Michael Burba - Another Closed Head Injury
 

i wanted to pass on the information reguarding Michael Burba who was involved in an accident last night in the ford focus main at Ventura Raceway. i found out from the usac officials who went to the hospital that they had put him in a drug induced coma with a serious concusion. he had some cuts on his face a some sort of problem with his right eye. this was his first full ford focus race after running just a few times in the jr's. keep him in your thoughts and prayers.

MJ

Re: Michael Burba - Another Closed Head Injury
 

ill keep him in my thoughts and prayers! keep us updated on his condition

Re: Michael Burba - Another Closed Head Injury
 

Our thoughts and prayers are with him and his family.
George & Tammy Gamester

Re: Michael Burba - Another Closed Head Injury
 

from scrafan.com

Michael Burba was injured during the Ford Focus Midget Race at Ventura Raceway, October 25, 2008.

Michael’s status as of 10/28/08

Michael remains in intensive care. The doctors are keeping him medicated eliminate any movement, allowing his brain to heal. He has a broken eye socket, which will require surgery. On Monday, he was taken off the ventilator and is breathing on his own. This is very good news.

Keep Michael in your thought and prayers.

If you would like to send Michael a note, you can email…

brett@roa-racing.com

or

swansonmotorsports@sbcglobal.net

and we will be sure to get your message to him.

Brett Roa

Re: Michael Burba - Another Closed Head Injury
 

Something that I have noticed in the last couple of years is facial brusing after a big crash. Ricky Williams had alot of bruising after his Kokomo crash and I have noticied others as well.

Burba broke an eye-socket. Without seeing the car and cockpit set-up,I am having a hard time understanding what happened there.

It makes you wonder if either the driver is hitting the helmet on the head rest or maybe the helmet pulling down against the face during a forward impact.

Re: Michael Burba - Another Closed Head Injury
 

Originally Posted by LEADERS EDGE:
Something that I have noticed in the last couple of years is facial brusing after a big crash. Ricky Williams had alot of bruising after his Kokomo crash and I have noticied others as well.

Burba broke an eye-socket. Without seeing the car and cockpit set-up,I am having a hard time understanding what happened there.

It makes you wonder if either the driver is hitting the helmet on the head rest or maybe the helmet pulling down against the face during a forward impact.

Interesting observation...agree that w/o seeing the exact set-up it would be hard to know for sure. Also would want to know more about the crash itself. Keeping our eyes open and communicating is important...the more we know the more we can learn.

Re: Michael Burba - Another Closed Head Injury
 

Originally Posted by LEADERS EDGE:
Something that I have noticed in the last couple of years is facial brusing after a big crash. Ricky Williams had alot of bruising after his Kokomo crash and I have noticied others as well.

Burba broke an eye-socket. Without seeing the car and cockpit set-up,I am having a hard time understanding what happened there.

It makes you wonder if either the driver is hitting the helmet on the head rest or maybe the helmet pulling down against the face during a forward impact.

We have only notice this since the use of the hanns I think it stops your head to quick no broken neck but a lot of brain injuries



Steve Barth

Re: Michael Burba - Another Closed Head Injury
 

Originally Posted by sprint14b:
We have only notice this since the use of the hanns I think it stops your head to quick no broken neck but a lot of brain injuries
Steve Barth

FALSE!!!! FALSE!!!!! FALSE!!!!! :doh:
How can you make that statement without seeing the helmet or have any info at all. THE HANS DOES NOT STOP THE HEAD TO QUICKLY AND CAUSE BRAIN INJURY.
HARD Contact between the Helmet and either the cage or wall are causing these closed head injury's.

Let me guess Steve..."You Did Sleep at a Holiday Inn Express Last Night Though".

Next thing will be someone blaming broken legs on the Hans Device

Re: Michael Burba - Another Closed Head Injury
 

Well where is your data to refute the claim? Lets see the test reports on a sprint car or midget crash for the Hans Device.

Re: Michael Burba - Another Closed Head Injury
 

stagger, I will try and get you some G-load, and head accelerometer readings. Are they sprint and midget specific? No, but they will be results that show the head deceleration / g-loads in a hard / high G Impact.

Re: Michael Burba - Another Closed Head Injury
 

From Chris Swanson: scrafan.com

I spoke with Michael's Mom "Donna" today. Michael is doing Very well now. He is alert and the ventilator tube is being removed. They are starting to prep him for a move to Kaiser Hospital in Anaheim very soon. She said that a surgery will be performed to make repairs to his eye socket, but the great news is that there is no eye damage. Keep him in your thoughts and Prayers. We will keep you posted on his recovery.

Thx CS

www.swansonmotorsports.com

Re: Michael Burba - Another Closed Head Injury
 

Originally Posted by LEADERS EDGE:
Something that I have noticed in the last couple of years is facial brusing after a big crash. Ricky Williams had alot of bruising after his Kokomo crash and I have noticied others as well.

Burba broke an eye-socket. Without seeing the car and cockpit set-up,I am having a hard time understanding what happened there.

It makes you wonder if either the driver is hitting the helmet on the head rest or maybe the helmet pulling down against the face during a forward impact.

Im wondering if its caused at the point the teathers grab on the Hans. The heads moving forward then sudden stoppage.

Just curious and it's interesting obsevation

Re: Michael Burba - Another Closed Head Injury
 

Originally Posted by sprint14b:
We have only notice this since the use of the hanns I think it stops your head to quick no broken neck but a lot of brain injuries



Steve Barth

I appreciate the concern. Blaming brain injuries on the HANS is not appropriate. The point can be made that brain injuries that would have been inconsequential without the HANS (because they would have been found on autopsy instead of in the ICU!) are now a problem. It is most likely impact with hard objects inside or outside the cockpit that is causing the head injuries. Attention to details like lateral head restraints, an appropriate seat, head nets on both sides, and SFI-approved rollbar padding are the best places to look to reduce these kinds of injuries. Remember, issues with seat belts/harnesses can result in head/brain injuries as the driver may have enough belt stretch to allow the helmeted head to hit the steering wheel or other items within the cockpit.

Knowing the exact location of the injury within the brain, the exact type of brain injury, the details of the car, and the crash would be helpful in pinpointing the cause of injury.

Re: Michael Burba - Another Closed Head Injury
 

I think (My Opinion here) that the helmet is either rolling forward over the head and doing the damage -OR- the helmet trys to come off the head backwards while the head is still moving forward and the bottom of the facial opening is catching the face as the opening falls over the forehead.
I still think there needs to be some development of a CageCap that offers extra protection to the top of the cage to absorb energy and cages have to be opened up and made wider ,to keep the driver away from the cage.

Re: Michael Burba - Another Closed Head Injury
 

Originally Posted by staggerman:
Well where is your data to refute the claim? Lets see the test reports on a sprint car or midget crash for the Hans Device.

Fortunately or unfortunately, the forces in play in sprint and midget crashes are not unique to open wheel incidents. Force is force whether open or closed cockpit...dirt or asphalt...winged or non-winged...NASCAR or USAC. What really matters is learning how to manage the energy that needs to be dissipated in crashes. The amount of force that causes severe neck injuries, or a basilar skull fracture (what killed Earnhardt and many others) is the same no matter the vehicle involved. How that force is transmitted to the driver does vary.

Get over it folks, head and neck restraining devices save lives and reduce serious and critical injuries! Being angry about being told you need to use HANS-type devices is a waste of time!!! Spend your time learning about state of the art safety devices and concepts. Look at your belts, seat, roll cage, and the distance between the top of your helmet and the bottom of the the halo bar. Let's focus on productive efforts!

Re: Michael Burba - Another Closed Head Injury
 

I had considered getting a Hans or similiar product because I tried one on last winter and really liked how it felt compared to my neckbrace, but after wreck this year and breaking collar bone, i don't think it would be very comforting to wear or feel very well the way it comes down in the front. the belts alone coming down drive me crazy now. Actually I am uncomfortable all the way around now, but i am Not sure of what tests have been done and what other injuries it leads to but it does look like a nice piece.

Re: Michael Burba - Another Closed Head Injury
 

Originally Posted by sprint14b:
We have only notice this since the use of the hanns I think it stops your head to quick no broken neck but a lot of brain injuries



Steve Barth

As long as Steve has been racing I think his opinion should count for something.

Jerry

Re: Michael Burba - Another Closed Head Injury
 

I am just wondering if he had a HANS on at all. I was there and I don't know....

Re: Michael Burba - Another Closed Head Injury
 

I have heard that a tail bumper or nerf bar got into the cockpit hitting the helmet.
If this is the case a neck device wouldn't help?

Re: Michael Burba - Another Closed Head Injury
 

Originally Posted by lazyifoto:
I think (My Opinion here) that the helmet is either rolling forward over the head and doing the damage -OR- the helmet trys to come off the head backwards while the head is still moving forward and the bottom of the facial opening is catching the face as the opening falls over the forehead.
I still think there needs to be some development of a CageCap that offers extra protection to the top of the cage to absorb energy and cages have to be opened up and made wider ,to keep the driver away from the cage.

The cage cap idea may be something to look into, but making the cages bigger/wider only invites wheels, etc. getting inside and hitting the driver.

Page Jones' 1994 Four Crown injuries were caused by some of Dave Darland's car getting inside the cage, and we know how bad Page was hurt. If you recall, Page was in the Team 6R Beast that day; a chassis with a very big cage. Going back further, my dad still has his 1991 Snell-approved Bell helmet with a gaping hole in the top that was caused by the top of Byron Reed's rear bumper. That crash was in the '92 Four Crown, and the Gambler dad was in had a standard size cage. He was lucky to survive, to say the least.

There have been many others. Just food for thought on the cage idea.

Re: Michael Burba - Another Closed Head Injury
 

i was there and saw the accident, but not the whole thing. there was a car that got upside down going into turn 1 and everyone slowed down to miss him including Michael. Michael then hit the flipping car and instantly accelerated. i didn't get to see the contact but i did see him accelerate toward the fence. playing it over in my mind, it seemed as though something probably hit him in the head off of the flipping car that caused him to lose consciousness because there was no indidcation of the throttle sticking from what my dad said. i didn't get to see the helmet, but i heared that it had damage which again leads me to believe that something hit him. what i am speculating is that he might have been hit by the flipping car's rear bumper causing the helmet damage and facial damage. it's hard to say if the contact with the other car caused the head injury, but most likely it was when he hit the wall. every factor that we considered led to this conclusion...but we might never know for sure.

Note: SPECULATION ONLY...BUT THESE FACTORS SHOULD BE LOOKED AT IN THE FUTURE

Re: Michael Burba - Another Closed Head Injury
 

Originally Posted by safetyworker:
Fortunately or unfortunately, the forces in play in sprint and midget crashes are not unique to open wheel incidents. Force is force whether open or closed cockpit...dirt or asphalt...winged or non-winged...NASCAR or USAC. What really matters is learning how to manage the energy that needs to be dissipated in crashes. The amount of force that causes severe neck injuries, or a basilar skull fracture (what killed Earnhardt and many others) is the same no matter the vehicle involved. How that force is transmitted to the driver does vary.

Get over it folks, head and neck restraining devices save lives and reduce serious and critical injuries! Being angry about being told you need to use HANS-type devices is a waste of time!!! Spend your time learning about state of the art safety devices and concepts. Look at your belts, seat, roll cage, and the distance between the top of your helmet and the bottom of the the halo bar. Let's focus on productive efforts!

You've completely jumped the shark on this one. People are asking if your heads still got forward motion when the hans stops it suddenly thus causing the face to impact the helmet. Certainly not as much as hitting a object inches of feet away but is that a side effect of the device?

Nobody said you shouldn't use them.
Chuck

Re: Michael Burba - Another Closed Head Injury
 

The potential for foreign objects entering the cockpit is another reason for updated seats and side nets on both sides...not total protection but better than without...also reinforces the lateral head supports. If that did happen, the HANS would not be much help.

No one said Steve's opinion doesn't matter...but if Steve listens to my suggestions for setting up his sprint car...well, let's just say my many yrs in racing safety makes me far more qualified for head injury discussions than spring and torsion bar rates! <G> A veteran drivers opinion is very valuable...no doubt about it.

Re: Michael Burba - Another Closed Head Injury
 

just to make a correction on my story: the rear bumper isn't what hit him in the head. it turns out that they hit cage to cage. michael slid sideways to miss him and hit the flipping car in the back of the cage. still something must have hit him in the head right then to knock him out.

MJ

Re: Michael Burba - Another Closed Head Injury
 

Originally Posted by midmad68:
From Chris Swanson: scrafan.com

I spoke with Michael's Mom "Donna" today. Michael is doing Very well now. He is alert and the ventilator tube is being removed. They are starting to prep him for a move to Kaiser Hospital in Anaheim very soon. She said that a surgery will be performed to make repairs to his eye socket, but the great news is that there is no eye damage. Keep him in your thoughts and Prayers. We will keep you posted on his recovery.

Thx CS

www.swansonmotorsports.com

Thanks for the update. I am glad to hear he is doing well.
whewwwwwww

Re: Michael Burba - Another Closed Head Injury
 

hey everyone this is michael burba and i wanted to thank you all for your prayers and thoughts, everyone helped. I am doing very well and recovering remarkably quick i have no braindamge or any problems needless to say i got very lucky and thank you all agin:)

Re: Michael Burba - Another Closed Head Injury
 

Wow Michael, Its like a holiday miracle to see you here.

We were all very worried for you and thrilled that you are doing so well.
YOU HAVE A WONDERFUL HOLIDAY and God Bless.
Karen S

Re: Michael Burba - Another Closed Head Injury
 

Originally Posted by midmad68:
just to make a correction on my story: the rear bumper isn't what hit him in the head. it turns out that they hit cage to cage. michael slid sideways to miss him and hit the flipping car in the back of the cage. still something must have hit him in the head right then to knock him out.

MJ

I was there that nite in the 1st corner. When it happened it looked like to me that the impact of him hitting the stoped car is what knocked him out. He was hard on the gas after the car came down. Then it was straight into the wall head on.
Glad to hear your doing good :applaud::applaud: Mike Hope to see you at the races. :checkered:

Re: Michael Burba - Another Closed Head Injury
 

Wonderful news, Michael!!! Thanks for letting us know. Have a great Thanksgiving.

Frank Daigh