[Rich Mersereau]

I have 2 friends still in the hospital that haven't made it home from Florida Speedweeks. This is a risky business and it gets violent.

[FALCONEDDIE]

Younger women, faster race cars, stronger moonshine.

[Aces&Eights]

Originally Posted by Thyfault925 Belleville is a track I grew up going to. Went to the Nationals for almost 20 years. I'll be honest, after BC's death last year I will never look at that track and that race the same way again. The reality, though, is it can happen at any track at any time, whether it's a fast half mile, or a bull ring quarter mile. BC was the first death at Belleville in 25 years. Safety has come a long way, but freak accidents can still happen.

I agree with you, I just see every incident as a reminder not to get complacent, we need to pursue improved safety the same way we pursue more speed and quicker lap times. Unlike some I don't immediately jump to slowing things down as the first answer, that's a little too knee-jerk for me. So many variables play into racing that there is no, "One solution fits all" that will work. Complacency Kills.

[revjimk]

Originally Posted by Racer12 Better not go to Salem, Winchester, Terre Haute, IMS, Bloomington, Putnamville, Eldora, etc... all have had fatalities. I suggest you try golf or tennis, much safer! Bob

Of course the sport is inherently dangerous & any track can kill. The idea is to make it as safe as possible, while keeping it exciting.
Seat belts, helmets, roll cages etc. are all things that made it safer, & I bet some old timers objected to all of that. hopefully they're still alive & walking. You don't want to go back to the "good ole", no seatbelt, no roll cage days, do you?
Its not like a bunch of do gooders are trying to ban racing. According to original post, DRIVERS are concerned....

[wingless1]

I drove midgets on and off from 1982 till 1996, competed in 3 Belleville Midget Nationals 1982, 83, 84. Never made the A main on Saturday, but did have a 9th place in a Thursday night prelim Main event in 1984. All that being said, Belleville has a couple things about it that make it a tough place. Wear and tear on the engine is #1 in my book, I'd venture to say a one mile true oval is less stressful on an engine than Bellville. Engines are stronger, more technically advanced today for sure, but in the 80's we ran a 4:46 or 4:30 gear set (3:78 ring gear and pinion back then) and you could flat foot that track on a regular basis. So, without a sizable engine budget, it's just too risky on running gear. As far as danger, Belleville is an anomaly, many smaller tracks are actually tougher to get around fast. We ran a 1/5 paved oval, Lakeside Speedway in Denver CO. been a midget track since 1938. That track was much more difficult to go fast (or at least competitive) on, the other track we ran in 1982 was a new 1/2 mile dirt oval north and east of Denver, "Raceland" was a crappy dusty, bumpy, weird track with 750 foot long chutes, and paper clip corners. So my rookie year in midgets 1982 I go to Belleville and heard the usual advice..."Faster than anything you've been on, stay low out of the way of the fast guys, watch your self, etc." all good advice. But let me tell you that track is smooth, wide, easy to see around, I felt more comfortable going fast on that track than the others I'd been on. From my humble view point, (I was never a very good midget driver), Belleville sort of tricks guys, whats really scary is the midgets are 3 to 4 seconds a lap faster today!! Cary Faas, LeLand McSpadden, Cory Krusman, Mike Gregg, Tommy White, all had bad crashes on that track. I remember clearly, feeling like it was easy, and comfortable to go really fast at Belleville you knew you were flying, (I remember actually talking out loud in my helmet..."Wow this is haulin' ass!!") but it did not seem like you were in
peril. Maybe it's more psychological than anything else? I'd like to hear what other drivers who've lapped that place think.

[revjimk]

Originally Posted by wingless1 I drove midgets on and off from 1982 till 1996, competed in 3 Belleville Midget Nationals 1982, 83, 84. Never made the A main on Saturday, but did have a 9th place in a Thursday night prelim Main event in 1984. All that being said, Belleville has a couple things about it that make it a tough place. Wear and tear on the engine is #1 in my book, I'd venture to say a one mile true oval is less stressful on an engine than Bellville. Engines are stronger, more technically advanced today for sure, but in the 80's we ran a 4:46 or 4:30 gear set (3:78 ring gear and pinion back then) and you could flat foot that track on a regular basis. So, without a sizable engine budget, it's just too risky on running gear. As far as danger, Belleville is an anomaly, many smaller tracks are actually tougher to get around fast. We ran a 1/5 paved oval, Lakeside Speedway in Denver CO. been a midget track since 1938. That track was much more difficult to go fast (or at least competitive) on, the other track we ran in 1982 was a new 1/2 mile dirt oval north and east of Denver, "Raceland" was a crappy dusty, bumpy, weird track with 750 foot long chutes, and paper clip corners. So my rookie year in midgets 1982 I go to Belleville and heard the usual advice..."Faster than anything you've been on, stay low out of the way of the fast guys, watch your self, etc." all good advice. But let me tell you that track is smooth, wide, easy to see around, I felt more comfortable going fast on that track than the others I'd been on. From my humble view point, (I was never a very good midget driver), Belleville sort of tricks guys, whats really scary is the midgets are 3 to 4 seconds a lap faster today!! Cary Faas, LeLand McSpadden, Cory Krusman, Mike Gregg, Tommy White, all had bad crashes on that track. I remember clearly, feeling like it was easy, and comfortable to go really fast at Belleville you knew you were flying, (I remember actually talking out loud in my helmet..."Wow this is haulin' ass!!") but it did not seem like you were in peril. Maybe it's more psychological than anything else? I'd like to hear what other drivers who've lapped that place think.

Ahh, Lakeside. I was living in the mountains in the 80s & would see ads in the paper for midget races at Lakeside. Never went....
Too late now, I could kick myself

[teamfds]

Sprint cars do run at Belleville. The 305's run on Saturday of the Nationals. Last year I raced both a sprint and a midget along with my daughter in her midget. Belleville is big but also wide. To me the small bullrings are tougher, there is no place to run without some contact. We will be back in August

[Charles Nungester]

I stayed out of this, Really because I have no dog in it other than my personal safety.

It was my understanding that Belleville was hard on motors and everything else and that's why I asked over two years ago why at least one of the two nights couldn't be held on the smaller track. That being said, Raw speed is AWESOME to behold. It's one reason I don't like Eldora as much now as I did in the past. A slider in the 80s-90's there was a total hold your breath, clean your pants moment compared to now. Its still good racing. Breathtaking like it used to be? Not so much.

As far as Racers, I think they all know the risk going in. And IMHO there is no proof that wrecks at one size track is more fatal or injury inducing than at smaller tracks. Every accident has its own specific circumstances.

Now as far as cars exiting tracks. Either the cars need slowed down or fencing needs improved. And Tracks where cars may escape need to have off limit areas in those locations and clear of any other obstacles.

If slowed down is the trick, It still does not guarantee a car escaping the track area, But I wold say it does reduce its chances. The only way I can see that being done is by skinnier tires. Where a car has to back out to set in the corner before gassing again.

As I said, I think it's up to the drivers to determine the risk they're willing to take. But I don't think Fans should be dodging cars. Mud clods and a rock or two. But not cars.

Just wishing all racers and fans a safe summer racing season.
Chuck

[racenut69]

Agree!...

Originally Posted by ThrowbackRacingTeam To answer the original question, what most places are doing is cutting half miles down to 3/8. Or, you could remove more banking. I hate either idea. The problem I see is today's race cars are too hooked up and hard on engines which are built too light. Simple rules could be made to cure those problems yet no one does it.

[Backitin]

Too fast is when the racing suffers because the drivers concentrate almost completely on just getting around the track. An example could be a winged car that the driver pretty much flatfoots around or any other car that goes around mostly full throttle with little backing in to slow the cars. When it takes 99% of your ability to drive around on the ragged edge it doesn't leave much for racing moves. When there is a great racing move in say a Indy car you'd think the guy making the move assaulted someone by the other guys reaction.