Surface to blame in Wheldon death

[DrLeftover]

Las Vegas Motor Speedway’s “limitless’’ racing surface was singled out as a significant factor in a “perfect storm’’ of conditions that led to the death of two-time Indianapolis 500 winner Dan Wheldon.



Wheldon died Oct. 16 in the series’ season finale when his car sailed 325 feet into a catchfence, and his head hit a post in the fence. The blow created a “non-survivable injury.’’

http://www.boston.com/sports/other_...t_says_surface_major_factor_in_wheldon_crash/

 

[DrLeftover]

And a somewhat contrary look at the same report.





http://web.orange.co.uk/article/news/indycar_race_tragedy_track_not_to_blame

 

[Jazzy]

There was no evidence of mechanical or structural issues contributing to this accident.

So what then led to the death of two-time Indianapolis 500 winner Dan Wheldon?

 

[DrLeftover]

The British press, the Orange site, seems to be blaming hard racing on an oval and the design of the cars.



I was watching that race when the accident happened.



It was the worst Indycar accident I have ever seen, in over thirty years of watching that series.



They were wheel to wheel, at high speed, racing for position. Accidents happen under those conditions on the track just like on the highway.



The fatal injury was a combination of the open cockpit and track design as well as the speed and competition.



Just like the fatal accident at the Winter Olympics at Vancouver on the Luge track.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/ot...-due-to-driver-error-says-Clive-Woodward.html



There is video online of both accidents. I do not recommend watching the one of Kumaritashvili's crash.

 

[Jazzy]

They also raised concerns over the number of cars involved, which in this instance was 34.

Do you think there were too many cars on the track that day and that was also a contributing factor in this accident?

 

[DrLeftover]

It usually isn't the number of cars that causes the problems, even on the streets during rush hour, it is the speed differential between them.

 

[Jazzy]

Is 34 the norm for the amount of cars allowed on the track for any given race?

 

[DrLeftover]

33 start the Indy 500 in 11 rows of 3.



Other races have less, but it is not as many as started the NASCAR event on the same track.