Someone asked if anybody knew the history of this. I know a bit of it.
Please excuse me if this is not 100% accurate.
Until 4-5 years ago the SCCA did not allow welded cages in SS or IT
because they felt it unduly reinforced the cars. The cage must be bolt
in and it must not have more than 6 attachment points. Jay Wright was
running in SSB or SSC at the Runoffs at Road Atlanta. His car hit the
T12 wall nearly head on. The cage did not hold up and he is a paraplegic
as a result. One of the modifications the Comp Board made in the GCR
after the incident was that roll cages could be welded because it was
felt it would have helped in this particular case.
Jay is still undergoing surgical treatment for his injuries. The latest
one occurred this past week and lasted 10 hours. He will be in the
hospital 4-5 weeks recuperating from the operation. But the good news is
that the operation should allow him to have a more active lifestyle
which includes going to races again, particularly to watch his wife,
Carolyn, who went from 9th to 4th in her Ferrari T1 car at this year's
runoffs.
Jay also recently invented an ingenious helmet restraint system that
uses an intertial reel attached by cables.
Life goes on.
Paul Foster
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