of people indicate it took place in some sort of run group, so we'll have to wait and see on this.

The second thing is taht "Greg", above, is Greg Nelson, the AROSC Time Trial Director, so when he says "we", he is referring to the AROSC Competition Program.

[bobwass]

34

quote:
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Originally posted by Jeremy964
Wow - and looking at that track - and all the entry points - I think I have a pretty good idea of where the entry point is = Bad spot if I am correct - and the track marshall would really have to be on their toes at 165 mph.
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If someone who participated in the event could comment:

What were the driver instructions about entering the track?
Were they told to stay below the white line?

Where the pits enter the track is completely safe if the drivers follow the correct procedure. When you enter the track you are supposed to stay below the white line until you reach the back straight. Then you merge out on the track. The area below the white line is flat with the banking starting at the white line. It should have made no difference if a car was coming or not. It is a common amateur problem that people will be in a rush to get up on the banking as soon as possible. Hey, that's why they came there to begin with.

Earlier someone mad a comment about the track marshal and that they weren't employees of the speedway. The speedway never supplies a pit marshal. Their safety crews are constantly watching you though.

It sounds like Ben got caught in a really bad spot and couldn't get out.


__________________
Wayne
87 Carrera coupe -> The pooch.



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06-03-2005 04:12 PM



touf
Junior Member

Registered: Jun 2005
Location:
Posts: 1
FYI:
- The oval was not used for this FOC Event.
-Only the infield portion of the track was used.
-The crash happened in the runoff area toward the end of the straight after the bridge. This is the straight after turn 8 and 9.
-The entrance to the track when this configuration is used is on the left side of this short straight.
-When this configuration is used, drivers should stay to the right, however it is a bit unnatural because the next turn is a right/left combo and the natural line is to stay to the left.
- There is a runnoff area with grass and then it's retaining walls.

Here is a pic of the track map when the infield is used.
I am not sure that this is the exact configuration that FOC used however the entrance to the track had to be the same.




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06-03-2005 04:41 PM



MX5Bob
Junior Member

Registered: Jun 2005
Location: Corona, CA
Posts: 9

quote:
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Originally posted by touf
FYI:
- The oval was not used for this FOC Event.
-Only the infield portion of the track was used.
-The crash happened in the runoff area toward the end of the straight after the bridge. This is the straight after turn 8 and 9.
-The entrance to the track when this configuration is used is on the left side of this short straight.
-When this configuration is used, drivers should stay to the right, however it is a bit unnatural because the next turn is a right/left combo and the natural line is to stay to the left.
- There is a runnoff area with grass and then it's retaining walls.

Here is a pic of the track map when the infield is used.
I am not sure that this is the exact configuration that FOC used however the entrance to the track had to be the same.

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Just to be clear, the infiled course is run clockwise, and the runoff just past the bridge is in the area leading down to turn 1. Cars enter just after the chicane [touf, would that be turn 8 and 9 or 16 and 17 in the typical backside config?], that follows the hairpin, which is where the pit-in lane is.

Nothing marks the end of the pit-out lane on the infield course unless you put cones down, which they may well have done.


__________________
Bob Beamesderfer
'94 CSP Solo 2 Miata

[Bruce Colby]

One has to be very careful when it comes to drawing conclusions in situations like this. In the beginning there is always a lot of misinformation running around so it is important not to get to anxious and jump on something in order to proclaim it "the cause" of it all. I think this is basically what Bob is getting at - we just don't know enough to understand what really happened. We do know that two people died and that this is a great loss to their family and friends, as well as to all of us in the "performance car" community.

[GianniB]

FWIW, local media reporting of the tragic accident:

http://mysite.verizon.net/res7weom/carrera.mpg

[genericwood]

My heart goes out to the families of these 2 gentlemen. It is truly an awful thing when lives are lost under these types of circumstances. Personally, I don't understand how someone can drive a car at 165mph in these situations. But it must be because either the risks are not understood, or they are understood but the driver and passenger choose to take them anyway. Maybe a little of both.

I am perfectly comfortable in my GTV race car at a high speed track like Road America. But my street GTV going 30 mph slower really scares me. There is simply no substitute for a roll cage, a fuel cell, proper seat and harnesses, and a fire system. Add to that when I'm in the race car; I'm wearing a 3-layer nomex fire suit, have experienced course marshalls, and trained corner workers on every turn.

If drivers have a full understanding of these risks and still choose to take them, that's fine by me. I think of it kind of like free climbing a rock face. You make the decision not to use a rope. It's your life. Just know the risks before making a decision as to your own tolerance.

Erik

[bobwass]

here is the course they used. i can see the danger of the track entry point. hard to believe a car could get to 165 after the chicane. i still don't understand where the car hit the barrier. the map, my recollection ot the track, and the news pictures can't resolve the impact point.

[MALDI]

Is Porsche irresponsible to sell such high powered cars to the general public that do not seem to have sufficient safety equipment? Isn't one mantra "Safety in proportion to performance"? Could this accident not just as easily occured on the street? Did being on a track give the pilot a false sense of security?

Just food for thought...