Track Safety?

[Chaos]

What makes a track safe enough to test at, but not safe enough to race at? ChampCar is testing in Sebring right now, which has been a track which was said to have safety issues...just a thought. (This is more of a rhetorical thought, but if you have any insight, feel free)

[racer2c]

What makes a track safe enough to test at, but not safe enough to race at? ChampCar is testing in Sebring right now, which has been a track which was said to have safety issues...just a thought. (This is more of a rhetorical thought, but if you have any insight, feel free)

Just a guess here but wouldn't the responsibility fall on the team owner instead of the sanctioning body when testing at facilities that are not seemed safe for the series?

[jonovision_man]

Just a guess here but wouldn't the responsibility fall on the team owner instead of the sanctioning body when testing at facilities that are not seemed safe for the series?

I sure hope not! I don't think the sanctioning body could escape liability just by making it someone else's problem.

Not sure how CART does it, but the FIA has designations for test circuits and to be classed as a test circuit you have to meet certain requirements. There are separate criteria for race readiness.

jono

[racer2c]

I sure hope not! I don't think the sanctioning body could escape liability just by making it someone else's problem.

Not sure how CART does it, but the FIA has designations for test circuits and to be classed as a test circuit you have to meet certain requirements. There are separate criteria for race readiness.

jono

I do know that a team owner can run his car any where he pleases. Would it be OWRS fault if something happened? Hmmm?

[Peter Olivola]

You'd be wrong. CART/OWRS is not involved in private testing. CART/OWRS has never designated approved testing circuits. The decision on where to conduct private testing is entirely up to the individual team.

The testing circuit used at Sebring is not the full course but the newer sections only, eliminating the portions that are considered unsafe.


I sure hope not! I don't think the sanctioning body could escape liability just by making it someone else's problem.

Not sure how CART does it, but the FIA has designations for test circuits and to be classed as a test circuit you have to meet certain requirements. There are separate criteria for race readiness.

jono

[jonovision_man]

You'd be wrong. CART/OWRS is not involved in private testing. CART/OWRS has never designated approved testing circuits. The decision on where to conduct private testing is entirely up to the individual team.


I never said they did... in fact I said "I'm not sure how CART does it".

I said the FIA does, ie. F1. I'm surprised CART doesn't, if ever something went bad I would be surprised if they weren't in some way involved in investigations, etc.

jono

[Ziggy]

The only thing CART (OWRS) mandates is how many test days you can have. The rest is up to the team owners/sponsors.

They use the short course at Sebring, and I think they simulate a few of the city/street layouts.

We have Putnum Park here in Indiana, and its a really nice track. They used to test at IRP quite a bit. I watched a couple of Dick Simon "ride buyers" at their "tryout" in the early 90's. One guy had a major get off, and was lucky he was'nt killed. (A french F1 backmarker, I forget his name)

Ziggy

[tx-racefan]

The only thing CART (OWRS) mandates is how many test days you can have. The rest is up to the team owners/sponsors.

They use the short course at Sebring, and I think they simulate a few of the city/street layouts.

We have Putnum Park here in Indiana, and its a really nice track. They used to test at IRP quite a bit. I watched a couple of Dick Simon "ride buyers" at their "tryout" in the early 90's. One guy had a major get off, and was lucky he was'nt killed. (A french F1 backmarker, I forget his name)

Ziggy

was the aforementioned backmarker/ride buyer Bertrand Gachot? (not trying to make this a dicky simon/backmarker thread or anything), just curious. this gachot dude drove one race for simon in 92 or 93. i was an indy resident back then; seems to ring a bell (no pun intended)

[Railbird]

It seemed IRP's test venue days ended when Christian Danner launched a Simon/Andy Evans rental over Hunter Road which borders the circuit's west loop.

I saw a lot of testing there over the years.

Putnam Park is an excellent testing facility and a cool place to watch. They can configure that place a lot of different ways and there is a tower you can climb up into and see the whole circuit. You can see most of the circuit from a little grandstand on the north side of the paddock.

[RichK]

Ziggy,

Another French driver from the early 90s was Franck Freon, I can't remember if he drove for Coyne or Simon. Come to think of it, the car was orange & #19 so I guess it was Coyne.

[Hot Rod Otis]

We have Putnum Park here in Indiana, and its a really nice track. They used to test at IRP quite a bit. I watched a couple of Dick Simon "ride buyers" at their "tryout" in the early 90's. One guy had a major get off, and was lucky he was'nt killed. (A french F1 backmarker, I forget his name)

Ziggy


I think it might have been Yannick Dalmas.

[Peter Olivola]

IRP is dieing by neglect. It really isn't in any condition to be testing seriously fast road racing cars.


It seemed IRP's test venue days ended when Christian Danner launched a Simon/Andy Evans rental over Hunter Road which borders the circuit's west loop.

I saw a lot of testing there over the years.

Putnam Park is an excellent testing facility and a cool place to watch. They can configure that place a lot of different ways and there is a tower you can climb up into and see the whole circuit. You can see most of the circuit from a little grandstand on the north side of the paddock.

[mapguy]

IIRC it was Yannick Dalmas who flipped a Coyne car at Putnam.

[pchall]

I can only remember one CART testing injury of consequence on the short circuit at Sebring. If memory serves it was Pruett in the Truesports chassis and he messed up his lower legs rather badly.

Could it be that CART just deems the course unfit for racing and inadequate for spectator safety?

[Ziggy]

Christian had a big hit at some oval while testing. He had to go to the crash house and this was one of the concussions on his score card. Then there was Roberto at Indy in 1987, which really ended his career...

Ziggy

Yes, IRP's road course is in pretty sad shape. If they ever get around to paving it, I would hope that they make it wider as well. Its a good layout, and plenty fast. I really hope this happens. It could open up another avenue for the City and State. ALMS, OWRS, Superbike, etc. FWIW, I know the schedule out there

[racer2c]

Christian had a big hit at some oval while testing. He had to go to the crash house and this was one of the concussions on his score card. Then there was Roberto at Indy in 1987, which really ended his career...

Ziggy



Yeah, Christian backed into the wall at Milwaukee I think. That's where he broke the wall and registered something like 25 g's. That wasn't the long ago, maybe '98 or '99?

[JohnHKart]

I can only remember one CART testing injury of consequence on the short circuit at Sebring. If memory serves it was Pruett in the Truesports chassis and he messed up his lower legs rather badly.

Could it be that CART just deems the course unfit for racing and inadequate for spectator safety?

Pruett had a number of injuries in the accident including his back. But it was at Moroso in Palm Beach in 1990, before the season started and before the Truesports program got underway in 91.

JH