Make no mistake about it, this crash at the VSCDA event at Grattan is very, very scary. One second, your picking your turn in spot and getting ready for your turn. The next, your helmet is millimeters off the tarmac. In many ways, however, this series of photos shot by Mark Whitney (played in quick succession here) represents the best case scenario in on-track incidents. Despite the very real danger here, the driver was able to walk away.
Stand up and walk out to your garage to make sure your rollbar is the right height above your helmet. It’s the difference between the roll bar doing it’s job and your helmet dragging across the pavement and pushing your helmet into a series of neck injuries or worse. I know that the temptation to preserve every period-appropriate bit on your car is very real, but make sure you too will walk away from crashes like this. Get a HANS. Check your rollbar. Build it safe.
Thanks for letting us share these Mark. This decidedly less glamorous end of the vintage racing world is where lives can be saved.
See these photos individually in greater detail at Mark Whitney’s Facebook album and join the conversation on the VSCDA Facebook page.
0 replies on “When Safety Equipment Does its Job”
In 1978, I replaced the single hoop bar on my MGB with a full box, and that probably saved my neck when I caught a curb and corkscrewed several times in 1980. The cage took the brunt of the multiple hard impacts, and although my seat mount broke, letting me bounce around inside my belts, I was able to walk away. The car was destroyed, but I am here to talk about it.
Glad the driver is okay. Scary. After seeing this, I’m also glad that I spent the time and effort to install a 3 inch taller hoop in my Vee.