The last 20 or 30 feet after the engine locked up, what caused the car pull right? Was it pointed that way? The post just above mine is a very good one. Our prayers go out to everyone injured!

There is a video, where the Ripper's (#3) get run over at Ascot and catches on fire. The worst car fire at Ascot.
Joe

go to u-tube and look for terre haute sprin car wrecks!!!!!!!!! No he steered it up to the middle!!!!!! Like most outlaws the think you pull up to the top and stop! I was told when i started way back in 1963 if you had a problems you put your left hand up and wave and move to the inside!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Let me give you a few facts about driving a modern sprint car before you place blame....first off they have great power steering-but not when the motor seizes,then you got no throttle to help control the car an you damn well better get both hands on the wheel ....oh an by the way -you'll more likely as not blow the driveline out cause the wheels are still turning and the crankshaft isn't,,by the way did I mention you and everything else [including the steering wheel and brake pedal] are covered in oil....the rule where I race at is ..if you loose a motor high-move the car as high out of the line as possible and hope for the best,,blow on the bottom -crowd the inside wall ...no racer I ever met was happy after a crash if one of his fellow racers was injured

I posted the video originally with half my thought that it was taken by a spectator who just uploaded it to youtube. Had this been a not as serious accident, would it been a bad thing to post on youtube. But then there is a family also hurting and hoping to get a son back. That is why I posted it and then edited it.

i hope you dont pull off the bottom of the front or back straightaway and stop in the middle or top!!!!!!!! That stupid!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I'm working on a story about this whole debate now. I haven't posted the accident video yet on my news site for a variety of reasons, but I would lean towards it if I felt it necessary for several reasons:

- It's newsworthy: people from around the world are interested in this story, and many articles have been written describing the wreck. Plus, there's been a lot of debate online about whether David Gravel should have been on the track with a motor going, or his actions once it did blow. People should be able to see it for themselves to make their own choice.
- It's not graphic: If there was footage of Travis after the wreck being attended to by the emergency technicians, or if the crash video focused on Travis, that would be a different story. But in this case, you really can't see the car until after the wreck happens (the video focuses on someone who was not injured).
- It's reminder that sprint car racing is dangerous: It's easy for fans and drivers to get accustomed to people walking away from a vicious crash. The fact that Travis didn't (or hasn't yet, to be optimistic) serves as a stark reminder of this fact. Kids who are in the mini-sprint level need to understand that if they want to do this when they get older, there are still big risks.
- It's how safety changes get made: Unfortunately, it's been my experience that safety changes don't get made until after something tragic happens. But what can we learn from this? Perhaps the Action Track needs more warning lights. Or we need to revisit the concept of radios that allow race officials to communicate with drivers if there is danger on the track.

I know this is a tough situation, and I certainly wouldn't want to post a video just to glorify it. As for the family: I suppose the only thing I could say would be that it's a conscious effort to watch the video or not, and I can understand not wanting to see it.

I have always been one to consider these types of accidents part of racing and should be shown just like victory lane celebrations. Nobody posted it to be malicious. People are curious how Travis and David became injured. I don't understand the anger involved? Everyone knows that this is a possibility. The Rutz family isn't suffering more because this video is up. Not unless they're repeatedly watching it.

From personal experience of someone posting a video of my sons crash -

While sitting in a hospital emergency room around 2AM waiting for news of the extent of his injuries, I received a phone call that someone we knew had posted a video of the crash. I can tell you at that moment, it felt like we had been violated. His injury turned out to be a concussion that resulted in a temporary loss of vision and the loss of a week of his normal life. In hindsight, if someone could have told me at 2AM that all would be well in 6 or 7 days, we may not have harbored such ill feelings about the video being posted. Anxiety that evening was high and played a huge role in our emotions. Having someone we knew personally post a video before anyone(including us) knew what was going on was poor judgement at best.

As time went on, the video also served another role. It became a source of therapy - at least for me. It answered questions, confirmed my initial thoughts and feelings, and told a story that could never be explained or understood without seeing it. That is what it did for me, and aside from the timing of it being posted, I have no problem seeing it now, or having anyone else see it. I just wish that we had been consulted directly about his condition before it being made public. An offer to pull it down after and if a tragedy had occured would(and does not) not lessen the insult.

With that said - Travis and his family are obviously in a much more dire situation than we were - though at the moment it didn't seem like it. We know Travis and his family well, as well as having raced with and watched my children interact with David and Miranda through quarter midgets from the time they were 8 years old. It is tough to see something like this happen. But I believe that the video serves a purpose to the Rutz family, as well as to those concerned, by seeking answers of how and why this happened.

Could the timing have been better? In our case - yes. A couple of hours and without knowing what the future held made us feel violated. In the case of this video - hopefully the anxiety over it can be overcome and lead to answers for everyone. It is often said in qm's that a qm mom is a mom to every qm racer. I believe that goes for dads too. Knowing all three of the kids involved at Terre Haute was/is numbing. I'm thankful that Miranda and David were not hurt any worse than they are, and confident that Travis is just stubborn enough to come back from this and kick our butts.


Thinking about my friend Travis Higgins(Rutz),

Ted Hartman

We lost the Great GP in 1985 because of a left turn into the pits from the high side. Yes, a left turn from the top. GP had two choices to make, drive through that car or turn right, he went right. Stay your line at all cost. just a racing deal. Next year they change the pit entrance from the track, infield pits.
Still praying for Travis.

Joe