Safety Report – Summer 2017

By Gary McFarlane, Safety Chairman What DOES it feel like to carry an extra 45 pounds in your race car? Just ask the hearty souls who raced in THE RAIN at Cresson and climbed out of their cars carrying lots of water in their driving suits! Hearty or crazy, they managed two days of racing (actually one of practice and one of racing) on a very slippery, treacherous, and largely unfamiliar, track without any contact incidents. The same can’t be said for Sunday. We had three completely avoidable and unnecessary incidents that more than soured the weekend for several folks. Maybe two days of being super careful and mindful of conditions was all that some drivers could accomplish. Regardless, all three incidents were avoidable. There are some folks who seem to think that coming to a complete stop in Fast Pit for something that required them to “come in” makes it OK to LAUNCH when they are given the go-ahead. The Fast Pit crew came to Danny and me with more than one complaint about drivers smoking tires and “reaching the rev limit” as they left Fast Pit to return to the track. We will be looking closely at everyone’s behavior in and out of Fast Pit and will be developing some guidelines and decorum requirements in the future. Don’t display anger, angst or aggression in the Fast Pit lane. We’re going back to Hallett soon. HOORAY! Oh, but wait- it’s Hallett in August! Hot for sure- bring gallons of water. Dry, absolutely, and lots of dry grass around. If you go off track, please, please be mindful that you’re driving over a matchbox. And be especially mindful of smoke, smells, etc. if you come to a stop out in that dry grass. Don’t get out of your car unless you absolutely have to, but, at the same time, be aware that you could easily catch the grass on fire under your car. Speaking of getting out of your car, when was the last time you actually went through an emergency egress drill? Arm restraints can hinder your ability to unlatch (belts and window net), unlock (steering wheel) and unload (yourself). A touchy latch on your window net can take seconds to overcome. Rusty, dry or jammed steering wheel hubs can trap your legs and add precious seconds to your escape. Think about having more than one sequence in mind and practice them. A 30 second escape is a goal but 30 seconds can be a lifetime when things are going wrong. I hope everyone will get in the habit of checking these 5 things. They can and will keep you ALIVE!!! Are all your oil drains and filters safety wired? It’s not mandatory but strongly suggested. Don’t embarrass yourself by being the one who dumped oil all over our racetrack. 5 To Go, Stay Alive 1. Steering wheel 2. Belts and buckles 3. Restraints or window net 4. Helmet and HANS 5. Fire extinguisher