Alex Bright
 

A real shame that he ends up with a broken wrist and lung contusions. He is probably fortunate it wasn’t a lot worse. On a selfish note, the USACEC races won’t be as good the rest of the season now. Get well soon Alex.

I wonder who “I’ve got to check the tape Jake” is gonna take out tonite?

Re: Alex Bright
 

Not for argument. But discussion. The first two starts were messed up. Garrett pushed off the bottom and everyone crossed up. The guys in front of me filmed the start of the wreck. Im not sure there's anything anyone could have done. And no, I haven't gone back and watched yet. Just what was in front of me and a little cell phone capture from the guys in front of me.


I've not seen Jake enough to have a opinion of rough or not, But Alex I've said for years is one of the most underrated drivers out there. They'd come in here for midget week for about five years straight and be in the old Casino parking lot rebuilding their engine in the day. Then swapping sliders with Rico in the A that night. Daums another one I consider underrated.

Anyway, Thanks for the update on his condition. Get well AB. hated to see that.

Glad it wasn't worse. Looked terrible at home in live time. I'm not so sure I"m going to pin all the blame on Swanson. Both starts were jacked up and luckily it wasn't worse for all parties.
If you watch the reply Swanson's car turns hard left into Bright. Not sure if he spun the wheels and got bite and it went left or if he had help from behind. If you watch Leary, his car turns as well and makes me wonder if CJ didn't accidentally hook Swanson in the bumper and turn him. Really tough tell, but alot of moving pieces, but I wouldn't say Swanson turned left intentionally.

I have to wonder if the slick track caused by the rain had any bearing on the starts.

Swanson took him out big time. Saying he had to review the tape is laughable. Garrett was trying to “slow start” at the same time Grant was trying to pinch Garrett down low, even ran over his right front on the original start, which he should have been penalized for. I think you’re going to see a big drop off in car count the rest of the week due to the extreme driving tactics of the “top” USAC guys.

Re: Alex Bright
 

If the first start was aborted because Garrett and Grant screwed up then they both should have been moved back. I was at Grandview in June. Starts were called inconsistent for sure. The Usac clique gets the pass and everyone else not so much. They screwed Charles Davis Jr at Grandview. Swanson took him out plain and simple. Spridge is quoted as saying Usac rule is no penalty for contact. I hope if this happens to one in the Usac clique I don’t read any crying.
Lost respect for Swanson after the I have to review the tape quote.

Re: Alex Bright
 

https://twitter.com/JohnnyWingo/stat...1sbFPZeZw&s=01

Good slo Mo video

I hope Alex can make a good full clean recovery. It's very unfortunate and I along with some others feared the worse. Thoughts and prayers go out to you, your team, and your family!!

One thing I will say myself that I can take from all this is as always, The Lawrenceburg Fire and Safety Crew is personally the best safety crew I have ever seen!! No I've not been to Knoxville nor every track in the nation, just my opinion. They were already headed to Alex as he was still air born.

Lawrenceburg Fire and Safety Crew thank you for everything you do, every track you go to, and all the time you put in protecting and serving drivers, teams, officials, and fans!!

Re: Alex Bright
 

The slow motion really cleared somethings up and removed all doubt Swanson was hooked from behind. Car got away from him, things happen.

Re: Alex Bright
 

Those seeing what they want to see, Will see it.
I however see no malice. He never turned left. Hit from behind or not, the back end of Swanson's car came around and he was in the path Alex would have to be in to continue forward. same place, same time. Hated it happened to Bright. But wrecked on purpose? NO.

Agreed. Thats the way I see it too. His front wheels never turned left. The rear end snapped around and the front end pointed straight, which caused his LR hit Bright's RR. Weird racing deal, no intent or malice, which IMO, explains Swanson's comments of I need to see what happened.

Re: Alex Bright
 

I'm no Swanson apologist but it does not make sense that he would intentionally turn into Alex like that. There are a billion microthoughts going through a driver's mind on takeoff and as fast as it all happened I would want to see the replay before commenting.

Jake Swanson and Jessica have been a great addition to the USAC National and local racing scene since relocating from California. Some of you have seen him race scores of times. Has he struck you as a guy who would just take people out? Does he come off like a total jerk? Or my favorite on another site "he is an idiot" Really? Have you talked to Jake because he strikes me as a pretty bright guy. He like Alex does something few can do well. Even if we disected every aspect of the incident an agreed he errored guess what Steve Kinser made mistakes, Kyle Larson makes mistakes, A J Foyt made mistakes and Juan Manuel Fangio made mistakes and chances are we all have made mistakes too.

There’s no way, in front of the entire field on the initial start of a feature, another driver would intentionally try and take another driver out. It just doesn’t make any bit of sense. Jake is one of the cleanest, nicest drivers out there. And he’s very talented. It was just an accident. His interview showed genuine concern for Alex, and he never said it was anyone else’s fault. I’m glad Alex is gonna be ok. But there’s 0 chance that was on purpose.

Re: Alex Bright
 

This is a amazing sport. Control the uncontrollable. Push yourself and your car to it's limits. We've seen amazing control like Bacon diamonding two at GC and holding the bottom taking the others line away. Like Leary making a move and making it stick. Like Ballou's 12th to second at GC. Like Bacon's 22nd to podium

Some of these visitors have been awesome. Doaney, Amentia, Bright to name a few, I think we lose one and gain one this week.. Garrett and Pursley have been great at times. Moles is learning the had way what can and can't be done.

And still the greats step in it from time to time. Leary and ballou at Burg, Bacon at Circle City.

There's certain moves that are (A GAME) like blocking etc. But to say they're intentionally taking each other out. That's rough, dangerous and expensive. It gets easier for guys that race with each other to know the others moves, where and when they could pass em etc. But on the start. That's unleashing 23 beast and hoping to make it thru turn one.

Re: Alex Bright
 

Perhaps we need to take the names out of this. What happened to RESPECT, how about racing room? How about holding your line until you have passed someone clean; or even a new rule to stay in your lane until the first turn? This "crap" would never play without cages. Front wheels on sprint cars are usually turned to the right. So they CAN go there instead of strait. The car that went flipping was given no place to go. So he had no vote. I realize that MY view will probably piss off a lot of people. But saying other racers have "made mistakes" doesn't heal broken body parts. God bless the safety crews. I like the races where safety crews have nothing to do. Heal up fast Alex. You have a lot of people that love to watch you race. I have never seen you take anybody out. Open wheel race cars are exciting to watch because they are pure race cars. If you don't have to have it to go fast; it isn't there. Over the years we have had to add a lot of expensive safety equipment. (Thank you Bill Simpson). But we need something to let the cars actually finish races instead of going away on the hook with the driver getting a ride in the bus.

Re: Alex Bright
 

Way I look at it, I have a very good bet that most people saying it was intentional has never raced a car like a sprint car, midget, mini sprint etc... The cars can be evil on the starts. There's been plenty of starts i've personally done, where the car wants to make a hard left and it's new home being in the infield, without any contact or anything. I'm betting other people who race can also say the same.

Re: Alex Bright
 

In the slow motion video it sort of looks like Grant's tail hit Swanson's front tire. Maybe it's just the angle.

Was it intentional, absolutely not. Was it avoidable absolutely. At some point there has to be a little accountability. Jake spun his tires and could have lifted and chose not too plain and simple.

Re: Alex Bright
 

And the 17 behind him are all supposed to too?

Re: Alex Bright
 

Folks. 22 cars starting means 11 are on the outside row. One car on the outside took out the car on the inside. No one else had an issue it’s that simple. Own up to the mistake and go forward.
One would hope it was not intentional, not sure anyone said it was. Who cares how nice of a guy he is or he isn’t a guy that drives recklessly. He blew it so own it. Ultimately we have an injured driver and less important a totaled race car. As mentioned by others the rescue personnel were at the car immediately and gave the best care you could ask for.
I still would like to know why the 4 and 15 kept the front row after a botched start. Chet dropped the hamma then yelled oh no! Where was the ruling on two guys screwing around on a start?? They should have been moved back. If so maybe this whole thing doesn’t happen.
Get well soon Alex!

If I could get the picture to load it looks like Swanson got some help from behind from Leary

Re: Alex Bright
 

Get Well Alex!! I've followed his career for about 10 years now and he is fun to watch. Bad wrecks and even worse wrecks happen in the sport we love, I don't like it either but we keep coming back. The top tier racers are no different than other top tier athletes in that they play for keeps, they are not hobby racers. They make their livings off the sport and take that very seriously and don't necessarily care about showing respect to weekend racers. I've seen about every traveling series give good calls to their members over the local guys, they take care of their teams and just care if there is enough locals to show up if needed.

Re: Alex Bright
 

That's interesting. Without the weekenders the pros couldn't make a living because the fans would not show up for a 10 car show.