Road America Karting Safety

[Rob Hogenmiller]

I just saw Road America for the first time ever, On TV. I know how pathetic.
Any how I saw on the long straight section that there is a concrete wall right along the side of it for quite a ways.

I was wondering do karts run along that wall/ section of the track?

If so are there any safety precautions for karts?


Rob Hogenmiller
rob@nationalkarting.com www.nationalkarting.com

[David Cole]

Rob, at RA, you run the same way the bikes do. They used to put hay bails before turn five by the outside wall. This year they didn't. Thats about all the hail bails that they put out. I have heard a couple of people that have hit a wall, nothing series but not able to keep the kart going. Although there has been a woodchuck incident that tore up a kart pretty bad

[Greg Walters]

I agree with Dave.
RA is a pretty safe track to run karts on. There is plenty of run-off everywhere it counts. I have noticed that many karters run along the wall coming down the front straight instead of out in the middle of the track. I think they believe it will help with the draft.
Dave is right about the entrance to turn five though. I can't believe there were no hay bales placed there for such a large event. As a safety worker and tow guy I have seen numerous accidents (3 - all caused by sudden overbraking) that have spun karts coming down into turn five and into the wall on the right before the turn. Two were lucky and had glancing blows although the third guy we LifeFlighted with brain swelling. He recoverd fully.
Overall though, it is an AWESOME track to run on Rob. You need to make the trip sometime!

Oh! That woodchuck story. That was Bob VanAcker out of Mishawauka, IN who had that different kind of karting experience. Hunt him down at a CES event and he'll regale you with the whole story! It's his favorite!

Greg Walters

[Mike Weaver]

Hi guys. As one of the RA event coordinators, I would be very interested to know exactly where you are talking about so I can make a note of it for next year. As a racer, I'm a "little busy" in turn 5 and never noticed what you are talking about.

3 years ago, I lost it coming out of 5 and hit the inside wall pretty good. By far the "nicest" road racing crash I've ever had. Bruised thighs and that's it. Ironically, my skid marks were still there when the CART guys ran there. Sort of funny (to me at least).

As for safety, I feel RA is a pretty safe track. I've run at a number of others and it's not the worst. And as for the front stretch, I can't imagine crashes into that wall being bad. You're moving pretty good there but they should all be glancing blows.

[David Cole]

I know Bob for years and he loves telling that story.

Mike, going into turn 5, next to the brake markers were hay bails. I remember one year someone cartwheeling (horizontally) in them right in front of me. They have paved it now though.

[Mike Weaver]

So we're talking about that stretch of grass down the right-hand side where Bryan Herta spun and Brack landed on top of him? Or more the run-off area if you kept going straight instead of turning at turn 5?

[David Cole]

Yes. Along that wall up to where the #1 marker for braking is.

[Mike Weaver]

OK, I think I got it now. To be honest, I never noticed either config in all the times I've run RA.

I will talk with Bingo about it and see what can be done for next year. RA sets up the bails, not us. So we have to convince them that it's unsafe, or they convince us that it's fine now that they've paved it???. It's a very touchy political situation there but we will do everything we can.

[Rob Hogenmiller]

It seems to me that something like a wrestling mat attached to these walls would be good for karting. The track is designed with full size cars in mind, Where the potential for a head to hit the wall is slim.

A couple inches of foam padding could really help the karters and motorcycle guys in an unforseeable wreck.

If someone were to hit these it wouldn't knock hay bales stuff out into the track possibly cuasing a bigger accident.

These could quickly be taking down for full sized cars and just rolled up when not in use.

Can anyone think of a negative?

I'd imagine you could even get these free if you were willing to sell signage on them.

[Greg Walters]

Mike,

I have some photos of RA with just the spot we're refering to. I'll send you some as soon as I get back from Chicago in a day or two.

Greg Walters
The Inside Track [url=http://www.theinsidetrack.com)]http://www.theinsidetrack.com)[/url]

[David Cole]

That reminds me, I have a photo too. They did put hay bails on the outside of turn 5 before the turn. It is on the www.michkartclub.org website under Class 9. But they did pave that area because I thought it used to be grass.

[Jonathan Gashel]

David

they did pave the area at the entrance to turn 5 It was not paved there before I know that I was suprised to see the paving there but I know this I had to use that paved area on Saturday at Supernationals and It saved my tail from a wreck.

Jonathan

[Mike Weaver]

OK, David. Pic #2 in Class 9 shows the karts coming into 5 and there's no hay bails or anything down along the left side (driver's right). I see what you mean. I will make sure we address it with them next year.

[David Cole]

Look at the picture again. There are but not too many of them. There should be more though.

[Mike Weaver]

Ah. I see them sneaking in there! It appears they cover where the moveable concrete barrier thingies separate. You would think the entire wall down there would be lined with something, preferably hay bails!

[ August 24, 2001: Message edited by: Mike Speed Weaver ]