Danny Thompson story on Speed TV

[dw230]

Found this blog on www.speedtv.com today.

http://auto-racing.speedtv.com/article/arneson-heavily-baked-and-lightly-salted

DW

[fredvance]

Looks like his safety eguipment did its job. You hate to see anybody crash, Love it when they walk away!!

  Fred

[Peter Jack]

I really like that he's been more than willing to share the video and discuss what he feels worked and didn't. It's a video that every racer should see, especially those that feel there's too much emphasis on safety.

Thanks Danny.

Pete

[theazoldcrow]

  Made the hair (both of them) stand up on the back of my neck!  Glad he walked!!!!

[BALS aSALT]

i was there. i saw before during and after.  . very glad when he got out under his own power. standing next to car when safety showed up. he was ok. hope to see danny back soon.

[fastesthonda_jim]

"Interesting" how close his head came to the steering wheel.  Also that his visor opened wide and then closed in the midst of the "action".  Think maybe I'll put a strip of Duck tape across the bottom of mine and seal it just as Mr. Jensen gives me the "Go ahead".

THANKS, Danny, for sharing this with us on Land Racing.  I noticed it's been pulled for copywrite reasons from Bang Shift.

I'm already looking for a better helmet for next season, and will pay VERY close attention to the fit of the HANS device.

Again, THANK YOU!!
Jim

[jimmy six]

Saturday the safety seminar on restraints which was to be held on the Lake bed was moved to Westminster Ca. There were over 100+ attendees probably more than would have been at the SCTA property at El Mirage this weekend.

Dr. John Melvin kept a silent very attentive audience captive with his films of what happens in racing accidents/incedents. Eventho his films/tests/ etcetra were mostly directed at NASCAR/F1/Indy you could definately see how it would affect out stlye of motorsports

As Roy Creel stated after we all watched the Thompson incedent "we do have a wall at the salt"  I believe there will be some reccommendations included to the 2011 after the seminar from what I saw and heard. Belts/seats/restraints are of concern to all of us and since we do not drive "cookie cars" we will need to do some of the things on our own IMO.  My roadster belting will definately be changing and I will for sure will be making some changes in my sons dirt car.

There was some filming going by a Rod Rider and all the SCTA clubs were represented so I'm sure the information will get out. This is not to panic anyone....If you looked at the Thompson accident and drive an enclosed coupe stlye car you already know what you need to do. . . . . . . JD

[jl222]

  JD and others what do you think about his upper seat belt mounting?

                  JL222

[saltfever]

JL: I'm not sure I understand your question. Are you saying this location should be higher or lower or reanalyzed?

Danny's belts are mounted on the cross bar behind the seat at what appears to be the correct height.  All belt manufacturers give you a very small window to establish this height. The rule book page 27, figure 5 shows that location as 2" min and 4" max below shoulder height. From what I can see Danny had them attached correctly and within those limits. I think if they are too low in back you will get spinal compression, if too high you get too much shoulder belt stretch and maybe even too much lap belt stretch allowing you to rise up out of the seat. However, I wish I knew more and appreciate the start of this thread.

[saltfever]

My hat is off to Danny for sharing this video with the racing community . . . you have made a great contribution to safety.
A quote from the article . . .
“The cage worked perfectly,”  That was my first thought! How do I find out more about his cage?
Thompson said. “But after looking at the video, I might look at mounting the belts a little differently …
As JL says how different?
I might take some length out of the belts and look at adding a chest strap.
What is a chest strap? I have never seen one on belt systems.  
On the third roll on the ground, my head almost hit the steering wheel, which means there was nearly 18 inches of flex in the belts.
It looked like the Hans device was either at or past its limits! I never thought the Hans was supposed to allow that much skull travel. Was this mentioned at the SCTA meeting? Did Dr. Melvin comment about it?  

[BALS aSALT]

saltfever.........., your're right. stop the video at 2:51 mark and you can see exactly how close danny gets. it looks to me that something is seriously wrong with that picture and i hope somebody is looking into why dannys' head almost hit the steering wheel. hans looks funny behind his back not his head.

[saltfever]

IIRC the Hans does not attenuate a force from the side as well as others. The text said Danny hit on the drivers side. That may be the blow we are seeing and how the Hans responds to a force from that direction.

[fastesthonda_jim]

As to the HANS device and whether it worked or not.
First let me say that I have never owned one (a situation to be corrected VERY shortly) and have no expertise in the area.  But it seems to me that the purpose of the device is to keep the head in a proper relationship to the body, and to prevent a "neck bone" separating forward snapping of the head.  It seems to have done its job in that respect. 
But I am at a complete loss as to why he ended up so close to the steering wheel.  What could have prevented that?  Straps under the arm pits in the same fashion as the straps that wrap around our legs? 
Jim

[jimmy six]

After seeing some of the illustrations included in Dr. Melvin's presentation we would have lost Danny without a device. IMO, the point of him coming close to the steering wheel and NOT having a serious injury or any for that matter shows the device did it's job by not allowing a basil skull fracture (I think that's right) to happen to the driver. In the illustration/tests we saw you would not believe how far the neck and spinal area up at you head will stretch. Think about it, a device holds your head to your body and the belts will always allow some cushioning just like the lining of your helmet.

There was a discussion using 5,6,7,& 9 point belt connections. Mine will be a 7 before next year and I will definitely go to SFI 16.5 belts which are polyester and do not stretch near as much as nylon....Oh yeah don't look to Summit for $59.95 for 16.5 specs.

Everything I write are my opinions from what I saw......JD

[fastesthonda_jim]

JD,
Interesting point about polyester.  But it seems to me that perhaps you might want a bit of stretch, just to sort of ease the shock.  I mean as long as you don't hit anything (steering wheel, roof, etc) wouldn't you want a bit of give?.  Stretching 3" of nylon (actually x2 belts = 6") takes a monumental amount of force.  Would your chances of survival be any greater if you were held firmly in place.  I dunno.  Like you said - these are not "cookie cars" so we're all prototyping... and asking a LOT of questions.
Jim