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jjadczak · Joined: 03 Jan 2003 Posts: 346 Location: Accokeek, MD

http://www.cjonline.com/stories/040504/aut_hptdeath.shtml

I think this just highlights the need to make our cars so much more safe.

From what I've read on the web, he apparently hit a concrete barrier head on carrying a speed of 80 MPH-120MPH (based on visual reports from those who saw it first hand). Bounced back 30-50 feet and then the car caught on fire.

If you go to this sight, one of his sons has posted his thoughts: http://autos.groups.yahoo.com/group/alfaracing/message/6530

I never knew this man and never even been to Topeka but today as a racer I'm feeling really bummed out and saddened. Nobody is doing this on our level to be a hero, we just love the sport and it hurts to lose one of our own. My thoughts are with his family today.

Jeremy Jadczak
#35 Porsche 924 SCCA/NASA/GTS Challenge

AndyFranklin · Joined: 07 Oct 2003 Posts: 184 Location: Novelty OH

After looking at the race groups and reading the description of the accident I wonder if he was running ITE and did not have a fuel cell.

924RACR · Posted: Thu Apr 08, 2004 1:10 am Post subject:

One of the other threads said that his fuel cell ruptured. Another indication was that this was a Touring car - don't know if those require cells or not.
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924RACR · Posted: Thu Apr 08, 2004 1:32 am Post subject:

Correction; it was in fact an SCCA GT2 car, not a 911 GT2:
http://www.autoarch.com/raceteam.html

Therefore it did have a cell, which is up front, which did rupture. The fire started at the barrier, apparently, and chased the car.
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AndyFranklin · Joined: 07 Oct 2003 Posts: 184 Location: Novelty OH

It's scary to think that the fuel cell ruptured. That simply should not happen. I presume it would have been tucked up behind the wheels, so the whole front end must have been decimated.

924RACR · Posted: Thu Apr 08, 2004 3:19 am Post subject:

Yeah, well, with the speed that he hit at...
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Lizard · Posted: Thu Apr 08, 2004 4:13 am Post subject:

the impact probably didnt kill or barely hurt him with full racing gear, being burned alive would not be the way I wanna die, this is one of the reasons that a full fire system should be installed with remotes that on a heavy impact it automatically goes off incase the driver gets knocked out from G-forces,
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wdb · Joined: 02 Nov 2002 Posts: 2024

after seeing a few blazing infernos on TV ,I had thought that tracks need 0ne of those propane trucks filled with CO2 ,for when the handheld extinguishers are insufficient . a few controllable booms extending from the top of the cab ,to envelope the burning car with a huge cloud would probably be a good idea .

speeking of fire and porsches ,I've been wondering about the weak link in the 924's fuel system , namely the rubber connector between the filler neck and the tank , I dont know how bad a wreck is needed to seperate the the neck from the tank , but the idea on being upside down and gas pouring from the tank ,and being above a huge puddle of burning gas would scare the sh! out of me ! nascar has a ball valve to prevent that from happening , whos the supplier , anyone know .

924RACR didnt your take a hit on the gas filler side , how did the connection hold up ?

924RACR · Posted: Fri Apr 09, 2004 3:19 am Post subject:

That's a good point, wdb. I believe Longacre, among others, supply that kind of stuff. That would presumably be one of the benefits of a fuel cell.

Can't douse the wreck with CO2 while the driver's in there - it'll kill you almost as bad as halon.

Yes, I took my hit in the right rear quarter - no damage to the filler or any of that., though there was a little creasing around it. After all, these systems were designed to be very safe at the factory...
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wdb · Joined: 02 Nov 2002 Posts: 2024

I guess I'll have toread up on that , cause I thought carbon dioxide was less dangerous than carbon monoxide , yeah I guees anything that displaces the oxygen could be a problem ,but if the driver unconcious and the rescuers cant get to him because of the fire , the lessor of two evils . we'll give him LOTS of oxygen when we get him out

924RACR · Posted: Fri Apr 09, 2004 3:41 am Post subject:

Agreed, and from my understanding that was an issue with this GT2 crash - they had to knock down a huge fire before they could get to him, and he died from loss of blood, apparently. However, at least CO2 isn't as bad as Halon, which from what I understand actually consumes oxygen!
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wdb · Joined: 02 Nov 2002 Posts: 2024

abyss · Joined: 15 Jul 2003 Posts: 19 Location: New Jersey

somewhere it was mentioned that his legs were "crushed", sounds like the entire structure came in on him, and yes something must have severed the femoral possibly even the femur, large artery I think the bleed-out time is in minuets.
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Lizard · Posted: Fri Apr 09, 2004 4:47 am Post subject:

AndyFranklin · Joined: 07 Oct 2003 Posts: 184 Location: Novelty OH

The report from his son stated that his wife had time to go to the hospital to say her goodbyes. 40% burns with the resulting fluid loss was the cause of death.

The ruptured fuel cell would have created a bigger fire than the single 10# bottle the nearest worker (hopefully!) grabbed. Even 5 gallons of gas is a huge inferno. It is still 60-90 seconds before the "big" fire equipment can arrive, and with that size blaze it would not have been in time, especially since the driver was trapped due to the crushed legs.

I've been wondering all week how I would have responded to such an inferno. I know from some other reports that it was tough on the workers. I can't imagine the helpless feeling...

Caged, check-valved, and foamed fuel cells should not rupture, even with a 100mph impact And there probably is not enough left to figure out what went wrong.