Scott Kalita died today.
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Scott Kalita died today.
Posted: June 21 2008 09:23 PM
 
Jimmy Taylor (aka ANGELT) [ View ] [ jtaylor336@aol.com ] [ Car Ads ] [ Blogs ]
Watauga, Texas
(817) 281-2322
 
Don't know about the rest of you guys but I think that there have been enough people killed in fuel race cars to warrant a change. They have been on the ragged edge for years and too many have paid the ultimate price. As for me, 250mph cars would be just as exciting to watch and a lot safer. I get sick every time something like this happens and would like to see it stop. I understand that racing is dangerous and all the danger can never be taken out but drag racing seems to be exceeding the limits of human endurance. Am I just too sentimental or do some of you guys agree?
 
 
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Posted by Crazyhorse Rod Shop  -  06/21/2008 09:39 PM
from what has been said he died before hitting the wall . they said he suffocated from the fire. like we've talked about before they are just getting too fast. the body can only take so many g's.
dont poke the porchdog........he bites [ View ] [ Email ] [ Blogs ] [ Car Ads ] BLUFF DALE, Texas Charter Member since March 2003
 
Posted by Starfire  -  06/21/2008 11:37 PM
It's not just the human body that can take just so much, it occurs to me the cars (poetic use) have been or are being pushed beyond any possible expectation of being safe for drivers or spectators. The sport is about speed and I'd hate to see some of the same engine restrictions that exist among other racing venues come into drag racing, but something can and should be done about fuel systems, the chassis, and keeping all four wheels on the strip from start to finish.

By the way, I just heard on the news that Scott made it to the hospital alive, but died shortly thereafter. Of course that could have just been a way to call his death "attended" and thus avoid an autopsy.
Starfire [ View ] [ Email ] [ Blogs ] [ Car Ads ] Weimar, Texas
 
Posted by tlp1968  -  06/21/2008 11:43 PM
What a horrible crash. I saw it on You Tube and your heart just goes out to his family watching. I love drag racing but there is always a risk and I am so sorry that Scott had to pay the ultimate price.
StreetRodding.com Marketing Director [ View ] [ Email ] [ Blogs ] [ Car Ads ] Springfield, Illinois Charter Member since August 2003
 
Posted by 1carguy  -  06/22/2008 12:21 AM
As a young man I was involved in drag boat racing, and I've seen many guys killed doing what they loved the most. As the sport evolved and the speeds climbed, safety became a major concern. In the last couple of decades, they finally developed protective "capsules" for drivers that would break away from the boats to protect drivers from both drowning and impact injuries/deaths. These devices have saved many lives. With today's technology I'm surprised they haven't developed something similar for drag cars. I think in drag racing, more emphasis is placed on going faster than being safer.
1carguy [ View ] [ Email ] [ Blogs ] [ Car Ads ] Pleasanton, California
 
Posted by Starfire  -  06/22/2008 01:10 AM
Had close friend who was nearly killed in a drag boat. Thing went airborne the engine over rev'ed and blew the super charger right off the top of the intake resulting in a fireball about like the one that engulfed Scott's car. My friend was very lucky he was thrown virtually clear of the boat, but a piece of fiber glass hull did serious damage to one of his legs which took several surgeries to correct. He walked with a limp and needed a cane from that point on, but at least he lived to tell about it.


And you are right 1carguy it's more about speed than safety. I remember when everyone griped about having to install scatter shields over bell housings, though many people had suffered serious leg injuries from clutch plates coming apart and flying around like shrapnel from a roadside bomb. No one wanted to add the weight, were afraid it would reduce their speed and time. How stupid can people be?
Starfire [ View ] [ Email ] [ Blogs ] [ Car Ads ] Weimar, Texas
 
Posted by orphans2  -  06/22/2008 11:00 AM
Condolences for the entire Kalitta family. I heard about the crash last night but did not see the accident. There's been a lot of nasty explosive accidents in the past year or so, fortunately nearly all have survived until now. The Kalitta family knew the risks were great, but it was a passion that they have shared for many years. It's a horrible way to go, but so is being rear ended by a semi on the interstate or losing an engine while flying. Life is not without risk. I pray that his wife and sons find strength to get through this together.
orphans2 [ View ] [ Email ] [ Blogs ] [ Car Ads ] Stewartstown, Pennsylvannia Charter Member since November 2001
 
Posted by cr55  -  06/22/2008 12:24 PM
truly a tragedy. I watched a video on MSN and saw the crash. What wall did he hit? On the side or was there one at the end of the track?.......CR
I thought that I knew it all , but.. [ View ] [ Email ] [ Blogs ] [ Car Ads ] dover, Delaware
 
Posted by blade58  -  06/22/2008 02:02 PM
at the end of the track RIP SCOTT KALLITA
blade58 [ View ] [ Email ] [ Blogs ] [ Car Ads ] apopka, Florida Charter Member since January 2008
 
Posted by Starfire  -  06/22/2008 02:23 PM
cr55 - it looked to me like the top of the engine blew before anything else happened. Don't think he hit anything until the car was already engulfed in a fireball. (need to go back and look at the clip again)
Starfire [ View ] [ Email ] [ Blogs ] [ Car Ads ] Weimar, Texas
 
Posted by Starfire  -  06/22/2008 02:42 PM
I may have been wrong about the top of the engine blowing. After again looking at the video it appears the first explosion may have been down through the pan. The really sad thing is, if you look closely at the video you can tell Scott was still alive long before reaching the end of the track as the chute was deployed, unfortunately, it appears the first explosion damaged the chute to the point of having no effectiveness. It also appears the first fire was out or almost out before the wall was hit. The explosion at the wall speaks volumes for the need of fuel tank placement to be other than where it was on his car. It also speaks volumes for the need of fuel to be in far differently designed tanks. He would have probably survived had it not been for the rupturing of the fuel tank upon impact.
Starfire [ View ] [ Email ] [ Blogs ] [ Car Ads ] Weimar, Texas
 
Posted by DavyJ  -  06/22/2008 04:04 PM
I think this shows that at today's speeds the shut down area and safety nets need improvements. Condolences to the racing community and the Kalitta families.
Still driving the wife's car, cause I am slow. [ View ] [ Email ] [ Blogs ] [ Car Ads ] Niagara Falls, Canada Charter Member since February 2005
 
Posted by 50pickup  -  06/23/2008 12:59 PM
My condolences to the Kallitta family as well. I've been watching them race forever. I love the speed, noise & smell of drag racing as much as anyone, but something has to be to keep from loosing so many of our heroes! Jim Head was discussing shortening the measured distance from 1320 ft. to 1000 ft. to provide longer shut-off areas on some of these older tracks. Most of them were built in the 50s & 60s when they were only hitting 200 MPH! This makes good sense! They can still hit 300 in a thousand feet!

What bothers me the most is the frequency of explosions & fires in the nitro classes. How about dropping the percentage of Nitro another 10% or more for more reliability. I love to see these monsters go side by side the entire track, and let's admit it, that's rare!

No, I don't want it to get boring like Pro Stock, where they are all within a couple feet at the end, but something needs to be done to save lives!
50pickup [ View ] [ Email ] [ Blogs ] [ Car Ads ] POTTERVILLE, Michigan
 
Posted by PurpleFlameGuy  -  06/23/2008 02:06 PM
Scott died doing what he loved, However as Jim Head said the sand trap,Emergency shut off area, what ever you call it is too small for the speeds that the cars are running now. You can see in the pics that he had his chute deployed but it did not open or some of the lines were burned off during the fire. I agree with "Starfire" It appeared as if the fire was mostly thru the bottom of the engine. And I agree if he had not hit the wall in the sand trap, and the fuel tanks ruptered, He may have survived, But at that time in the run the tank is almost dry. But the excessive speed with no chute and not enough safety shut down area are the main concerns. These tracks have to be upgraded. Or if they cannot then only race to 1,000 ft as Jim Head suggested. This will not provide equal performance at these tracks. I know it is hard to build new race tracks, but in some instances where the tracks are no longer safe and cannot be upgradedWhat choice does NHRA have. We cannot continue have drivers killed. Thank God for Ford and John Force's teams that the cars have been given new upgrades, that thebteams are putting in place. God Bless You Scott and your family as well.
DRIVE'EM!!!!!!!!!! [ View ] [ Email ] [ Blogs ] [ Car Ads ] Boyertown, Pennsylvannia Charter Member since April 2001
 
Posted by Starfire  -  06/23/2008 03:46 PM
Maybe a simple solution would be for tracks where upgrading is not possible thanks to urbanization would be to limit the classes to those best suited for the given track. Many of the '50s and '60s tracks mentioned were out in the boonies when built or in some cases an abandoned military airfield and things have just grown up around them. Either time to move or reduce the classes allowed to run.

There is a somewhat new track near where I live that is basically so far out in the boonies there is about two miles of cow pasture at the end of the track. Would be plenty of room for the "Green Monster" to coast to a stop.

Personally, I think something was very wrong about the setup of Scott's car. That thing shot off the line like it was a rocket and blew by the other car like it was sitting still. Almost like whatever was going on was totally out of control from the git-go. Too much boost? Wrong blend of fuel? One thing is for sure that fireball when the car hit the wall indicated there was still a lot of fuel still in the tank. If there is enough of the car left to investigate, there is every reason to seriously look into what really went wrong. In other words, I think someone screwed up real bad and it wasn't Scott.
Starfire [ View ] [ Email ] [ Blogs ] [ Car Ads ] Weimar, Texas
 
Posted by lenbeal  -  06/24/2008 02:44 PM
Its a sad day when we have a chance at some sort of prevention , but some time we have just not found it. RIP Scott. One thought ?


What was the reason for changing the engine to the rear on dragsters? Are we needing some change in the funny car bracket. They are not cars anyway, just unusual looking dragsters..
flyingb [ View ] [ Email ] [ Blogs ] [ Car Ads ] harrogate, Tennessee
 
Posted by PHATN40  -  06/24/2008 04:40 PM
I heard on the radio at noon that the State Police was investigating the accident. Did anyone else hear that report? This is the first time I ever heard of a state agency of any kind looking at a sanctioned track incident.
PHATN40 [ View ] [ Email ] [ Blogs ] [ Car Ads ] Quincy, Illinois Charter Member since July 2004
 
Posted by JoeP  -  06/24/2008 09:42 PM
You heard right, pretty standard in NJ for State Police to investigate fatal accidents even at a race track incident.
Joe [ View ] [ Email ] [ Blogs ] [ Car Ads ] Somerset, New Jersey
 
Posted by Mike52  -  06/24/2008 10:07 PM
I read the report and posted it on another forum earlier today. The report said he "cruised into the sandpit at an estimated speed of more than 250 miles per hour and appeared to launch airborne into a concrete filled metal post". The concrete post secured one end on the safety catch net. He didn't hit a wall at the end of the sand trap as some speculated. Don Prudhomme witnessed the accident and gave his account in the report. The report is a little long, but if interested, I'll post it here.
Mike52 [ View ] [ Email ] [ Blogs ] [ Car Ads ] Lutz, Florida
 
Posted by tlp1968  -  06/24/2008 10:14 PM
Thank you for the offer Mike, but looks like it has been posted already on a different blog/discussion here at StreetRodding.com - click here
Thanks Orphans.
StreetRodding.com Marketing Director [ View ] [ Email ] [ Blogs ] [ Car Ads ] Springfield, Illinois Charter Member since August 2003
 
Posted by ol bear  -  06/25/2008 08:39 AM
RIP ,OUR PRAYERS GO OUT TO FAMILY AND FREINDS ,,,,,,,,, OL BEAR ,,,,,,,,PEACE
OL BEAR [ View ] [ Email ] [ Blogs ] [ Car Ads ] crown point, Indiana
 
Posted by blackie32  -  06/25/2008 12:06 PM
I have yet to hear anything about the TV boom truck that was next to the wall. In the replay you can see the guy up in the boom shaking all over the place. They said he hit the safety net anchor and then thru the wall. The cables for the camera were hanging over the inside of the safety wall! In the early parts of the race you saw the broom truck and after the crash it was gone.
All of our prayers go out to his family.
blackie32 [ View ] [ Email ] [ Blogs ] [ Car Ads ] Lewiston, California
 
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