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July 19, 1998
Safety Is A Full Time Job
In the wake of the tragic death of track official Jack Rogers at Auburndale Speedway track officials across the state need to reexamine safety issues at their perspective tracks. It is truly a shame that it takes a wake up call of this magnitude to highlight what should be a daily concern.
Track safety is all too often overlooked by speedway management in the course of their speedway operations. Examples of this are not hard to find. At Charlotte County Speedway two weeks ago we observed race cars and passenger vehicles drying off the track with many of the drivers either not wearing helmets, seat belts, or absent either one. The convertible passenger vehicle, apparently their "pace car", was occupied by two young ladies who were driving faster than the race cars. No helmets and driving dangerously. We asked several people at the track about this activity and were told "it's always like that. This lackadaisical attitude toward safety should not be tolerated by a responsible owner or track managements.
After last week at Lanier Speedway one has to wonder. What kind of miscommunication could allow a track worker to be on a speedway with trucks barreling to the start finish line. Though a terrible accident, the worker will survive. I'm sure he considers himself lucky to be alive. At DeSoto Speedway in Bradenton it's a common sight to see drivers standing in the infield casually smoking and talking with cars screaming around the high banked oval. Anyone familiar with the DeSoto Speedway knows how frequently the unprotected infield is use as a safety valve to avoid collision.
The sloppy attitude toward safety is displayed by drivers in many ways. As in the above example, drivers share equal responsively for safety when they save money on safety equipment such as fuel cells and protective gear. One racer in the Southern All Star Series was seriously burned while racing without the proper gloves. But we believe the track has the ultimate responsibility for enforcement of strict safety rules. At USA International Speedway photographers often are seen getting on top of walls and leaning over to get that perfect photo shot. The insanity of this is apparent when you consider that the cars may be traveling over 100 miles an hour through the turns where the photographers are perched. Officials have been observed instructing against such behavior. And the photographers have been observed ignoring the warnings. In my opinion the officials need to be firmer in their enforcement. And safety of the fans is an issue as well. I have heard the grandstands at one track described as a ‘death trap’. Fans are reluctant to take their children for fear of having them fall through the bleachers, such is the apparent state of disrepair. It's one thing for speedways to refuse to budget properly for promotion, but to lose patronage over such a gross display as unsafe seating for fans is appalling. Race tracks, even small ones, are big businesses which all too often are operated by less than competent management in the area of safety.
I videotaped an Open Wheel Modified as it burned to the ground. The driver was trying to get inside of the engulfed vehicle to retrieve something as horrified fans watched in disbelief and terror for the driver. Drivers get emotionally out of control and race around tracks under cautions to catch another driver that they feel were responsible for wrecking them. And get out of their cars and punch other drivers sitting defenseless in their cars. And usually nothing happens to the offending driver. And it's not all that uncommon for cars to get rammed as retribution for some alleged sin they committed to another while racing. Pat Hughes of the Pro Figure Eight class had this happen to him recently at DeSoto. The drivers responsible were dealt with firmly by DeSoto and well they should have been.
A race track is no place to settle grudges and does nothing for the sport or entertainment aspects of racing. And is very dangerous activity that must not be allowed.
A race track is a dangerous place on a good day. On a bad day death comes marching. And the owners, managers, drivers, fans, and everyone concerned is saddened. But as usual the dike gets plugged after the water is already flooding the town. The death of Jack Rogers should signal a renewed emphasis on safety from all concerned. Track owners should put money into making their tracks safer, and giving their employees the training and practice necessary to eliminate preventable accidents. And any owner who continues to allow and tolerate a less than professional approach to safe operation of the track for their drivers, employees and patrons should get out of the business.
-Jack Smith
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