I still run the Waterman shutoff valve on my Silver Crown tank. While a step in the right direction we need to realize that we are counting on the driver to be coherent enough to pull this pin (if the release is in the cockpit) along with scrambling to get out of the car. Ours is external, so a track worker would have to pull this pin. After his fire Wolfgang was credited with the valve, in the same location, that opened only with oil pressure. A little more of an automatic system but I don't know if anyone is running that or not.

Here is where I'm coming from - I know of no other form of automobile racing that allows the fuel pump to be located within the confines of the cockpit. What we have in open wheel racing is the pump in the cockpit of a vehicle with significantly more propensity to flip, etc. With the added requirement of the safety seats in an already confined cockpit it becomes difficult to exit in a hurry should the need arise. Wouldn't we also need to look at re-locating the fuel pump outside the cockpit, along with the fire suppression system? Doesn't removing the fuel potential add another layer of safety?

Just more food for thought.

Tim Simmons