Rumble Strips Probable Cause in Loss of Life to Young Racer

pgray · 12/10/08, 2:18 AM

http://public.fotki.com/DollarDave/c.../p8150946.html

The above link is to a photo of the "rumble strips" that were a part of the former Cajon Speedway in El Cajon , California. These strips were inside of the turns 1 and 2 ; 3 and 4 areas.

Cajon Speedway opened as a 3/8ths mile dirt oval in '61 ; was paved in '67. These rumble strips were added at a later date. Cajon lost their lease in 2005 and closed. Those familiar with this track may recall the murder of the promoter in 2003. Steven Bruckner was killed in a botched home invasion robbery.

Why am I telling you this ? ... Because Iam convinced that these strips took the life of 22 year old racer Kara Hendrick in 1991.

Kara was driving in only her third USAC Western States Midget Series event on October 5, 1991. And it was only her second time out in her new state-of-the-art full Beast Midget.

Initial reports believed there to be some sort of mechanical failure as on-lookers noted sparks coming from the undercarriage of her car and as she entered the third turn.

Others said that Kara was inexperienced and driving "over her head" that day.

What is not disputed is that Kara had driven up and onto those rumble strips , later to be referred as "ripple strips" in the media reports following her accident.
Striking these strips at speed upset her car causing it to flip violently with subsequent contact with another midget , striking the outside concrete wall ( top of cage first ) , flipping over that wall and coming to rest after hitting a billboard sign.

These "strips" are actually individual sections spaced about 12 feet apart. Each strip is about 4 inches tall. However , it should be noted that these strips are on a concrete curbing or slab that is 3 to 4 inches above the track surface. A typical "strip" may be a height of as much as 8 inches tall .

Pavement midgets ride at a very low "ride height" and in many cases only a couple inches to the lower frame rail. Striking something 6 to 8 inches in height and riding up and over it caused this accident.

While we don't have to worry about Cajon anymore , I do believe that some of these same and similar hazards do exist today at some Midget venues. And this is why USAC and all other sanctioning organizations have got to inspect the tracks where they approve event scheduling.

Iam convinced that in the absence of those ripple/rumble strips at Cajon , Kara Hendrick would not have lost her young life that day.

Cajon was primarily a stock car venue where Late Models , Street Stocks , Hornets , Bombers and Legends posed little in consequence to those rumble strips.
Midgets are a different animal and track owners and sanctioning bodies must be aware of that difference to run a safe show.

6157 · 12/10/08, 2:57 AM

Thanks for dredging up horrible memories and being THE ONLY PERSON in nearly 20 years to blame the track for this.

cecil98 · 12/10/08, 7:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 6157

Thanks for dredging up horrible memories and being THE ONLY PERSON in nearly 20 years to blame the track for this.

pgray has a theory about an accident and expressed it on a message board. what's the problem? in lieu of how USAC handled the "Liberty IN debacle" last season, his point has some merit.

jontheturboguy · 12/10/08, 9:41 AM

On a side note, why the close of the Cajon Speedway?

Pat O'Connor Fan · 12/10/08, 9:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 6157

Thanks for dredging up horrible memories and being THE ONLY PERSON in nearly 20 years to blame the track for this.

When an obviously intelligent, thoughtful, articulate racer posts his concerns about certain features present at some racing venues, how can you possibly respond in such a negative manner?

Rick Eaton · 12/10/08, 10:07 AM

On a side note, why the close of the Cajon Speedway?

The track was adjacent to a regional airport and light industrial area. The land was more valuable to develop than it was as a racetrack.

Kirk Spridgeon · 12/10/08, 10:42 AM

I can't see how it could possibly be pinned directly on the rumble strips?
Had the strips never been hit before?
Why would it not be blamed on a wall that was unprotected on top, leaving a blunt edge to hit?
Why would it not be weak cage structure?

That's like blaming a vicious crash at Eldora on the concrete wall. Or blaming a bad flip at Gas City or Kokomo on a big rut. Or blaming the lack of fenders when someone rides a wheel and flips.

I've seen bad things happen when cars go into the grass at IRP. Or trip over the berm at Knoxville. Or hit an infield tire at Bloomington. There are things at every track that can cause someone to crash - the point is to make the objects that can be hit during a crash less lethal.

cmakin · 12/10/08, 10:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kirk Spridgeon

I can't see how it could possibly be pinned directly on the rumble strips?
Had the strips never been hit before?
Why would it not be blamed on a wall that was unprotected on top, leaving a blunt edge to hit?
Why would it not be weak cage structure?

That's like blaming a vicious crash at Eldora on the concrete wall. Or blaming a bad flip at Gas City or Kokomo on a big rut. Or blaming the lack of fenders when someone rides a wheel and flips.

I've seen bad things happen when cars go into the grass at IRP. Or trip over the berm at Knoxville. Or hit an infield tire at Bloomington. There are things at every track that can cause someone to crash - the point is to make the objects that can be hit during a crash less lethal.

Or the white paint at IMS

cecil98 · 12/10/08, 11:23 AM

Spridge and 6157, now that i think about it, you guys are right. Why worry about the facilities? I mean if a track has spikes sticking out of the top of the wall and a dumb driver can't control his/her car well enough to keep from getting impaled by them, WELL, whose fault is that???!!! Hazards make openwheel racing more more interesting for the fans!! leave'em there!!! :doh:

on a more serious note, the way pgray describes the "rumble strips", it sounds like a very unusual design situation that needed to be corrected with a back hoe and a dump truck before allowing openwheelers on the track. Just going by what Paul described. I've never actually been to Cajon.

kstudley57 · 12/10/08, 11:24 AM

I've gotta go with Kirk on this one... I've driven at some of the worst tracks in the midwest and at the end of the day the driver is always responsible to deciede if he or she wants to compete. If you feel like you can't keep the car off the rumble strips then maybe you shouldn't run that track. A great example that comes to mind is the speedrome in Indianapolis and their infield "pods". They are basically a concrete trashcan lid marking the inside of the turns and all it took was hitting one once and you never got close again. Blaming the rumble strips is pretty weak in my opinion. I for one don't drive a racecar to be safe, I do it for the enjoyment and whatever happens...happens. There isn't a safe place to be found at any racetrack, grandstands included, that's what the big sign "enter at your own risk" means.

kevin studley

12/10/08, 2:18 AM	#1 Rumble Strips Probable Cause in Loss of Life to Young Racer
pgray Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Posts: 353	http://public.fotki.com/DollarDave/c.../p8150946.html The above link is to a photo of the "rumble strips" that were a part of the former Cajon Speedway in El Cajon , California. These strips were inside of the turns 1 and 2 ; 3 and 4 areas. Cajon Speedway opened as a 3/8ths mile dirt oval in '61 ; was paved in '67. These rumble strips were added at a later date. Cajon lost their lease in 2005 and closed. Those familiar with this track may recall the murder of the promoter in 2003. Steven Bruckner was killed in a botched home invasion robbery. Why am I telling you this ? ... Because Iam convinced that these strips took the life of 22 year old racer Kara Hendrick in 1991. Kara was driving in only her third USAC Western States Midget Series event on October 5, 1991. And it was only her second time out in her new state-of-the-art full Beast Midget. Initial reports believed there to be some sort of mechanical failure as on-lookers noted sparks coming from the undercarriage of her car and as she entered the third turn. Others said that Kara was inexperienced and driving "over her head" that day. What is not disputed is that Kara had driven up and onto those rumble strips , later to be referred as "ripple strips" in the media reports following her accident. Striking these strips at speed upset her car causing it to flip violently with subsequent contact with another midget , striking the outside concrete wall ( top of cage first ) , flipping over that wall and coming to rest after hitting a billboard sign. These "strips" are actually individual sections spaced about 12 feet apart. Each strip is about 4 inches tall. However , it should be noted that these strips are on a concrete curbing or slab that is 3 to 4 inches above the track surface. A typical "strip" may be a height of as much as 8 inches tall . Pavement midgets ride at a very low "ride height" and in many cases only a couple inches to the lower frame rail. Striking something 6 to 8 inches in height and riding up and over it caused this accident. While we don't have to worry about Cajon anymore , I do believe that some of these same and similar hazards do exist today at some Midget venues. And this is why USAC and all other sanctioning organizations have got to inspect the tracks where they approve event scheduling. Iam convinced that in the absence of those ripple/rumble strips at Cajon , Kara Hendrick would not have lost her young life that day. Cajon was primarily a stock car venue where Late Models , Street Stocks , Hornets , Bombers and Legends posed little in consequence to those rumble strips. Midgets are a different animal and track owners and sanctioning bodies must be aware of that difference to run a safe show.

12/10/08, 2:57 AM	#2 Re: Rumble Strips Probable Cause in Loss of Life to Young Racer
6157 Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2008 Posts: 253	Thanks for dredging up horrible memories and being THE ONLY PERSON in nearly 20 years to blame the track for this.

12/10/08, 9:41 AM	#4 Re: Rumble Strips Probable Cause in Loss of Life to Young Racer
jontheturboguy Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2008 Posts: 276	On a side note, why the close of the Cajon Speedway?

12/10/08, 10:07 AM	#6 Re: Rumble Strips Probable Cause in Loss of Life to Young Racer
Rick Eaton Member Join Date: Aug 2008 Posts: 133	On a side note, why the close of the Cajon Speedway? The track was adjacent to a regional airport and light industrial area. The land was more valuable to develop than it was as a racetrack.

12/10/08, 10:42 AM	#7 Re: Rumble Strips Probable Cause in Loss of Life to Young Racer
Kirk Spridgeon Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Posts: 802	I can't see how it could possibly be pinned directly on the rumble strips? Had the strips never been hit before? Why would it not be blamed on a wall that was unprotected on top, leaving a blunt edge to hit? Why would it not be weak cage structure? That's like blaming a vicious crash at Eldora on the concrete wall. Or blaming a bad flip at Gas City or Kokomo on a big rut. Or blaming the lack of fenders when someone rides a wheel and flips. I've seen bad things happen when cars go into the grass at IRP. Or trip over the berm at Knoxville. Or hit an infield tire at Bloomington. There are things at every track that can cause someone to crash - the point is to make the objects that can be hit during a crash less lethal.

12/10/08, 11:23 AM	#9 Re: Rumble Strips Probable Cause in Loss of Life to Young Racer
cecil98 Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Posts: 1,399	Spridge and 6157, now that i think about it, you guys are right. Why worry about the facilities? I mean if a track has spikes sticking out of the top of the wall and a dumb driver can't control his/her car well enough to keep from getting impaled by them, WELL, whose fault is that???!!! Hazards make openwheel racing more more interesting for the fans!! leave'em there!!! :doh: on a more serious note, the way pgray describes the "rumble strips", it sounds like a very unusual design situation that needed to be corrected with a back hoe and a dump truck before allowing openwheelers on the track. Just going by what Paul described. I've never actually been to Cajon.

12/10/08, 11:24 AM	#10 Re: Rumble Strips Probable Cause in Loss of Life to Young Racer
kstudley57 Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Posts: 303	I've gotta go with Kirk on this one... I've driven at some of the worst tracks in the midwest and at the end of the day the driver is always responsible to deciede if he or she wants to compete. If you feel like you can't keep the car off the rumble strips then maybe you shouldn't run that track. A great example that comes to mind is the speedrome in Indianapolis and their infield "pods". They are basically a concrete trashcan lid marking the inside of the turns and all it took was hitting one once and you never got close again. Blaming the rumble strips is pretty weak in my opinion. I for one don't drive a racecar to be safe, I do it for the enjoyment and whatever happens...happens. There isn't a safe place to be found at any racetrack, grandstands included, that's what the big sign "enter at your own risk" means. kevin studley