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Closed cockpits part of the answer?
Closed cockpits part of the answer?
http://espn.go.com/racing/indycar/story/_/id/7130213/indycar-search...
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Curious_Kat on -
No. If closed cock pits where an answer for making these cars safer, then you would have hear about it a couple of years ago when Henry Surtees was killed when he hit a tire with his helmet. And RR is right. It's not going to stop a fencepost. Not to mention they would have to be accessible enough for drivers who are on fire to get out.
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Permalink Reply by xorpheous on -
We did hear about them then. The FIA went so far as to do some testing of how various types of polycarbonate canopies would withstand an impact of a wheel at race speeds.
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Permalink Reply by Iowa Guy on -
Personally, I'm leaning toward changing the design of catch fences as a big part of the answer. Just think about how many of the major crashes in recent years have involved cars disintegrating in the catch fencing: Ryan Briscoe, Kenny Brack, Tony Renna, Mike Conway, and though the details of Wheldon's crash might be a bit different, it still involved the car climbing above the top of the wall...I'm sure I'm overlooking some others.
We did it with the walls (SAFER barriers). I'm sure it could be done with the fences.
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Permalink Reply by Paul on -
No canopies, no roll gages. It is a potentially dangerous occupation. No one forces drivers to race. Something can and will always happen sooner or later. Maybe Indy need OSHA. Just had a motorcycle racer killed this weekend. Lets stop that, too.
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Permalink Reply by Joe on -
It was an interesting article. I made a post last week about possibly having some type of roll cage. The whole canopy idea isn't a terrible idea either. I'm just not sold 100% on either a roll bar of some sort or a canopy because of fire, or possibly being damaged so bad in an accident that it's almost impossible to get to the driver. Were all just guessing what may or may not happen the the cars we love. What ever they decide, as long as it makes it a safer ride for the drivers, I'm going to be all for it.
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Permalink Reply by Gilbert K. Arnold on -
I don't think closed cockpits are part of the answer. I think RR's idea is a better one. Work on the design of the catch fences. I think that has a greater potential to reduce injuries. A strengthened roll bar could possibly help too.
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Permalink Reply by Gary Lee Cox on -
IMO closed cockpits are worth serious consideration by the IndyCar Series. They are feasible and I believe they could help reduce the chance of fatalities. A certain benefit re closed cockpits would be they would protect the drivers heads from flying debris and or other contact. Other contact for example, the tires and or other parts of a car climbing/sliding over the top of another.
I would like to see Dallara and or others research, develop, and begin testing a prototype IndyCar with a bubble canopy/closed cockpit ASAP.
Re the catch fence. Yes, I believe they are part of the answer. It is my intent to address the matter of improving the catch fence in the near future.
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Permalink Reply by Daddy of Equalizer on
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Wrench- I already have a design for the barrier.
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Permalink Reply by Gary Lee Cox on
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Some of the requirements that I believe must be accomplished/met re new catch fence.
1. New catch fence concept(s) must be feasible.
2. The new catch fence should be a significant/substantial safety improvement over the existing
catch fence.
3. The new catch fence must work for both stock and open-wheel cars.
4. The new catch fence cannot be sight restrictive for fan viewing.
5. The cost for track owners to install/upgrade/improve their existing catch fence with a new
catch fence must be affordable/financially viable. The new catch fence cannot be cost
prohibitive.
6. The new catch fence must be a justifiable investment for the track owners.
I have a simple concept/design for improving/upgrading existing catch fences. I believe this concept/design is physically and economically feasible. Existing catch fences may be improved/upgraded while protecting alternate backup structures/SAFER barriers/walls in place. This concept/design requires the vertical fence post to be relocated a specified distance behind/to the rear of the catch fence net/screen. Ideally the material of the net/screen, type of net/screening used shall be improved/upgraded. This design may be a very practical/very economical first step for improving/upgrading existing catch fences. Much safer than existing catch fences because it should eliminate the possibility of car/vertical pole contact.
Some of the oval tracks I have designed specifically for open-wheel cars do not require a barrier/wall/catch fence around the outer edge/perimeter of the turns of racing surface. Around the outer edge/perimeter turns of these oval tracks it would be impossible for any car to collide with/impact with a barrier/wall/catch fence because none exist. During competition the only things a car would be capable of making contact with around the turns on these ovals would be the infield barrier/wall/catch fence (would be highly unlikely/rare occurrence) or with another car or cars on the track.
I designed these ovals in a attempt/chance to bring back/restore “purity” in major league open wheel oval track competition.
Indy/open-wheel cars would not be able to race flat-out around these ovals. Absolutely impossible. Entering the corners/turns on each of these ovals the drivers would be required lift out of the throttle, downshift and brake. Feathering the throttle may be necessary around the corners/turns. Exiting the corners/turns on these ovals the driver would be required to accelerate and upshift.
Most likely these ovals that range in length from 1.25/2.00 mile would prove to be very physically demanding on the drivers.
I believe these ovals would prove highly challenging for the mechanics/engineers with regard to getting the cars setup for peak handling/performance.
Wrench, good to see back at the garage…
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The only thing I worry about with a canopy is if there is a fire. If a car gets wadded up and the chassis and bodywork are tweaked,and quick release handles/jettisons are therefor jammed, it will take an act out God to get a driver out before he/she is parboiled!
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Permalink Reply by Squall on -
Emerson Fittipaldi was quoting by Sam Posey as wanting this as far back as the early 1990s, during one of the 500 broadcasts.
I for one am not against enclosed, transparent cockpits; it would probably make them resemble jet fighters even more than they already do, which gives me the aesthetic impression of even higher performance. I just don't want them beginning to resemble run-of-the-mill street cars, with the latter's unbelievably inefficient designs.
DoE brings up a very valid point, though. There is no point whatsoever to such a canopy if there's any difficulty in removing it to prevent burning the driver, or even more potentially, asphyxiation due to fire.
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Permalink Reply by Michael Eugene Johnson on
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I too worry about a closed canopy. Did anyone watching the Vegas race notice how long it seemed for Jay Howard (with the help of a member of the safety crew) to get out of his burning car? That looked pretty scary to me, and what if he had been uncontious?
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