Safety in the spotlight after scary Justin Peck crash

[@DIRTRACKR]

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[@mhurley782]

Well said. Concise and rational, as always.

[@aidanborden2496]

I just got pretty hurt in a nonwing car bouncing off the top of the wall. Didn't even notice that the track (Grandview) had that sort of wall until my back slapped the top corner of it at 90mph. The type of the wall a common cause of injury - it also hurt me at Big Diamond two years ago, the type of wall where it's a low wall (concrete, boiler plate, etc), with the catch fence a few feet back, so it's just a sharp, immovable angle. I race at Bridgeport frequently and I've never noticed that span of the catchfence - I'm sure it hasn't been thought of because it probably hasn't been hit. I hope tracks can make some changes or thoroughly inspect themselves for 'safety' so that freak accidents like this and like some things that have happened to many of my friends and I happen far less often. E.G. Racing at the Grove with those backstretch openings sketch me out, as does a track like Big Diamond with the wall that just pops in out of 3. There's plenty more examples.

[@gregihrke8065]

Those walls are hard. I would have thought after Jason Johnsons death at Beaver Dam, tracks would be correcting back set catch fences. I know Beaver dam fixed it within a couple weeks. Glad you are still with us!

[@teresagoodwin7458]

That was a really nasty wreck and I'm so thankful that the driver wasn't seriously injured!!! It's a miracle, plain and simple 🙏🏻 Racing has always been a dangerous sport and I'm safety has been implemented throughout the different tracks to ensure Driver's safety is ALWAYS 1ST!! However, due to all the different types of racing, things are bound to happen to cause a wreck, sometimes on purpose and sometimes completely unavoidable and it's hard to take all the scenarios into account before they happen. However, I would hope that they could add extra bars around the driver's in the hope that it's enough!! Thanks Justin for another great video 💞🤗💞👍🙏🏻🏁🏆🏁

[@vh4504]

We have been screaming about safety. Most tracks when built , the cars were 50 mph slower . The safety has gotten better for the cars but safety of the tracks hasn't been kept up.

[@whitneytreeservicevt]

So true

[@kingdomofspeed8390]

I think the roll cage for sprint cars needs to be re designed as well. Bigger tubing, taller, wider. The industry should have did this long ago.

[@reyneleesonmotorsport]

I know dirt is grass roots racing and it's expensive to make upgrades but the safety standard of some US tracks is mind blowing to me sometimes. Carly Holmes' crash last year comes to mind as another example of things needing to be improved.

[@Tyler80]

This accident shows that we shouldn't have leeway for these one in a million wrecks. We should try in every way possible to prevent accidents like these.

[@landonmurray3814]

Feels like dirts one of the last motorsports that really ignored the 1 in a million situations

[@kevinmingus3221]

​@@landonmurray3814 unfortunately it's short tracks in general

[@frenzalrhomb6919]

@@landonmurray3814 And how, prey tell, dose one actually go about preparing for that exact eventuality, the "one in a million" kind of scenario? By setting up one million Sprintcar crashes, and learning how to respond to the single scenario that most conforms to the near tragedy shown, above. Ask yourself,, "is that really what we want from all that carnage?"

[@landonmurray3814]

@frenzalrhomb6919 small things like getting rid of small hills down the backstretch, ends of fences and walls not properly softened, yknow its difficult but if you'd rather lose guys that's fine too. You have to think outside the box to stop the bad ones, it's this "let's let a wreck happen first" mentality that ensures that every rule written in motorsports is written in blood. We've always been reactive

[@austindenotter19]

Explain? Waiting.

[@melabshier5812]

Glad Justin Peck is OK. I watched the race. Scary is one word, Nasty would be another for that crash at the start.

[@davidblantz]

I was there and in the split seconds you're watching it appeared the car after coming off the wall and opening it turned on it's side with the left wheels flat on the ground, and exposing the cage to oncoming cars. Cannot be sure with something that quick happening but it looked like a car or two sheared off the cage at the front downtube and pulled the rest of it off from that impact. I'm telling you God was looking after Justin because that same impact a fraction of different angle and we'd be talking more about a tragedy than a destroyed race car. All were blessed who were there that the outcome was so positive. Very lucky man there.

[@kennethkeokiwhitehead7345]

Looking at how those bars broke at the same length makes me think that maybe that chassis had been previously front clipped. I always thought that bar was one piece that went down to the frame rail.

[@rogerhollingsworth7579]

Looks to be individual shorter sections of tubing. Quicker, and easier to bend and assemble ???

[@adriafitzy6459]

One of the scariest wrecks I've seen probably ever. Especially eerie since he was in the Buch car at Bridgeport.. which, y'know with Leffler and all.

[@mariebeasley1269]

The 1st thing that crossed my mind. I was up until 1:30 in the morning trying to calm people down.

[@theivory1]

What exactly should the "wake up call" prompt from series reps, track owners, and chassis designers?

[@DIRTRACKR]

Action. Changes. Improvements.

[@billkahl1147]

Damn, I've seen some torn up sprint cars, but nothing like Justin Peck's. Super glad he was able to walk away from it on his own. Tracks definitely need to close the gaps in fencing, get rid of those big tires, and in general improve the safety.

[@tokeypokey]

I've never seen cage welds shear off like that. I'd check xraying and checking all the other welds on that chassis for maybe some faulty welds. Also i'd be checking all the other chassis

[@1959cadillacdan]

I don’t think it was the welds that broke. It looks like the tubes broke but definitely worth looking into.

[@mick9371]

Hasn’t there been a few chassis torn apart this season ?….is it bad luck or are they building them lighter ?

[@kartracer5g229]

According to people who were at the race his cage broke like that when the wrecker picked it up by the top of the car ... obviously still had some broken welds but the picture is somewhat deceiving... I do feel they need to change chassis designs and safety for sure though

[@evansuggs]

So many, if not most tracks have made pitiful or no attempts to improve safety, especially with fencing. In the last 20 years there has been significant improvement with add-on hardware like head neck restraints, full containment seats, tethers, etc. But the chassis are still largely the same as they were in the early 90s. The additional bars added since Jason Johnson's death look to me like they would only provide very minor improvement. The whole chassis concept has to change for real improvement to be made. After Senna and Earnhardt, their respective series took significant action with track and vehicle safety. In sprint car racing people just offer up the same old cliches like "they died doing what they loved", "they knew the risks", "racing has always been dangerous", and "they would want us to go on". If you think I'm wrong, name me one other high level form of motorsports that has lost as many drivers of the caliber of Leffler, Clauson, Johnson, Hodnet, and others. And yes, I fully acknowledge the massive challenge with completely changing the chassis design.

[@kylen82]

I see a lot of tracks without infield walls that park heavy trucks and heavy equipment with dangerous edges in precarious positions, that’s sure a quick and easy fix

[@carlrasmussen1282]

yup scariest thing is submarining under a structure/vehicle you can call yourself pez head after that

[@sk8077]

This "track safety" issue bubbles up every time a serious incident happens. Sadly, our sport is predictable, not at all proactive, barely reactive until forced. I still see tracks that have no ambulance on site or fire equipment that is sketchy. Broken/missing guard rail, blunt ends, etc. It has to start with the drivers taking a stand. Until then, it's just noise and talk.

[@patrickwhalen5502]

I watch a lot of Flo and Dirt and see a lot of tracks that have dangerous openings in there barriers.

[@Josr65]

I would like to know if the manufacturer is using Chinese 4130 tubing or are they using Plymouth or the German produced. We have strict heat treat procedures that are followed which prevents the 4130 from having hard brittle areas. I know that was a issue with the XXX chassis that are made in China and shipped here. There was a photo years ago of a XXX chassis with a broken roll cage after a crash but it was just one joint but I think it is very sad that Chinese tubing is used to build a very fast race car but it is much cheaper than the Plymouth or German made tubing .

[@tyler7433]

its a russ mitten RPM chassis from newville pa, guy's a racer with fab details he's done to make the car safer, he's not using junk steel.

[@carlrasmussen1282]

I couldn't tell the chassis damage versus the rescue/recovery cutaway of piping

[@triciamcconnell3959]

Then again with that part of the catchfence what are you gonna do about it. I know that at some of my local tracks there's like a small dirt embankment behind the wall before the catchfence but last year a sportsman found its way over that at one of the tracks

[@RegularJoes]

Justin gets a shout out on tonight's ASCoC broadcast from Blake Anderson "Who says there's no passing in sprint car racing" 👍👍

[@jeffperry7971]

The Peck crash was one of the more scary crashes that I have seen. Great call on safety improvements needed at tracks and on cars. Cars would be easier right away in my opinion. However, the tracks need to do their part too. Better safety could make insurance cheaper for the tracks. Maybe? Anyway great show!

[@jeffdillard8789]

I ran in the mid 80s. Roll cage tubing size has not changed. The cars now are so much faster. Roll cage needs to be 1 3/4 or 2" .120. Sleeve it down for the down tube so the front of the chassis still has the same flex

[@davidvanbrunt4233]

JP is a blessed young man...👍👍

[@gregory5671]

Dang, Justin took a wild ride at Williams grove too. Hard heads rule,

[@steveconnor8669]

i keep hearing about the sharp edge on concrete walls being a problem (point loading). i know some tracks put tires etc. for cushioning. seems rather easy to mount a concrete saw like road construction crews use to a tractor to cut an angle on them, but then again what do i know

[@howardwest2707]

The jersey barriers they use at a lot of tracks are serious accidents waiting to happen. Hitting the tubing on that 90 degree edge then flipping hard is almost guaranteed to add a serious bending/fracture point in the chassis degrading it's capabilities in design. To have an opening like that is just really dangerous. It's one thing if it was gated but reinforced and it failed. It's a totally different thing if it's loosely secured or has no enclosure at all. There's been too many fairly recent incidents with similar accidents like Larson's car being ripped in half at an opening and think it was Waltrips a few years back where his car was sliced in half and Martin's incident with a jersey barrier on pit road. They have to think the impossible could happen and shore up any possibilities or else someone will get seriously injured.

[@The1jonnyz]

I was sitting about 100 feet away looking down on the wrecked car. The first thing I noticed, after seeing Justin moving, was about an 8" gap on either side of the rollbar just above Justin's head. I don't think it broke at a weld as it was halfway between the front down tubes and the ones coming down next to the driver's seat, however I could be wrong. The gap could be due to the bars breaking and then the chassis bending and pulling the bars apart, creating a gap? Scary stuff for sure. When the tow truck picked the car up it looked like it broke the welds on the small down tubes going straight down. Coincidentally Jason Leffler was killed 10 years ago at Bridgeport driving the Buch sprint car. He also went nose first into the front stretch wall by the flagstand. Thankfully this turned out for the better!

[@William_99640]

Leffler hit the exit of turn 4 i was there that day.Something broke in the front end he went basically head on into wall,You can see in pics where his car ended up.

[@MnWun53]

Racing never has been and sadly never will be proactive. Looking far back it seems like all we do is react after MULTIPLE of the same type of incidents. Look at NASCAR and the hans-4 fatalities within a close span of time prior to Dales wreck before it was mandated. It’s hard to say but we have gotten lucky this year on dirt-a lot of scary close calls and 1 fatality before June is not ok

[@jayss10]

There are openings like this at 99% of the dirt tracks in America. These openings need to be closed. It has been proven time and time again when a car has an opportunity to hit something solid like an opening or penetrate through a fence and hit a post that the car regardless of series is going to be torn apart. We only need look back a few years and see Dan Weldon’s accident at Vegas when the car tore through the fencing. Or Kyle Larson in the Xfinity race at Daytona. Or Carl Edwards at Taladega. We lost Greg Hodnett because of one of these weird openings. Cars can always be built better but this is a track problem.

[@abpob6052]

I raced at many dirt tracks and was generally disgusted at the effort that went into safety for the drivers, workers, and fans. There are some basic rules but for the most part these dirt track shows are run by amateurs that are not qualified in any way. It is mostly just the drivers responsibility to not get themselves hurt.

[@davejohnson3037]

Safety is also part of the team's responsibility. They will do shady things to save weight, including using thinner wall tubing in " non-essential " supports. There needs to be strict rules mandating thicker tube requirements IMO

[@sk8077]

Williams Grove still has the bridge......

[@Hammerdown7x]

Are we sure the cage “broke”? I saw a view where the cage was pushed down but still together. Could the track crew have cut the cage in order for Justin to be extracted?

[@DIRTRACKR]

Could be wrong, but I was told the cage was not cut by safety crews.

[@The1jonnyz]

That cage broke, big time, during the crash!

[@mjriemen]

@@DIRTRACKR From my understanding, the cage was not cut. However the wrecker picking it up caused more damage and made things look, at least somewhat, more drastic than it was before they picked it up. Needless to say, the damage was unacceptable and quite scary regardless.

[@blakewalker5231]

Hell, that frontstretch gate at Husets last year could've been awful if someone hit it right during a wreck.

[@scottsukey8236]

I would send a part of the chassis to be cut and etch a weld to see if it had any penetration

[@howardwest2707]

There should never be openings like that in the catch fence. There should never be flag stands or bridges or anything hanging over the track. And there should never be openings in the direction of the racing path that would allow for a hard stop scenario or allow a vehicle to exit the track down into the pits. I've seen a lot of wrecks going to tracks and it makes you question, why? Fire gear bot readily available or objects in and around the track that could cause serious issues. Whether it's objects in the infield or personnel that are in unguarded positions. Ignorant drivers and teams standing near openings in the track and practically on the racing surface. All around they need to do a better job at ensuring safety at tracks to include the cars at the track. Had that opening not been there I would imagine it wouldn't have been as scary and as close to a tragedy as it almost was.

[@littleoakey32]

After a short career and racing I started working with the Sprint car series around California working on Sprint cars for friends of mine 35 years ago the cars was not as fast as they are today...... Now the cars are extremely sadly there still on the old tracks that used to somewhat saves because of the speeds......... Now the speeds are extremely.... But the tracks have not changed....... And now with the amount of multi-millionaires putting power into these cars for the boys and girls that race them...... Not caring about their safety only about their sponsor name on the car.... Things have got to change the cars need to be safer the tracks need to be safer.... If they don't there's going to be a lot of people getting hurt just for bragging rights🤔🤔🤔🤔

[@timothyharrison8953]

Glad Justin is OK. The cars have come a long way from the non cage-cars of the sixties and before, but the cockpit is still essentially the same size. You can make a cage to try and protect a driver to a point, put them in an enclosed seat, restraints for the head and arms and nets all around, but short of really tall, soft walls and big soft cars, it's going to be tough. Due to the internet, I've been able to observe tracks and their design for several years. Most tracks are old, designed way before safety was a thought, and most have Band-Aid fixes. Track owners have only so much money to invest for modernization, because they'll never see a profit from it and the insurance companies won't give them a break. The fans, drivers, promoters, organizations and sponsors are the only ones who are going to be able to make changes by insisting with their wallets to change the old and out of date race tracks.

[@combatwombat594]

My problem with correcting for things like this crash is it's basically almost impossible. You can say it's obvious that it was a problem now, but up till now, no one has come close to an accident like that at that track. How are you supposed to think of the unthinkable? I get it. Safety is NUMBER ONE at ALL TIMES, but we're all still humans. We're far from perfect creatures, and will never see every possibility of any situation. I just don't see how you take preventative measures for this kind of thing

[@frankisfunny2007]

I do agree, we actually need a change in sprint car racing to make it safer. The issue, as I sit here, and type this.... what maybe that change maybe? Slightly heavier chassis? Less horsepower is these engines, per class? Honest question.

[@braydonmccormack6191]

Some reinforcing around joins in the chassis around the driver could be an option

[@benallen2196]

I've been to a lot of dirt tracks and have noticed so many different areas that are very dangerous have always said that they shouldn't be left like that because crap like this can happen. I don't know why the drivers and the fan and the owners are okay to just let there be all these dangerous little areas.

[@matthewshaud1741]

If I ran a RPM chassis I would rethink what I was strapping myself into.

[@nonyobiz7741]

As if any other chassis would have been fine if it was in the same crash, RPM is as good as any chassis and I will guarantee the Buch team will continue running RPM

[@RacingVagabond]

Why? It did it's job keeping the driver safe. Sure it's now scrap metal but it's a hell of a lot easier to replace a chassis than a driver.

[@jayshypinka1766]

Yes thank God Justin is ok

[@LogacysAquaticLove]

I’m thanking god Justin peck is alive period. He’s been my favorite driver. Idk when I first seen he’s car I was just like yeah that’s my driver. 💯🤙🏼🙏🙏

[@melglaspey9978]

As you said it was a perfect storm, nothing more. EVERYONE, as you put it should NOT be upset. Unless you have a solution you should NOT go around trying to get the place shut down by your comments. You should get out to the track and THEN report on what's being done to alleviate the "perfect storm". Looks like last night crash was bad and personally think no gap in fencing should exist. I hope I didn't hurt your feelings, but don't light the fire unless you know how to put it out.

[@DIRTRACKR]

At no point did I say the place should be shut down.

[@mariebeasley1269]

I was screaming especially when he got hit coming down. Yes the NJ laws are and have been in force for at least 40 years. My ex raced there and my son Race at Bridgeport too. This is not Allstars doing but the state laws. Thank God everyone was ok including the Flag stand. Yes it could of ended terrible but you are exactly right. Everything should be taken in consideration for safety for everyone

[@austindenotter19]

The only guarantee of safe racing is to shut it all down. What will the sport be in 100-years look at it that way.

[@PaulBlanco-cl6kk]

Didn't Jason Loeffler die at the same track.. I think in the same car??? The # 13

[@RegularJoes]

On the Peck wreck, I saw the car after, I had assumed the cage was like that as the safety crews cut the bars to get Peck out, did the bars rip out at the welds? Also, nice to have a troll free day...at least so far

[@DIRTRACKR]

Could be wrong, but I was told the cage was not cut by safety crews.

[@FinsFurNRacing]

@@DIRTRACKR it wasn’t.

[@RegularJoes]

Thanks guys! then yeah, even worse wreck than I thought

[@scottsukey8236]

Two questions for you what chassis mfg?

[@DIRTRACKR]

RPM

[@mattthomas3207]

He got as lucky as Brad sweet did a few years ago when his car was cut in half and his legs were hanging out of the car. I was at 34 raceway for that and thought he was dead

[@JeffV]

Time for a new chassis manufacturer. Yes it could happen to any chassis maker but having said that I would not strap back into the same chassis manufacturer. I understand the big picture is better safety as a whole. But until that happens I would be shopping around.

[@adriafitzy6459]

*Rules to prevent this from happening. No one should have a choice to get in a car that could break like this. Though, Bridgeport should add a gate. IDK why its like that still.

[@nonyobiz7741]

Has it ever occurred to you that no matter who welds or makes a chassis if it gets hit hard enough its going to break? His chassis manufacturer is as good or better than anyone building chassis in the world, I guarantee they will continue to run the same chassis going forward.

[@JeffV]

@@nonyobiz7741 yep and I mentioned that if you read my post. My point is if it was me I would want a new chassis just for my own reinsurance

[@ClarkBoyzRacing]

Imagine if that was at full speed....

[@Uphold-your-Rights]

I was at the Knoxville Nationals around 2006 when a driver was killed when his car struck the turn 3 wall and his seat broke. It launched him out of the car. The side effect of safety is that designs normally don't change until something horrible happens. Someone should grab Peck's car for an analysis. The racing series should make that mandatory.

[@kentstevens1454]

racing is a dangerous sport and it will always be dangerous. He walked away didn't he. The drivers are not forced to drived they know the danger. Tracks are closing as we speak They have outrageous expenses and they do the best they can do. The wings generally help cushion the shock of a flip. If you have a serious comment with a solution and who is going to pay for it fine. Other wise general statements are ridiculous.

[@pops7299]

Looks to me that they cut the cage to get Justin out of the car. They lifted the car by those cut cage members. That bent those bars into the position shown in the photo. Question is, what did the cage look like before they got him out of the car.

[@DIRTRACKR]

They did not cut the cage.

[@stratonut]

Start with addressing the Bad weld points..clearly they FAILED

[@johnstark5344]

He walked away,the frame did its job.......?

[@brianhagler4490]

I disagree that “Tracks” are responsible for safety. IMO, the sanctioning body needs to step up. I was Medic at Huset’s back in the late 80’s through early 90’s. At one point, there was a sit down with Ted Johnson from Woo; we tried to establish a “safety safari” like the NHRA has. Ted didn’t want to pony up the money to have a FT dedicated team to attend all sanctioned races. So today, we are left with individual tracks sometimes piecing together a “team”. Open wheel racing is dangerous, no shock. Can cars be made safer, maybe. Will racers still die racing, absolutely. Doesn’t mean we give up trying to improve. Bryan Clausen could of had the best helmet and a halo on his cage and he still would of passed, just of how the other car intruded into his.

[@DIRTRACKR]

The tracks' responsibility in the safety area is more about the facility itself. Not having things like openings in fences like Peck hit, blunt corners, etc.

[@brianhagler4490]

I totally agree. The issue I see is most of these tracks have been around a long time and the “good ole boys” mentality creeps in and disrupts critical thoughts.

[@shamansharvest96]

Im seeing a lot of sources/people claim the roll bars on Peck's car were cut and not broken. It's hard to tell from the available footage. When the car came to rest, right side up, the bars appear to be intact. That doesnt mean the welds didn't break though. Ill be interested to see more on this.

[@DIRTRACKR]

Could be wrong, but I was told the cage was not cut by safety crews.

[@rayisland23]

N.J. State Police oversee all racing in the state Series official's need to raise minimum weight on cars. And do we really need over 900 H.P. in a sprint car ?

[@ricmcclemons9438]

Yes

[@happywrenching33]

The top of these cages need to be re-engineered. They are a weak spot.

[@johnunruh1086]

Are you sure that the safety crew didn't use jaws of life and shear off cage for driver removal?

[@DIRTRACKR]

Could be wrong, but I was told the cage was not cut by safety crews.

[@jessejames2546]

He’s so lucky his bottom side got struck.

[@jessejames2546]

Lucas botched a perfectly good track putting mods on after track work

[@Miller42D]

All those bars look cut like by the track crew to get him out of the car

[@DIRTRACKR]

As I've replied to multiple other comments I was told they were not cut.

[@jayshypinka1766]

It's b s on the all stars for d qing anyone in this case

[@josephlownes5138]

Could they use the safety barriers like nascar uses

[@nonyobiz7741]

I hear what everybody is saying about safety but unfortunately there is no way to make racing 100 percent safe, no matter what you do to the cars or tracks there is always gonna be a way for someone to get seriously injured or worse. If it was possible to eliminate all the risk to drivers it would be the end of racing, you may have a hard time admitting it to yourself but the excitement and thrill of watching a race is the fact that these brave souls strap themselves into a land rocket and race each other knowing full well at any moment of any race the worst possible case scenario is quite possible. If there was no risk, ANYBODY with a fat wallet could do it. Guess who you wont hear complaining about safety, the drivers, and as long as they are OK with the current state of safety so am I.

[@saltybildo9448]

Even the trolls lol

[@jamesnewell5175]

Thank God Justin made it through that crash,guess he had a little angel riding with him get well Justin hope you back soon.

[@2k_adriandagoat453]

I know he was sore after that Jesus Christ

[@VarziCampariAscari]

It happens, it’s part of the sport, it’s not a foot race, and the fear and danger is what fills the stands, let’s not go overboard on this🙏

[@jamesyoung2241]

Racing is a dangerous sport. You safe space ,ear plug, safety glasses wearing younger generation is a lot of what is wrong with this country. If you want to be a wussy ok but let me have fun without extra BS and very expensive parts added that are only for my safety.

[@jeffpreddy7756]

Look up a couple years ago I believe at Crandall or another East TX dirt track, Patrik Daniel (pole sitter for the Dome couple years ago), was driving his modified and caught the gap in the wall or gate. Was a bad deal. Not sure if you can find then to show what it does to a modified. Racing is dangerous and we as racers all know that.