Sprint car safety in question
Sprint car racing has always been inherently dangerous — that's a big part of its appeal — but the spate of high-profile wrecks has some questioning whether the cars are as safe as they should be.
"They understand that these cars are rocket ships and that there's danger involved. Me as a competitor and seeing what has happened in our sport and what has influenced change for the good in safety, I'm hoping that those with the World of Outlaws and those that are the influencers … would be willing to step it up," said Jeff Gordon, a four-time NASCAR champion who raced sprint cars early in his career. "They've made slight changes and improvements in this area. Obviously, it's not enough."
Gordon's not the only one concerned about the safety measures in place for sprint cars, which generate tremendous horsepower and can be a ton lighter than a NASCAR race car. Sprint car star Donny Schatz, who last weekend won the famed Knoxville Nationals title for the seventh time in eight years, is among those clamoring for change.
"I'm not confident that safety measures are (being) met in this sport. There are a lot of people that are working hard to perfect things, to make things better. But sometimes people don't see things until people get hurt," Schatz said. "There are some areas that safety can be addressed. But it's also a gray area that no one wants to get involved in."
Brian Carter, the CEO of the World of Outlaws sprint car series, said the sport has made significant strides in recent years.
Carter pointed to roll cages, the car's weight requirement of 1,400 pounds — which is intended to keep them from becoming dangerously light — and chassis improvements designed with safety in mind. Carter also said sprint cars have adapted some of the head and neck restraint technology from NASCAR.
"The sport has come a long, long way in recent history to make it safer and safer," Carter said. "There's quite a lot of progress that's been made. There are still a few areas where we need to understand implications of all of the safety advances."
"It's going to be open wheel racing. Until we change that, these cars are going to catch a wheel and they're going to flip. The key is really keeping the driver safe," Carter said. "The key is … knowing that they're going to flip and tumble, and making sure that we understand what happens when they do and make sure the driver's compartment is as safe as it can be."
"Nobody wants to give up an advantage in performance and these guys, like I said, I compare them to space cowboys. That's what makes them awesome and that's what makes the cars incredible. That's what makes their fan base as loyal as it is," Gordon said. Excerpts from AP Story