Painful Shifter Kart Crash (1997)

Q: Why did the guy in the red shirt just stand there? Why didn't he help?

A: That man (Fred Perry) was about 80 years old when this incident happened. He was not a marshal, he was not part of the track crew and he was not part of the safety team.

Fred was in charge of the pits. His job during the races was to keep track of who was exiting the track and going into the pit area. This accident happened right at the entrance to the pit area.

Fred was old and didn't move around too well. Fred died about two and a half years later.

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Q: Why did it take so long for the medics to get to him?

A: There is some discussion as to whether it took too long for help to arrive. I'll let you decided for yourself. Here are the response times:
13 seconds - Track crew
27 seconds - Track safety/rescue crew
90 seconds - City EMT Ambulance

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Q: Did the driver die?

A: He received minor injuries (bruised heel & minor concussion) from this accident. Sadly he died about 9 years later due to a heart attack.

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Q: Why did they tend to the Kart before they tended to the driver?

A: The were moving the Kart off the track to clear the way for emergency vehicles.

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Q: What kind of kart was this?

A: These are 125cc shifter Karts.

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Q: Where was this?

A: This was at Cajon Speedway in El Cajon, California. The track closed in 2005.

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Q: Why wasn't he wearing a seatbelt?

A: These karts do not have seat belts. Seat belts would cause more injuries than they would prevent. It's better to be thrown clear of the Kart, then to land face first with a heavy Kart strapped to your back.

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Q: How did they get so many fans in the stands for a local Kart race?

A: This was not an actual race. This accident happened during the warm-up laps prior to an exhibition race that was taking place during Intermission of the regular Saturday night stock car races.

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Q: What was the driver trying to do?

A: I spoke with the driver about the accident a few days later. He told me that he was experimenting with how he was approaching that corner. His plan was to stay wide and brake really late and chop the corner. His left front wheel made contact with the right rear of the kart on his inside. He said he was holding his line, but the other kart drifted up into him as they approached the corner.

He did not hit the wall until AFTER the front of his Kart was off the ground.

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Q: Can we see the real unedited version of this accident?

A: Yes. You can see it here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AMc2CqLk9gc

Category:

Sports

Tags:

• Go kart
• cart
• go-kart
• go-cart
• crash
• sdka
• cajon speedway
• motor sports
• 125cc shifter kart
• shifter kart

[TheArfdog]

Nice "kart" wheel.... haha

[Basshunter123ish]

they say go karts are not for kids they are but they dont got 85mph go karts

[dkbm95]

Stupid move!.... The next corner was a left turn so why was he trying to overtake on the outside (right)

[balabay77]

Save the go kart first. Leave the guy

[maddog17v]

I need to find a clip of my crash I now race ministocks but in 09 I his a pole at 50mph and cut my liver right down the middle

[flatbikkie]

not biast against karts at all.

[MTBreaper]

hey does anyone know where to get a kart?

[hakerforlife]

oh ya go-karts are not 4 kids my ass u dnt pass on the outside

[coolmike362]

This is why you don't pass on the outside.

[dannyboy485]

Get up you fanny,my four your old has had worse bumps than that....