Absolutely Incredible photos at a Street race Saturday

Mark Dismore Jr · Advertiser Joined: 21 Jul 2001 Posts: 1096

Something like that should NEVER happen. So the question is, does this guy not understand how to properly fashion his helmet? Rolling Eyes

I'd also like to add that there is no excuse for not properly fastening your helmet.

Greg Wright · Posted: Mon Nov 26, 2012 9:12 am Post subject:

Mark, The fact is that poorly fitted or fastened helmets are way more common than either of would want to believe.
I recently saw a kart racer get put into the barriers and watched his helmet fly off. He got out of the kart, crammed it back onto his head (without fastening it) and restarted.
That's just one example, I've seen several. It makes me even crazier than when I see long hair sticking out the back of a helmet uncontained.

By the way, I've gone so far as to have a word with a racer that obviously wasn't fastening his helmet. I was told to go **** myself.
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Ken Schilling · Joined: 01 Dec 2005 Posts: 1338

The "Darwin Principle" will kick in for those foolish enough to not have a properly fitted or fastened helmet... Shocked

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Barry Hastings · Posted: Mon Nov 26, 2012 11:26 am Post subject:

i agree with you Ken, but, the bad part is will make our sport seem more dangerous when it happens. It wont matter that so and so didnt use the safety gear correctly, but that it happened.

Joe Palmer · Posted: Mon Nov 26, 2012 2:06 pm Post subject:

Spain has the Running of the Bulls, Inverness has the running of the STUPID! (not everyone just this guy)

It takes an tremendous amount of work to put together an event like this, and the Inverness Street Race shows some great potential after only it's second year. Looking at those pictures, the event came within inches of never seeing a third year.

Jerry, was the helmet the wrong size or just not fastened properly? Did anyone bother to call him out about it, or did everyone just yuk it up. These pictures have already been posted on a European karting forum, and god knows where else by now. Kinda gives a bad impression of karting here in america.

Hopefully race directors and organizers around the country use these photos to promote and teach safety. At least that way maybe some good can come from them.

This guy should be subject to a "Helmet Inspection" before ever entering the track again. I mean Forever, every time, practice, qualifying, heat race, final, picking up trash..... whatever! Make him where his helmet walking through the pits for awhile, just like football does with guys that fumble a lot.

Greg Wright · Posted: Mon Nov 26, 2012 2:20 pm Post subject:

IMO Helmet inspections at pre tech should include a "fit check" but have you ever seen that done?
I've been around all of this for longer than I care to admit and while helmet inpsections are fairly common (Not universally) but I've only been to one race in my life that after checking the Snell sticker they told me to put it on and buckle it to check fit. Yes there were people that were told to "Go get a helmet that fits you."
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Greg Wright
Rapid Racing Inc.
NKN Columnist & Host "Karting News Live"

I AM INDY!!

"When in doubt, gas it. It won't help but it ends the suspense."

patrick slattery · Posted: Mon Nov 26, 2012 2:53 pm Post subject:

That is why we don't race street races. Shocked

That guy was just a couple of inches from being killed, he was lucky but he is a MO.

Jerry Brown · Posted: Mon Nov 26, 2012 5:46 pm Post subject: the helmet

One of the reasons I wanted to post the pics, first the Photographer is a professional sports photographer from Europe, his work is astounding.

The issue with the chin strap was brought up immediately. The driver claimed to have straped it - I believe that claim to be in error, he is mistaken. The driver was an experianced driver and actually won this race last year in that class.

The race was a street race - anyone having raced this venue KNOWS for a fact that it wouldn't take you very long to realize your helmet was unstrapped - there were 50 places on the "track" to remind you of that prior to the LAST TURN where this incident took place.

Street racing is fun, it is incredibly dangerous with everything done correctly. We had one of the most experianced and detail oriented gridmasters there ever was in charge and I noted her constantly checking gear and giving reminders to drivers - She was absolutely flawless inspecting the Kids - every helmet strap, every neck brace, every chest protector - every run. The sheer volume of adult drivers and the fact we should know better, left things like straps up to the drivers.

Most honest racers will tell you this has happened to them and most do in fact pull off - I have. If this string of pics accomplishes anything, perhaps that may be to remind people, there is a price to pay for a careless moment, and that price may very well be too high.

Jerry Brown

Kirk Towles · Posted: Mon Nov 26, 2012 8:17 pm Post subject:

I heard someone else flipped on this dangerous haybale lined street curbing make shift track. I think we will take a pass on the inverness street races. Jerry, if nothing else you are a great race promoter! Rolling Eyes

Britt Robinson · Posted: Tue Nov 27, 2012 8:08 am Post subject:

Doesn't surprise me. It was a Clone race after all...
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Rodney Ebersole · Posted: Tue Nov 27, 2012 9:10 am Post subject:

I guess China hasn't made any clone rear number plates yet.
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Jerry Brown · Posted: Thu Nov 29, 2012 8:15 pm Post subject: the track

Capt.kirk - "haybale lined street curbing make shift track" describes every street race there is - including the bigger more recognized racesevery year.

Street racing is not for everyone - I will be at the 3rd annual Inverness grand Prix next year - I really enjoy the race and the people running the event. The FKCS crew did a wonderful job and the venue appeared to be safer than some of the "organized" tracks I ran at last year - My personal favortie being the MORON in the shifter Kart in jacksonville passing a Kid kart at 100MPH with about 4 inches to spare - and his idiot friends justifying the act because " this is a public track - no rules" Yeah - I was close to being ejected and if it had been Jeremy out there I would have been......

The street races have no monopoly on danger - Idiot drivers, now thats another matter.

I am not associated with Inverness in any Official capacity, I do and will however, always promote any venue I am racing at. The future world champion karter might be standing there eating an ice cream saying "hey dad - that looks like fun".

Jerry Brown
Rotax Masters #600
TAG Senior # 308 P-3
(Inverness Grand Prix)

Roger Ruthhart · Joined: 24 Jul 2001 Posts: 1298

If you want to have a discussion about street race safety, I'm in. But frankly with this race -- even this one series of photos -- I don't know where to start.

Please don't paint all street races with the same broad brush.

Is WKA still insuring this race?

Kevin Callahan · Posted: Mon Dec 03, 2012 5:41 pm Post subject:

Looks like somebody's helmet strap wasn't fastened. Lucky he didn't bounce his skull off that curb.

Tim Doll · Posted: Mon Dec 03, 2012 7:46 pm Post subject:

I know that I'm preaching to the choir, but back when I was an IKF official, I was on something of a quest on helmets - Snell vs. SFI vs. whatever - SA vs. KA vs. M. The diffences in helmet ratings were minor compared to how well the helmet fit - specifically that the best helmet in the world wouldn't protect you if it didn't fit.
A friend of mine suffered life threatening head injuries when he lost brakes at the end of a high speed straight and crashed, his helmet didn't fit so his head literally rattled around inside the helmet. He recovered, sort of, but he'll never be the same.

As a certain comic has said, you can't fix stupid. Rolling Eyes

Worse, those of us who are responsible usually end up paying for it Evil or Very Mad

Tim
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