punishum
06-21-2008, 09:20 PM
Today 2 time Top Fuel WORLD CHAMPION Scott Kallita at 46 died during Round 4 qualifying at Englishtown New Jersey this afternoon at 2:45 Hawaii time. Scott was on a pass and near the finish line at over 300 Miler Per Hour his car exploded and crashed at the end of the track taking his life. ( See Video http://youtube.com/watch?v=mSn94ZoLlQ0 )
In the past 4 years 3 top drivers in the sport of drag racing have died. In 2004 Darrell Russell in St Louis, in 2007 Eric Medlen at Gainesville on a Monday testing and today at Englishtown New Jersey, Scott Kallita.
( Commentary - - - - - - - - ) _____________________________________
Darrell Russell summed it up best saying, "As safe as we can make it, bad things can happen at 300 miles per hour."
But from every tragedy a new lesson is learned to make the sport safer for the next generation.
From every tragedy a new lesson is learned to make the sport safer for the next generation. From Darrell's accident NHRA then added a full blast shield completely covering the the rear of the roll cage in the Top Fuel drivers compartment. From Eric Medlen's death, more padding to lessen head movment was instituted. From John Force's horrific crash which he survived and is still racing today, the entire chassis was redone to new specs, all designed under the Eric Medlen Safety Center which "ALL" Funny Car teams are supposed to be running by the Mile High Nationals. And now from Scott Kallita's accident another lesson will be learned to make the fastest accelerating vehicles in the world ( 0 - 330+ MPH in less than 4.5 seconds. ) from a standing start with a human in it, SAFER.
Motorsports is the most thrilling sport of any kind in the world. That is why auto racing is the most popular sport in the world and the number one spectator sport in the US as well.
The risks in motorsports are THE highest compared to any other game. And I'll say it again, when Tiger Woods has a bad day, Tiger Woods goes home. When ANY RACER has a bad day, DEATH is what occurs.
Mark Foo, legendary surfer who also died the way he lived summed it up as well and said, "In order to experience the ultimate thrill, you have to be willing to pay the ultimate price." Mark Foo was killed while surfing the legendary break called Mavericks in California.
BUT EVERY racer knows dying can happen. That is why more people have gone to outer space than have piloted a NITRO powered vehicle in competition in 58 years since the NHRA was founded.
And the show will go on tomorrow and a champion will be crowned in all of the Pro Classes in New Jersey. We will morn the loss but another race will be run next weekend where the pros will all be fighting for a qualifying spot on Friday and Saturday and a winner will be crowned on Sunday.
That is what these PROS do and what the tens of thousands of fans come out to see and millions more watch on television, The excitment of NITRO.
Life and Racing goes on.
In the past 4 years 3 top drivers in the sport of drag racing have died. In 2004 Darrell Russell in St Louis, in 2007 Eric Medlen at Gainesville on a Monday testing and today at Englishtown New Jersey, Scott Kallita.
( Commentary - - - - - - - - ) _____________________________________
Darrell Russell summed it up best saying, "As safe as we can make it, bad things can happen at 300 miles per hour."
But from every tragedy a new lesson is learned to make the sport safer for the next generation.
From every tragedy a new lesson is learned to make the sport safer for the next generation. From Darrell's accident NHRA then added a full blast shield completely covering the the rear of the roll cage in the Top Fuel drivers compartment. From Eric Medlen's death, more padding to lessen head movment was instituted. From John Force's horrific crash which he survived and is still racing today, the entire chassis was redone to new specs, all designed under the Eric Medlen Safety Center which "ALL" Funny Car teams are supposed to be running by the Mile High Nationals. And now from Scott Kallita's accident another lesson will be learned to make the fastest accelerating vehicles in the world ( 0 - 330+ MPH in less than 4.5 seconds. ) from a standing start with a human in it, SAFER.
Motorsports is the most thrilling sport of any kind in the world. That is why auto racing is the most popular sport in the world and the number one spectator sport in the US as well.
The risks in motorsports are THE highest compared to any other game. And I'll say it again, when Tiger Woods has a bad day, Tiger Woods goes home. When ANY RACER has a bad day, DEATH is what occurs.
Mark Foo, legendary surfer who also died the way he lived summed it up as well and said, "In order to experience the ultimate thrill, you have to be willing to pay the ultimate price." Mark Foo was killed while surfing the legendary break called Mavericks in California.
BUT EVERY racer knows dying can happen. That is why more people have gone to outer space than have piloted a NITRO powered vehicle in competition in 58 years since the NHRA was founded.
And the show will go on tomorrow and a champion will be crowned in all of the Pro Classes in New Jersey. We will morn the loss but another race will be run next weekend where the pros will all be fighting for a qualifying spot on Friday and Saturday and a winner will be crowned on Sunday.
That is what these PROS do and what the tens of thousands of fans come out to see and millions more watch on television, The excitment of NITRO.
Life and Racing goes on.