A deadly reminder that racing can be a dangerous sport

[Ken]

Emergency Crews Respond To Fatal Crash At California Speedway

Second Person Hospitalized After Crash

POSTED: 3:23 pm PDT June 2, 2005
UPDATED: 5:16 pm PDT June 2, 2005

LOS ANGELES -- Two people were killed Thursday in a crash at California Speedway in Fontana.

A private car club was renting the speedway at the time of the crash.

A Porsche Carrera GT crashed into a retaining wall and came to rest on the track's infield. Authorities said two people were in the vehicle at the time of the crash.

One person was pronounced dead at the scene.

The second person in the car was transported by Mercy Air to Arrowhead Regional Medical Center. That person later died.

The track is home to the California 500, Nextel Cup 500, the Toyota Indy 400 and other motorsport events. The 2-mile D-shaped oval surrounds an infield portion used for road courses and a 13-turn interior test circuit.

Private parties can rent the track to turn laps.

Sad news.

Stay safe when you race! Don't push your luck and don't exceed your own personal limitations or abilities.

 

[motorman]

i can not believe they would let some novice with a 600 HP car loose on a super speedway because that $400K car will do 200 MPH

 

[Ken]

[NEWS] 2 Amateur Racers Die in Crash at Speedway

From The LA Times:

June 3, 2005

2 Amateur Racers Die in Crash at Speedway

The La Jolla men were driving the course during a club day at the Fontana racetrack

By Martin Henderson, Times Staff Writer

Two San Diego County men died when the Porsche they were racing crashed and caught fire Thursday morning at California Speedway in Fontana, authorities said.

Benjamin Miles Keaton, 39, and his passenger, Corey Nicholas Rudl, 34, both of La Jolla, died from injuries after Keaton lost control of a 2005 Porsche Carrera GT.

The car left the track, careened onto a grassy area and struck a barrier. The engine compartment then caught fire, according to a San Bernardino County sheriff's report.

On-site medical personnel, the same used for NASCAR and Indy Racing League events at the speedway, responded at 10:40 a.m. and quickly extinguished the fire, sheriff's officials said.

Rudl, who worked in Internet marketing, was pronounced dead at the scene; Keaton was airlifted to Loma Linda University Hospital, where he died about an hour later, according to the San Bernardino County Coroner's Office.

Both suffered multiple traumatic injuries, but neither suffered burns, said Supervising Deputy Coroner Randy Emon. The vehicle made a passenger-side impact at more than 100 mph. Both men were wearing helmets and safety belts, authorities said.

"The driver's side was in good shape, but the passenger side was obliterated," Emon said.

The accident occurred while the track was being rented by the San Diego chapter of the Ferrari Owners Club. Such events are common at the speedway; the facility is in use nearly 300 days a year for a variety of events, including track days by auto clubs and driving schools.

The men are the fourth and fifth fatalities at California Speedway since it opened in 1997.

Champ Car driver Greg Moore was killed during a race in 1999, and Ricky Lundgren died during competition at an AMA Superbike event in 2003. Another motorcyclist died during a track rental in September.

Times staff writers Susannah Rosenblatt and Lance Pugmire contributed to this report.

 

[JonM]

I think the first indication he was a novice/moron was racing with a passenger. :crazy ...I can see the lawyers lining up now. :eyerole

 

[SPANISHVETTS]

I think the first indication he was a novice/moron was racing with a passenger. :crazy ...I can see the lawyers lining up now. :eyerole

Whatever happened to driver’s license to drive on race tracks? Even at Bonneville you have to work your way up – you can’t just go there and drive as fast as you want!
Over here the only way to go two up on the track is student/teacher or demonstration driver and passenger. In both cases a license is required and speed limits must be obeyed.

 

[Ken]

The club rented the track for the day; it doesn't say if the driver disobeyed the rules imposed, of which I'm sure there were many.

A lot of places rent track time to clubs and organizations, but rules are (usually) strictly enforced.

 

[Ken]

Check out Top Gear’s show on the CGT. This car is definitely a handful (or two).

http://www.lad.lv/~martini/porsche/Videos/Top_Gear_Porsche_Carrera_GT_hi.wmv