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Back in the saddle again
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: Central TX west of Houston
Posts: 56,791
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Actually, if you read the report, the post is a bit off.
Quote:
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The vehicle continued from the point of engine failure to the end of the racetrack (approx. 2300') on fire over the course of approximately 7.07 seconds. Upon reaching the end of the paved racetrack, Kalitta’s vehicle entered a “run-off” area constructed of pea gravel at a speed of approximately 125 mph and was positioned near the center of the racetrack’s right lane. As Kalitta’s racecar entered the “run-off” area, the front of the vehicle appeared to pitch upward, allowing air under the vehicle’s fiberglass nose resulting in its separation from the chassis. Over the course of the following .5-second, the vehicle took flight and traveled toward the right side of the run-off area and over the western concrete retaining wall. Immediately thereafter, the vehicle impacted a steel post that supported the right side of a cargo net which was in place to stop race vehicles from passing this area of the racetrack. This impact was specific to the right side of the vehicle and caused separation of the right front suspension components and damage to the right side engine exhaust system. The vehicle continued forward and impacted a piece of heavy equipment (JLG model 600S telescopic boom lift vehicle with a specified (dry) weight of 22,750 pounds), which was positioned outside the “run-off” area by the ESPN television crew. This impact caused catastrophic damage to the vehicle and additional separation of chassis components and the vehicle’s engine. Beyond the boom lift vehicle, a Chevrolet van and a Suzuki Ozark ATV, which were also positioned by ESPN television crew, were damaged by collision debris. The largest portion of the race vehicle came to rest in a grassy area 250' south of the shutdown area and 153' from the initial pole impact. Scott Kalitta was contained in this portion of the race vehicle and had sustained fatal blunt force injuries. A review of information provided by Delphi, which was recorded by accelerometers, mounted to the Kalitta vehicle revealed multiple impacts producing over 100G, with some approaching or exceeding 200G. No information was obtained from the RacePac data recorder installed in the Kalitta vehicle. Post mortem examination confirmed that Scott Kalitta’s death was caused by multiple blunt trauma injuries.
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I suspect that Scott had 7 seconds to think about how it was going to end. That was probably unpleasant. The first few seconds probably not but the last couple might have been unpleasant.
__________________
Steve
'08 Boxster RS60 Spyder #0099/1960
- never named a car before, but this is Charlotte.
'88 targa  SOLD 2004 - gone but not forgotten
Last edited by masraum; 02-23-2009 at 06:39 AM..
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