Tag Archives: tracks

SAFETY MEASURES FOR PROFESSIONAL RACING DRIVERS (GUEST POST)

Professional racing is a huge industry worldwide and can cover a whole range of differing disciplines, but whether it’s Formula 1 racing in Monaco or the Dakar Rally in a Freelander, safety is always top of the drivers’, officials’ and governing bodies’ agenda. However, whilst Formula 1 drivers hit the top speeds, they do so in an incredibly controlled environment — the track. Rally drivers, who have to drive in a standard road-car body shell, must contend with public roads, rough terrain and hairpin bends, all of which can mean the challenge of maintaining driver and spectator safety is a big one.

In most cases, rally cars must be based on a standard four-seat production model which has been produced for use on public roads and in numbers greater than 25,000. However, there are some races for specific vehicles, such as the Defender Challenge. This is a ‘one-make’ rally for drivers of Land Rover Defender 90 Hard Tops. A similar race is the British Cross Country Freelander Challenge, which features the RACE2RECOVERY team (comprising former British servicemen who have been injured in combat operations).

Image source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Land_Rover_Defender

However, regardless of the race type or the levels of heroism shown by the competitors prior to taking up the sport, the cars you see flying over hills and haring round tight corners are not the same as the standard car sitting on your driveway. They are fitted with specially designed enhancements designed to keep the drivers, co-drivers and spectators safe.

One of the first features you’ll see as you peer through the rally car window is that all unnecessary fittings, including the rear seats, have been removed. This is as much about ensuring the cars are fast as it is about safety. The two seats that remain are fitted with racing harnesses akin to those in an F1 car, with the belt positioning designed to ensure the torso of the driver (or co-driver) is restrained, thus reducing injury. The seats themselves are made of molded carbon-fiber, which is also intended to reduce the effects of any impact.

Perhaps the most crucial safety feature for a car guaranteed to be cornering at high speed is the metal roll-cage. This is made from tubular steel and is welded into the chassis of the car to prevent the roof from collapsing if the car tips over. In addition to this, all rally cars are also fitted with side-impact protection, which aims to dissipate the force of any impact and prevent serious injury to the driver and co-driver. You can check out Dynamic Metals for info on the best materials for automobiles, and also info on them sponsoring the Race2Recovery Freelander Challenge.

Finally, the speeds at which these cars race make braking a priority, and the brake discs on a rally car, which are made of carbon-fiber, are massive. In some cases, these brake discs are bigger than the wheels of a standard car and will heat up so much during braking that they will glow red-hot.

Whether you’re racing in Wales, Africa, or the U.S., on roads or off-road, ensuring your car is safe is vital. Making the right choice in metals for your roll cage and making sure all of your security features are top-notch can be both vital and a basic entry requirement for happy and safe racing.

Author Bio.

Jack writes for Dynamic Metals, a company sourcing and supplying high-grade and exotic metals for all major industries including: Motor Racing, Aerospace, Defense, Advanced Engineering, Medical and Oil & Gas. He covers topics on the safety and effectiveness of specific metals chosen.

Note: for those who love to attend these races, we would suggest you wear earplugs to protect your hearing! pb

 

IS ANYONE SAFE AT A NASCAR RACE?

I don’t intend to hang a big, black cloud over the race that is scheduled to start in about one hour, the “Superbowl of Racing,” the Daytona 500.  Race fans look forward to another season of spectacular driving, and talented drivers.  Yesterday’s accident, during the NASCAR Nationwide, marred the victory for veteran driver Tony Stewart, as two cars collided, sending one of the car’s motor and some of its tires through a hole in the fence, caused by the impact, or over the fence, injuring approximately 28 persons.  Fourteen were taken to a nearby hospital and the other fourteen were treated at the track. 

Through the years, NASCAR’s focus has been on safety – not only of the drivers, but also that of the pit crews, tracks, and fans, and of course, safer cars.  Maintaining safety for the cars and drivers is a challenge for both NASCAR and the owners and designers, because cars are becoming faster and faster.  Yesterday’s freak accident may deter some fans from attending, but I am betting most of them will go back for today’s race. 

The accident involved twelve cars, but none of the drivers were injured.  Stewart, when interviewed, stated, “We’ve always known since racing started, this is a dangerous sport, but it’s hard.  We assume that risk, but it’s hard when fans get caught up in it….I could see it all in my mirror, and it didn’t look good from where I was at.” 

One neat thing for female fans, is that Danica Patrick won the pole position for today’s race.  It will be interesting to see where she finishes today.  She is a very tiny person, 5’2”, and around 100 pounds, but she has proven to be as tough as the guys.  Many of the drivers will attest to it.  Jeff Gordon and Carl Edwards both took their daughters to meet her last week, at the Stewart-Haas garage. 

If you plan to attend any NASCAR events, Texas America Safety Company has NASCAR hardhats, which might prove to make you a little safer, and also fun to wear at work.  For sure, you could also use some quality hearing protection earplugs.  It gets noisy out there. 

Let’s send our thoughts and prayers out to those fans who were injured yesterday, that fans, drivers, and crews have a very safe day today and throughout the racing season.