VIR Injured Racer Update?

Started by sportbikepete, July 30, 2002, 07:45:08 AM

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sportbikepete

Has anyone heard how the racer that hit the armco barrier mid air between turn 2 and 3 is doing? I unfortunately witnessed it and it still freaks me out when I think of it.

Bruce Dover

You think it freaks you out... I was the cornerworker at turn 3 that day! The first thing I saw when I jumped the armco to respond was blood on the grass. :o (No matter how long I do this, I'll never[/i] get used to seeing blood at the racetrack!) The next thing I saw was the bone sticking out through the hole in his leg! The VIR emergency staff reacted quickly and had an ambulance on the scene remarkably fast and did their usual outstanding job of taking care of him.

The rider's name is Scottie Pressley and, amazingly enough, the broken leg was his only injury! I was back out at VIR this past weekend for SCCA races and I checked with the medical staff to see how Scottie was doing. They told me he had 2 surgeries on his leg and is back home now in Black Mountain, NC. I was glad to hear that, because it could have been a lot worse.

sportbikepete

Oh man I knew it was bad. The crew did do a great job of getting right on the scene.
DO YOU THINK WE CAN NOW ETO SEE SOME SORT OF PROTECTION THERE NOW!

Someone stated that if there is a need for Armco in a spot then shouldn't that armco be protected for us as well?

bfkidd

Rumor has it the track owns a type of soft barrier to go in front of said armco. I have seen it out there before. They are like giant foam blocks. I will try and verify it later this week when I am out there.

prov431

No rumor, it's true. (large foam blocks) We deployed them for the AMA factory teams test a month or so ago. I don't know any of the particulars about who gets to use them, or why.....I just know they're available and have been used.

bfkidd

Ok, then it is up to the riders to inform the track and CCS that these things need to be deployed! I have mentioned it numerous times and we see how much good it has done. I need other people's help on this one.

TreyBone

Hel Yeah, Lets get em >:(   We're only club racing pieces of shiznit. We not good enough for those protective thingys'.  We should all raise a little stink about not having them out there if they do indeed have them to provide. :-[

RoadRacerR6

QuoteNo rumor, it's true. (large foam blocks) We deployed them for the AMA factory teams test a month or so ago. I don't know any of the particulars about who gets to use them, or why.....I just know they're available and have been used.

I believe they belong to Alpina (not the track) and must be RENTED.  It would be up to the racing organization (i.e. CCS) to arrange to rent the Alpina safety fence.

I don't think VIR owns any Alpina air fence or barriers.


bfkidd

It isn't air fence we are talking about.

stillslow

I go in for the last, I think, surgery on my shoulder from a crash into that same wall on August 17th. I crashed there on April 13th and have not been able to go back to work since. SOMEBODY needs to do something about that damn wall. It's closer than you think. Remember how fast you are covering ground when you leave the track there :o :o :o

RoadRacerR6

#10
QuoteIt isn't air fence we are talking about.

And I wasn't talking about air fence, if you had actually bothered to read my message instead of making assumptions.   ::)   I was talking about the foam barriers that have been deployed at VIR in the past.  They are made by Alpina.  Alpina also makes air fence.


TrophyGal

We talked with Scotty Pressley last night on the phone.  He is staying with his father and does not have a computer but he wanted everybody to know that he is doing well and feeling good.

He broke his knee, shin, right elbow, right shoulder blade and ribs 9 and 10.  Ouch! :o

His racing for the year is probably over, but he hopes to come to the next VIR to see everybody and watch the races.

bfkidd

You said safety fence. To me giant styrofoam blocks are not `safety fence' with a lot of rental income potential. I guess packing material is more expensive than I thought.

So they store the stuff at the track or it just makes guest appearences?

sportbikepete

Well if cost is an issue why don't we all at least drive around picking up used tires on the side of the road. One it will help us and 2 we clean up the side of the road. ;D
And I'm glad to hear he is in good spirits. He broke a lot more than first reported.

steve gould

I did a NESBA day there on the 5th and they had t3 armco loaded up with tires.

sportbikepete

Not that spot it is actually before turn 3, by the cornerworker cabana.

vfrracer

Speaking of safety at VIR not only is the armco too close there,  the rumble strip in turn 17 only covers the very exit of the turn and there is a big pothole in front of it.  I was passing a lapped rider on the outside ther with lots of room.  He was hugging the inside rumble and he suddenly came outside as I went by him and I clipped him.  It pushed me a little wider and I thought no big deal I will ride the rumble and hit the straight.  Instead I hit the edge of the begining of the rumble and bent both rims and over the high side I went tumbling down the front straight at a high rate of speed.  What fun that was.  After much rambling my point is that if the rumble strip were continued down the whole length of the turn that would have never happened.  Another place would be in the esess.  I agree if VIR has some sort of protective barrier the NEED to put it up around turn three and turn five as well.    Just my .02

Jim Eglinger
CCS #852

racestarter

QuoteHe broke his knee, shin, right elbow, right shoulder blade and ribs 9 and 10.  Ouch! :o

I guess the guys at VIR medical didn't get the whole story from the hospital. They're the ones who told me the broken leg was it. (see first reply to original note from Bruce Dover)

I'll be out there flagging AMA this weekend, so I'll see what improvements have been made to turn 3. Sure don't want to see a repeat of Scottie's crash! Does anybody know how much it costs to rent the soft walls?

mw am125ike

QuoteWe talked with Scotty Pressley last night on the phone.  He is staying with his father and does not have a computer but he wanted everybody to know that he is doing well and feeling good.

He broke his knee, shin, right elbow, right shoulder blade and ribs 9 and 10.  Ouch! :o

His racing for the year is probably over, but he hopes to come to the next VIR to see everybody and watch the races.

stillslow
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 'It's a jungle out there"
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 Posts: 38        Re: VIR Injured Racer Update?
                       « Reply #9 on: Aug 6th, 2002, 5:36pm »  Quote  Modify
 go in for the last, I think, surgery on my shoulder from a crash into that same wall on August 17th. I crashed there on April 13th    and have not been able to go back to work since. SOMEBODY needs to do something about that d**n wall. It's closer than you   think. Remember how fast you are covering ground when you leave the track there    Logged
                   "Be careful out there"

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
  Hello (to whoever cares at CCS and or VIR)
          as a very new racer, i have been quite pleasantly pleased to see and to hear ALLLLLL the "safety 1st" talk (and going's-ons), i mean, im glad to be a part of this racing club, second nature is riding as safe as possible (while trying to pass , of course  ;) )
    
      however, this foam issue doesnt fit into my understanding. you may say that im slow to understand (and find some backing)  but that wont change the fact that IF we do all that we can do (for safety) and still come up short of being as safe as we can, WE NEED to come TOGETHER and pool our resources AND even ASK for help (where necc).

 and the ama guys are (obviously) more experienced than we are, and thus, less likely (even carrying more speed) to be in need of the foam more than us.

and finaly money is an issue, and NOone's business is going to last without profit. so lets count how many bones this guy broke, and add the "old slow" guy's trouble....... and know we want to be safe.....
  thank you...

                     ike
http://sliderphoto.com/images/080202/images/dsc_1266.jpg

Mongo

My take is this - the main reason the foam goes out for the AMA races is Jamie Hacking, he until Scott is the only racer to ever even come close to hitting at the same spot. And even theough Jamie hit it twice I still didn't think it was necessary to cover it, Jamie has the ability to crash where no one else would do and can't be used as an example of what happens in a crash. The only way to get to that spot is to ride off the track, keep going straight and never turn nor throw it away.  It's not like you can actually crash and get to the barrier from the track, the runoff in that area is more than sufficient for all normal situations that happen with motorcycles.  However there isn't any corner anywhere at any track in the entire world that can be made safe from freak accidents.  


Sean P. Clarke
WERA Motorcycle Roadracing
www.wera.com


sportbikepete

Mongo the two bikes were "locked" together and he got shot off the bike no more than 30 feet off the track. He got shot off like a slinghsot and was airborn for quite some time. If it happens once then at least throw some tires in that place. If it happens twice well than good thing there were tires there. If it happens 3 times then maybe more than tires is needed.