Deadly crash in California 200

[sandtazam]

At the Cali 200 desert race there was a tragedy. A trophy truck killed 8 spectators and injured many more. The crowd had got to close to the course and the truck must have been committed to the terrain and it all went horribly wrong. Please pray for all those involved. Here's a link to donate to the families. info@fast-aid.org. Here's the news about it. http://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/2010/08/15/2010-08-15_8_dead_at_california_200_prerunner_truck_flies_into_crowd_fans_had_no_time_to_ge.html

[ELKARACING_SHEE]

that is very sad to hear, poor people, they came to watch a race not watch death come take them

[brugal]

This is a very sad.

[CTxBanshee]

Its crazy man.. I know that I would go to events like that.. so its crazy to think it could be me you know.. sad story hopefully everyone who got hurt pulls through.

[jbooker82]

That is what happnes when the crowed keeps getting closer and closer. Lets go watch the trucks jump, but I want to be really close so I am part of the action. It is one thing if your watching sprint car races and a car climbs the concreet wall and fence and lands in the grand stand. How many staff members would it take to properly patrol a 200 mi desert race. There isnt always going to be some one to tell grown adults what to do. They might have to think on there own and that doesnt always work out to well.

 

The crash occurred around 8 p.m. PDT, when the driver of a Prerunner truck lost control around a turn known as the "rock pile," the Los Angeles Times reports. It is a section of the dirt track that often sends vehicles into the air.

 

"He got airborne and when he landed, rolled over straight into the spectators," said Officer Joaquin Zubieta of the California Highway Patrol. "People didn't have much of a chance... to get out of the way."

[12 0 Clock P I M P]

That is what happnes when the crowed keeps getting closer and closer. Lets go watch the trucks jump, but I want to be really close so I am part of the action. It is one thing if your watching sprint car races and a car climbs the concreet wall and fence and lands in the grand stand. How many staff members would it take to properly patrol a 200 mi desert race. There isnt always going to be some one to tell grown adults what to do. They might have to think on there own and that doesnt always work out to well.

 

 

Just like those rally races.....people are nuts standing on turns like that

[Sandking]

It was going to happen sooner or later. Now see if we learn from our mistakes. Doubt it! But it's sad when you die for a mistake. Condolences to their families.

[06specialedition]

Sad story

[jbooker82]

If it happend in the baja 1000 it would almost be great since the spectators on purposly dig holes to try to crash the trucks and buggies.

 

If anything you feel bad for the driver of the truck.

[sandtazam]

In the baja, Walker evans hit a camera man years ago and killed him. That's why Dodge got out of desert racing back then. In this crash, 2 children lost both of their parents among those lost. Aparently the truck rolled into the crowd. IMHO when they post the arrows for the course, they need to post signs that these areas are unsafe to be within X distance of the course. You'll never stop some from disobeying the signs but at least the warning would be there.

[sandtazam]

There have been news organizations and internet news calling this a "Slaughter" or a "Killing" and other things that could give the perception that this was deliberate. If you come across anyone describing this ACCIDENT that way, please set them straight. We all know how the tree huggers will try to use this to screw the daylights out of the off road world.

[So Cal Suspension]

There have been news organizations and internet news calling this a "Slaughter" or a "Killing" and other things that could give the perception that this was deliberate. If you come across anyone describing this ACCIDENT that way, please set them straight. We all know how the tree huggers will try to use this to screw the daylights out of the off road world.

As many of you know, I am into HEAVY desert racing, and have spent many years working in the industry professionally. I was there at the race. I started a thread Saturday night in general off topic. I lost two buddies, Aaron Farkas, and Anthony Sanchez, and my other friend Matt Torian has tons of broken bones. First of all, it's not a turn... it's relatively straight, Brett just got a little sideways coming off of the jump. I've been friends with Brett for about 7 years, he knows that course, and has driven it TONS of times. There ARE signs posted every 200 feet or so around the entire course advising spectators to stay back 125 feet. That section of the course has been a problem for ever, and MDR can only do so much. They put up the orange netting every year, and it gets taken down by the spectators LONGGG before the race ever starts. It is up to the BLM to control the crowds. It is their land, not MDR's land. BLM issues the permits, and MDR pays for the police presence. You know how many rangers were out there that night? ONE! ONE BLM Ranger!

 

We have been BEGGING BLM for the last 5 years to shut that part of the course down to spectators, and they have done nothing. Maybe now since there's been a tragedy, they'll actually listen to what we've been saying. It's hard to place blame here on anyone other than the spectators. Even though two of my friends died, I have a tough time putting blame anywhere else, other than on them. They were both very experienced out there, as they BOTH have raced there before. Aaron has a Class 15 car, sponsored by SealMaster, and he knew better than to be there. There were thousands of people at that section of the course. It's the place to be. I, however, know better than to go over there... I was parked farther up on the course closer to the start/finish.

 

It sucks that it will take something like this to make the BLM actually step up and do something. Either don't allow the races, or control the crowds. When there are large events in the city, your permit fees cover policing of the event... why should this event be any different? If the permit fees aren't enough to cover the cost of the rangers out there, then RAISE THE FEES to the organizer.

[sandtazam]

I find it interesting that not one of the news stations say that the crowd had removed the netting and were too close to the course. Our world of off roading always gets a bad wrap.

[WINDYCITYJOHN400]

I find it interesting that not one of the news stations say that the crowd had removed the netting and were too close to the course. Our world of off roading always gets a bad wrap.

I never understood why off-road racing has fans that treat the race like a game of dodgeball. I LOVE dragracing, but I'm not thinking of poping a squat indian style on the centerline, just past the finishline and waiting for two top fuel dragsters to come blazing past me on either side of me. Maybe I just give the "Potential" for trouble all the respect it deserves.

I find it interesting that guys who knew how dangerous the location was, still stood there. If guys who know better still stand in an unsafe spot, how can 1 or even 20 patrol people MAKE a crowd stay out of an area? I also don't understand why common sense behavior always needs to be enforced by the orginization or group running the event. Not every event in life should require a saftey officer to be conducted. It sucks that people died. But it sucks even more that an event can't be held out in the middle of a desert or even on a closed course without interfearance from on lookers. People PLAN to get close and PLAN to be in the action. Why not PLAN to stay safe even if you don't see the event from the best spot? Maybe PLAN to bring some scafold out and set up a observation deck on the inside of a corner so you can see over the crowd and stay above the action? (you only need to be up 6'). We used to do it for Car car cruise action at car shows. You'll see the machines coming from alot farther away, and be able to see them drive off? Or just let everybody else stand over there in the "Unsafe" spot and you hold your picnic in the safer spot. The problem is no body seams to understand consequences in this world anymore. Life doesn't have a new guy in the corner of the screen waiting for you like a video game.

I'm sorry to hear about the loss of life. But I don't see how you can blame an orginization for peoples overall bad judgement.

Edited August 18, 2010 by WINDYCITYJOHN400

[sandtazam]

My idea is to implement a flag that indicates the spectators are closing on the track and to proceed with caution. This will also be an indication to the spectators that if they don't back off, the cars will be slowing down. It's a win win.