Accident at El Mirage

[willieworld]

At El Mirage this weekend I was the about the ninth or tenth person to run. I ran against a 15 mile an hour head wind across the finish line, got off the track as fast as I could because I walked the course earlier and seen a very rough area in the infield(the area between the track and the return road), I got to the return road and took off my helmet and gloves and started to check out my bike. A few minutes later my wife arrived. I was doing something to my bike and I heard a loud pop. I turned around and realized it was the chute opening on a nice little roadster that had just run. I went back to what I was doing and heard a horrendous crash. I spun around to see what I thought was a van on its side what later turned  out to be an international scout, I think, on it's side with a person lying on the ground in front of it,and the roadster that I had seen with its chute out and the front end smashed. My wife grabbed the CB and said that we needed an ambulance at the finish line. We started to run towards the accident my wife being a medical assistant. We had to run about halfway from the return road to the track and with me being 62 a few people beat us there,one with the sense enough to bring a fire extinguisher,although there was no fire. By the time we got there everything was pretty much under control.Anyway we decided to go back and continue with our business so that we would not be in the way, Unlike about 50 other idiots,mostly spectators. When I went to rookie orientation in May,Greg Waters said always pull off to the left side of the track unless you have an emergency.  In the El Mirage procedures there is a rule that says if you are having trouble with your vehicle to abort your run by turning off to the left side of the track and go to the return road so as not to waste everybodys time waiting in line to race. Where the roadster got into the accident with the international was the exact same place where I had turned off. When I leave the track I'm probably traveling 70 mph. It was my understanding that the area between the track and the return road was to be absolutely clear of all vehicles. If that had been a motorcycle instead of a vehicle with a full roll cage, I guarantee someone would have been killed. The only reason I'm telling everyone this is so that I could ask one question...What in the hell was someone doing in an international scout driving around in the area between the track and the return road where any racer could be turning off the track anywhere from the startline to a half a mile past the finish line doing any speed from 10mph to 200mph.
Willie Buchta

[JohnR]

This is posted on the SCTA home page:

At the October El Mirage meet, SCTA members Donnie Cummins and Jerry Bates were transported to hospitals after an "on course"  collision involving a roadster and a patrol vehicle.  Don sustained back (disc) injuries and broken ribs and will soon be released from Victor Valley hospital.  Jerry suffered multiple bruises, arm and hand lacerations and a concussion.  He is expected to be released from Arrowhead Medical center in a few days. The El mirage ladies Auxiliary is assisting the needs of both victims.

[John Noonan]

This is posted on the SCTA home page:

At the October El Mirage meet, SCTA members Donnie Cummins and Jerry Bates were transported to hospitals after an "on course"  collision involving a roadster and a patrol vehicle.  Don sustained back (disc) injuries and broken ribs and will soon be released from Victor Valley hospital.  Jerry suffered multiple bruises, arm and hand lacerations and a concussion.  He is expected to be released from Arrowhead Medical center in a few days. The El mirage ladies Auxiliary is assisting the needs of both victims.

John, Willy, and others,

Their is more to the story than what was posted.

Let's let the SCTA officials and staff take care of this.

Both the roadster driver (Donny) and the "roving" patrol member Jerry are doing much better and both will be out of the hospital this week.


SCTA officals did a great job and remember they are called "accidents".


J

[Dean Los Angeles]

I disagree with the term "accident". That makes it seem that if we just go about life things will be better.

When you are doing your patrol duties you go to patrol orientation. It's not intensive training, it's just the general guidelines. The patrols are the eyes and ears and shouldn't be the accident, but all of us are volunteers doing our best.

I wasn't there, but somebody made a mistake. That's what an accident is. The roadster may have turned off going too fast or the patrol vehicle just wasn't paying attention, or . . .

SCTA will investigate and make adjustments accordingly.

[John Noonan]

I disagree with the term "accident". That makes it seem that if we just go about life things will be better.

When you are doing your patrol duties you go to patrol orientation. It's not intensive training, it's just the general guidelines. The patrols are the eyes and ears and shouldn't be the accident, but all of us are volunteers doing our best.

I wasn't there, but somebody made a mistake. That's what an accident is. The roadster may have turned off going too fast or the patrol vehicle just wasn't paying attention, or . . .

SCTA will investigate and make adjustments accordingly.

Dean an accideant is also allow the running of a vehicle that is not deemed safe too those that have the experiance to know better.

Let's give the SCTA officials the chance to state what the problem was and how to make sure an accident like this cannot occur again either here, Bonne, "Aussietralure" or "traxtion"



Wish you the best in 08

J

[JohnR]

This is posted on the SCTA home page:

At the October El Mirage meet, SCTA members Donnie Cummins and Jerry Bates were transported to hospitals after an "on course"  collision involving a roadster and a patrol vehicle.  Don sustained back (disc) injuries and broken ribs and will soon be released from Victor Valley hospital.  Jerry suffered multiple bruises, arm and hand lacerations and a concussion.  He is expected to be released from Arrowhead Medical center in a few days. The El mirage ladies Auxiliary is assisting the needs of both victims.

John, Willy, and others,

Their is more to the story than what was posted.

Let's let the SCTA officials and staff take care of this.

Both the roadster driver (Donny) and the "roving" patrol member Jerry are doing much better and both will be out of the hospital this week.


SCTA officals did a great job and remember they are called "accidents".


J

I agree. Thats why I posted what the SCTA has already released and left it at that. I'm quite sure the SCTA will get to the bottom of what happened and if there needs to be something changed then it will be.

[willieworld]

My intentions for my posting were to discuss the safety issue not the accident. The issue is at the end of my run or if I decide to abort my run that there will be nothing out there in the infield "the area between the track and the return road". Last year I was involved in an endurance race. It lasted for one year. I rode 41,620 miles on my street bike and I am seriously tired of dodging cars. Twice this year, that I know of, someone cut across the track during the race(off-road vehicles). I understand that that could happen and I watch for it as good as I can. But all this year I assumed because what I was told in rookie orientation that the infield would be kept clear, you could turn off the track anywhere before or after the finish line at any speed you were comfortable with and make your way to the return road so that the track would be clear and they could send another vehicle. Am I wrong or isn't that the way it is supposed to be? The way I see it anything else would be....you tell me.
Willie

[1212FBGS]

Willie
the international scout was Jerry Bates... he has had the long time job of being the "rover". his job is to drive around in "no mans land" and give the "ok, corse clear instruction to the tower"not sure how the roadster hit him except that the roadster was way off corse....in short words to answer your question... he was suppost to be there.!...

[doug odom]

Before you blast the roadster for being " way off course "  you should talk to someone that was there and saw the accident first hand. To place blame on someone without seeing it for yourself shows a complete lack of any respect or intelligence.
Doug Odom in big ditch  ( I was there on patrol)

[JohnR]

Did I mention that this is posted on the SCTA home page:

"At the October El Mirage meet, SCTA members Donnie Cummins and Jerry Bates were transported to hospitals after an "on course"  collision involving a roadster and a patrol vehicle.  Don sustained back (disc) injuries and broken ribs and will soon be released from Victor Valley hospital.  Jerry suffered multiple bruises, arm and hand lacerations and a concussion.  He is expected to be released from Arrowhead Medical center in a few days. The El mirage ladies Auxiliary is assisting the needs of both victims."

Pretty much anything beyond the above information is speculative. I am sure it will be discussed at length this Friday night and all the relevant details will be made clear. I am just glad that a potentially deadly incident did not live up to it's potential.

[Riffraff]

Gonna place blame here.  It was a goona happen thing ever since Jerrry started putting himself in the exclusion zone.  In this case, not just hanging it out a little around 11, but half way out at an area where racers will be going fastest.  I like Jerry.  Then there's Cummins.  Never met him.  Obviously dedicated and good enough to push a streeter to a 200+ record.  But, he wasn't where he was supposed to be either.  Didn't go through the finish flags.  Some saw a chute but others didn't.  Goodly number of people claim he ran on the return side of course cones most of the way.

So we have, I think.  Two very capable El Mirage veterans in a bad wreck.  Each screwed up.  For Donny, likely one of those things that happen when you're racing fast.  For Jerry, I dunno. 

In my opinion, the people who run the meets should be brought to task.  In September I had retrun 8 and while Jerry is around the bottom end getting a stalled roadster, easily half way out, out of the way.  I called the tower and said that Jerry & number sumpthin were not clear.   Tower replied "He's OK".  Neither Cagle or Barret would have said that.  Next vehicle was a 180mph slammer.  It worked out OK.

[JackD]

As an entrant, I must trust the starter and the timer to make sure the track is available for my exclusive use.
Race drivers screw up for sure, but that is part of the reason the buffer zone is required to be clear.
Cross the line and all bets are off.
Does anybody remember the cancelled EM meet because the Insurance Broker wanted full guard rails ?
We had insurance coverage available at the last moment from another source, but it was too late to turn the meet up .
Don't get sloppy and screw it up !

[1212FBGS]

yo big ditch doug... i aint blaming no one ...... all i know about it is the "anouncer" said they didnt get a time on the car cuz it was outside the lights.!...... i know nothing about the impact....everytime i saw jerry he was "always" parked just inside the return road cones.....so my comment was my asumption the car was off corse.... i really doubt jerry was parked out on the corse next to the timing lights......so due tell doug... since you were on patrol......
kent

[dirtysalty200club]

Just to help some of you understand what I know: Jerry was placed  there by the SCTA as a roving patrol to help with clearing the course. Donnie did miss the timing traps but the chutes were out as he passed the light. With the combination of the dust and the sun he just could not see. He knew the chutes were out so he just grabed a hand full of brake and the next thing he knew, he had hit something. This is a true definition of an accident. I am sure SCTA is already doing the proper investigation and the outcome will be beneficial to all racers.

[jimmy six]

I'm with Kent. Doug, why did you say you know, without saying something here. If I had been you, I would have kept my fingers off the keys. You didn't, and now look like a little kid saying "naner naner I know and you don't".