Fontana fatality, RIP

[High Sided]

simply just eerie ....
Phalen's vehicle struck the inside wall at a high rate of speed and overturned.

http://www.fontanaheraldnews.com/articles/2010/10/15/news/doc4cb8ec78d973d490235351.txt

[devilmaster]

Damn.

Anyone have a number on how many fatalities or serious injuries these 'racing experiences' have?

I'm not talking the schools, but andretti, petty, etc.

[Rogue Leader]

Damn.

Anyone have a number on how many fatalities or serious injuries these 'racing experiences' have?

I'm not talking the schools, but andretti, petty, etc.

This is the first one I've heard of except for that guy killed on a joyride earlier this year but I don't think he was driving in that one.

Honestly it was only a matter of time before something like this happened, having driven various race cars (and having been an insurance man in a prior life) I was always surprised these racing experiences ever were allowed to exist. Especially when you read on their websites how little actual "training" they give participants.

[Winston Wolfe]

That is definitely a sad story !:(
I did the CART 101 out at Fontana back in '98 or '99 and it was part of a incentive promotion with some of our dealerships.
You fill out a Q&A sheet, sign a bunch of liability forms and you are then given instruction of how to shift and steer and then we did a "lead - follow" for up to 6 laps. It seemed pretty harmless, but you are certainly not prepared for any kind of mechanical problems, or tire blowout etc.
I vividly recall going coming off the back straight, heading into T-3 and thinking how crazy / ballsy the CART guys were, since they were prolly going 100MPH faster than I was going ( about 120) and they had cars all around them, guys trying to pass, etc., and they did it for 500 miles.... :eek:
I had a whole new respect for them, and still do, when you consider they would probably hit 240MPH on that back stretch with a tow following another car, and they go through 3 & 4.... and then again, there is GdF's lap where he "averaged" 241 for the closed course lap record in 2001. That's another story...
But, yeah... other than signing a bunch of forms, having the instructors take you for your word on your abilities, your health, etc., it seemed rather easy to have just any one get into the car. I was there with a bunch of car guys and not one of them were turned down to drive after they all filled out the forms.
Very sad about this young lady, but it could be the end of open wheel schools at Fontana.