Dr G W Owen wrote:
>>
> The rest of you are happy pontificating about who you feel is to blame and
> maybe, just maybe that is the problem. Because it doesnt really seem that
> any off you give a stuff about anyone else.
>
I suggest reading Dennis Jenkinson's "The Racing Driver" and any other
books written about racing in the 50s and 60s. Last weekend at Summit, I
spent my spare time reading a copy of William Nolan's bio of Phil Hill.
Both these books have an almost macabre focus on the danger of racing.
Vintage drivers should read them to understand that the very cars we
drive are not safe wombs like our street cars and even today's race
cars.
The generally accepted notion of vintage racing being low-key and safe
is one of the reasons we have so many turkeys on the track and so many
stupid incidents.
Having done tech as well as raced, I can tell you there are lots of
poorly prepared cars being raced in vintage events. Having had a major
shunt caused by mechancial failure induced by modern compound race
tires, I can testify to the fact that vintage cars are often overstessed
by current tire (and engine!) technology.
However, even if we police car prep and driver qualification more
tightly, we can minimize but never avoid the inherent danger in racing.
Drivers must face up to the fact: you can get killed doing this! Read
the waiver you sign every time you go to the track. If it scares someone
too much, hopefully they'll quit while they are ahead.
I think we all feel sorry for the driver involved and his loved ones.
But racing isn't the only place it happens. You can stay in bed and pray
for safety or take risks and enjoy like. Hopefully he was enjoying what
he loved best....
--
Jim Hayes Winchester, MA, USA
hayes@highway1.com http://www.fotec.com/jim.htm
jeh@fotec.com http://www.fotec.com/
All generalizations, with the possible exception of this one, are false!
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