Weekend Trouble at Castle Combe

[Bill Bonow]

This past weekend at Castle Combe, the UK version of the FST series had some typically heated races. Here is some action from Round 6












Only the car and a pocket book were hurt in the making of these photos, the driver was just fine.

[csatte02]

Glad to here he was okay, pretty nasty crash.

[Matt King]

Who does that guy think he is, Mike Conway?!

[rickb99]

Looks like he had a perfect Evil Knievel take off angle. The rest of the trip was pretty ugly. Worse then the Snake River jump for sure!

Really glad he's okay.

What I don't see is HOW he got that high off the ground at that angle. Doen't look like there's a mound or anything he ran over unless, the turquoise car 90 degrees to the track was his launch platform??

Also, in the last 2 shots he's got his hands up holding on to his helmet. No arm restraint requirements over there? Looks like a neck collar but no HANS.

[TimW]

Home movie of same:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lX6LRXn2OZ0

[Bill Bonow]

Here it is from another vantage point.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fsypDs0scfA

[Stan Clayton]

Also, in the last 2 shots he's got his hands up holding on to his helmet. No arm restraint requirements over there? Looks like a neck collar but no HANS.

I don't know of arm restraints being required for road racing anywhere outside North America.

[Bill Bonow]

I don't know of arm restraints being required for road racing anywhere outside North America.

I think Stan's statement is true (even F1). Ten years ago I raced in New Zealand. I wore my arm restraints and the locals looked at me like I was goofy.

[TimW]

I don't know of arm restraints being required for road racing anywhere outside North America.

I don't think arm restraints are required on open wheel road racing cars outside SCCA. I don't recall Pro Atlantic, the old USF2000, Indy Lights or IRL/CART ever requiring them.

[Wren]

I don't think I have ever seen a person who couldn't touch the top of their head with their arm restraints on. After the grid worker goes through doing their little chicken dance, half the drivers on the grid reach up to the roll bar and turn on their video cameras. I assume the other half slips their restraints off on the pace lap.

[Stan Clayton]

I laughed, Wren...I don't know why, but I did.

[teamclark]

I think Stan's statement is true (even F1). Ten years ago I raced in New Zealand. I wore my arm restraints and the locals looked at me like I was goofy.

Actually Bill that had nothing to do with the arm restraints!! LOL

Rob

[Mark_Silverberg]

My arm restraint are set so that I can just touch the top of the visor opening with the right hand. Left hand is slightly lower. I have never had an issue with lack of arm movement on the track.

[Garry Sharp]

I immediately thought skinny street tires (longer stopping distances) contributed to this accident. If so, reinforces our rules package.

Garry

[Doug FST 5]

I guess I want to make sure my whole arm can't get out of the cockpit but I sure as heck want to make sure my bright red glove is visible to the driver behind me if I have to signal that I'm not at full speed.

By the way - I think the score is:

Team Clark - 1 Bill Bonow - 0

Nice shot Rob!

[provamo]

i just hate it when those beam axles get bent!

btw i THINK USAC requires the arm retsaints at least on pavement ovals or bullrings

[budawe]

Look how bent up the frame is in the 3rd picture. The tranny is askew and the frame is seriously bent. Bill, are their cars more fragile than ours?

[Bill Bonow]

Brian,

Yes, the minimum weight in other countries (UK included) is much lower than US specs (both FV and FST). As you know, less weight = less chassis metal (tubes/wall thickness), so they bend with less loading.

Interesting point, the above is exactly why we set the min weigh for FST at 1125. Plenty of tubes with beefy wall thickness and in most cases still need lead.