Helmet, barrier, and seat technology has changed for the better in the 25 years since then, and you can ask Roush Fenway Racing's #16 mechanic Mardy Lindley about that. (Yes, Butch's son.) There's foam barriers in the COT, and the SAFER barrier and HANS that prevent helmets from hitting barriers.
@WhiteHatBobby Didn't Carl Weatherly's head go outside the window at Riverside and hit the wall and cause his death? I think I heard that's when window nets became mandatory. I think I seen a video one time that clearly showed Weatherly's head strike the wall. I may be mistaken on all of this, it was a bit before my time.
@W1SEG4M3R Thanx for that, I only ever seen that vid once that showed a person that I think was named "Weatherly" whose head struck the concrete wall, I think at Riverside killing him. I remember Ned Jarrett talking about "Fireball" Robert's crash where he told the doctor in pre-race the fire suit irritated his skin so he didn't wear it. Robert's was killed in a fiery crash and fire suits were mandatory after that.
@ROBLOXdude95 From what I remember hearing, either the doctor or Roberts "claimed" he was allergic to it or it irritated his skin. Either way I've heard the story more than once told by different people that he simply didn't want to wear the hot suit. After Roberts death fire suits became mandatory for all drivers whether they were allergic to it or not.
@clintonearlwalker The fire suits they had then wouldn't have helped much if any. They were one layer and drivers were not required to wear even a t-shirt under it to help. What would have helped would have been a fuel cell. It would be two years before Smokey Yunick finally convinced Bill France to let him run one he had Firestone build for him.
@rockinredneck57 Normally, I wouldn't have commented on this but fire suits were mandatory after Roberts fiery crash and I'm sure they've helped many people since then that probably wouldn't have been wearing them other wise. After Dan Wheldon's crash yesterday, the Indy car series is going to have to do something to protect their drivers a bit more. Before the race they wondered if 225 mph was too fast. I think they know now. I remember when Greg Moore was killed in that series also.
@clintonearlwalker I follow NASCAR too. I was planning on watching only two IndyCar races this season, the Indy 500 and the championship race. You probably know how that turned out...
@gobackto82 Actually, I don't. It seems I watched some of the Indy 500 but I don't even remember who won, although it may have been Wheldon as I heard about it cuz of his crash. I don't follow open wheels much any more. It used to be good racing, the Unser's, Mears, Sneva, Foyt, Andretti, my neighbors daughter dated Danny Ongais. Since they split, I kinda lost interest. Also, no different make engines and cars, chevy ford, etc. I just watched Ricky Stenhouse win championship, FORD!!
@gobackto82 Gonna be all cousin Carl tomorrow, my mom has a Tony Stewart sign out in the driveway. If Stewart wins I'm going to throw it down over the hill.
@gobackto82 I just looked at your page, Berkeley Springs, are you kidding me??? Do you know where Bambi Lea's massage parlor used to be? How about Action Books and Video? I used to work in Winchester, (and Hagerstown). I'm going to bed, goodnight.
@gobackto82 They closed Bambi Lea's maybe 10 or 15 years ago. It was right on 522 as you went through town. I haven't been to Berkeley Springs for a long time. I know where the McDonalds is, Berkeley Castle, Ridersville Cycle, and a few other things. I ride motorcycle and I go through there once in a while.
13 years later my dad hit the same spot
26 years later I race here now. I love this track and I have been going here since '96 when I was born.
daltonellis171 1 month ago
He died 6 years before I was born and my dad crashed same spot in '97 and now I race there
Pure71Stock 6 months ago 2
His car owner... "Neil Bonnet"!!! That's fucked up!!!
xJohnx228x 7 months ago
@xJohnx228x What are you talking about!
MrBloomer46 6 months ago
Richard Petty nearly came out of his car before window nets were implemented
acenace24 8 months ago
Very similar to John Nemechek's fatal crash--car swapped ends and went into the wall broadside.
Moose6340 1 year ago
Very similar to John Nemechek's fatal crash--car swapped ends and went into the wall broadside.
Moose6340 1 year ago
Helmet, barrier, and seat technology has changed for the better in the 25 years since then, and you can ask Roush Fenway Racing's #16 mechanic Mardy Lindley about that. (Yes, Butch's son.) There's foam barriers in the COT, and the SAFER barrier and HANS that prevent helmets from hitting barriers.
WhiteHatBobby 1 year ago
@WhiteHatBobby Didn't Carl Weatherly's head go outside the window at Riverside and hit the wall and cause his death? I think I heard that's when window nets became mandatory. I think I seen a video one time that clearly showed Weatherly's head strike the wall. I may be mistaken on all of this, it was a bit before my time.
clintonearlwalker 10 months ago
@clintonearlwalker Joe Weatherly*
W1SEG4M3R 8 months ago
@W1SEG4M3R Thanx for that, I only ever seen that vid once that showed a person that I think was named "Weatherly" whose head struck the concrete wall, I think at Riverside killing him. I remember Ned Jarrett talking about "Fireball" Robert's crash where he told the doctor in pre-race the fire suit irritated his skin so he didn't wear it. Robert's was killed in a fiery crash and fire suits were mandatory after that.
clintonearlwalker 8 months ago
@clintonearlwalker Yeah I remember that.
W1SEG4M3R 8 months ago
@clintonearlwalker It didnt irritate it. He was allergic to some material that was used in it.
ROBLOXdude95 6 months ago
@ROBLOXdude95 From what I remember hearing, either the doctor or Roberts "claimed" he was allergic to it or it irritated his skin. Either way I've heard the story more than once told by different people that he simply didn't want to wear the hot suit. After Roberts death fire suits became mandatory for all drivers whether they were allergic to it or not.
clintonearlwalker 6 months ago
@clintonearlwalker The fire suits they had then wouldn't have helped much if any. They were one layer and drivers were not required to wear even a t-shirt under it to help. What would have helped would have been a fuel cell. It would be two years before Smokey Yunick finally convinced Bill France to let him run one he had Firestone build for him.
rockinredneck57 4 months ago
@rockinredneck57 Normally, I wouldn't have commented on this but fire suits were mandatory after Roberts fiery crash and I'm sure they've helped many people since then that probably wouldn't have been wearing them other wise. After Dan Wheldon's crash yesterday, the Indy car series is going to have to do something to protect their drivers a bit more. Before the race they wondered if 225 mph was too fast. I think they know now. I remember when Greg Moore was killed in that series also.
clintonearlwalker 4 months ago
@clintonearlwalker Greg Moore wasn't killed in IndyCar, he was killed in CART.
gobackto82 3 months ago
@gobackto82 Well whatever you call it, it's the same damn thing to me. I watched the race live on TV, I follow NASCAR anyway.
clintonearlwalker 3 months ago
@clintonearlwalker I follow NASCAR too. I was planning on watching only two IndyCar races this season, the Indy 500 and the championship race. You probably know how that turned out...
gobackto82 3 months ago
@gobackto82 Actually, I don't. It seems I watched some of the Indy 500 but I don't even remember who won, although it may have been Wheldon as I heard about it cuz of his crash. I don't follow open wheels much any more. It used to be good racing, the Unser's, Mears, Sneva, Foyt, Andretti, my neighbors daughter dated Danny Ongais. Since they split, I kinda lost interest. Also, no different make engines and cars, chevy ford, etc. I just watched Ricky Stenhouse win championship, FORD!!
clintonearlwalker 3 months ago
@clintonearlwalker Yup! I saw that too!
gobackto82 3 months ago
@gobackto82 Gonna be all cousin Carl tomorrow, my mom has a Tony Stewart sign out in the driveway. If Stewart wins I'm going to throw it down over the hill.
clintonearlwalker 3 months ago
@clintonearlwalker LOL! Yeah, I want Carl to win too.
gobackto82 3 months ago
@gobackto82 I just looked at your page, Berkeley Springs, are you kidding me??? Do you know where Bambi Lea's massage parlor used to be? How about Action Books and Video? I used to work in Winchester, (and Hagerstown). I'm going to bed, goodnight.
clintonearlwalker 3 months ago
@clintonearlwalker I know where Action Books and Video is, but not Bambi Lea's parlor.
gobackto82 3 months ago
@gobackto82 They closed Bambi Lea's maybe 10 or 15 years ago. It was right on 522 as you went through town. I haven't been to Berkeley Springs for a long time. I know where the McDonalds is, Berkeley Castle, Ridersville Cycle, and a few other things. I ride motorcycle and I go through there once in a while.
clintonearlwalker 3 months ago
This has been flagged as spam show
@clintonearlwalker Where do you live? And why did you say "are you kidding me"?
gobackto82 3 months ago