Double fatality at Thunder Hill

[88YB1]

Anybody have any information on the double fatality involving a RX7 and a GTA car. A friend said that the GTA lost it in turn 14, and somehow got over to turn 8. Tye RX 7 was exiting turn 8 and was hit by the GTA killing both drivers.

[racer_tim]

I was there but not at the time of the accident. Robert Smetzler was driving his GTA down the back stretch, and upon the approach to the turn 14-15 haipin complex, lost control of the car, and went off drivers left through the dirt/grass and t-boned Charles Aliberti in his Spec RX7 driving at full speed through turn 8. I heard that one of the cars caught fire, and that the "jaws" was needed to extract 1 of the drivers.

A "life lile" helicopter was dispatched, landed, but didn't transport either driver.

There was a protest during the SCCA weekend and additional tire barriers were added on Sunday to the turn 14 complex.

A very somber weekend for all. Black ribbons were worn by EVERYBODY and a moment of silence was observed on Sunday morning just before the National Anthem was played.

RIP Robert and Charles

[This message has been edited by racer_tim (edited October 11, 2004).]

[gsbaker]

http://honda-tech.com/zerothread?id=1011804&page=1

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Gregg Baker, P.E.
Isaac, LLC
http://www.isaacdirect.com

[RSTPerformance]

I noticed a lot of discusion on that website about safety at other tracks. Hopefully we all can look at the dangers of our tracks and bring those concerns up at local board meetings. I know at POCONO they have made several changes over the years to make it safer. I included a link below that has pictures around the track.... weird that the car left the track between turn 12 and 14... only because they didn't name any turns 13 for the same reason we don't have 13th floors in lots of buildings. very weird and kinda scary. Neck restraints are looking better and better for me, in fact I will be skipping a few races next year so with that money saved I think I will need to get one.

http://www.thunderhill.com/IMAGES/NEWTrackmap1.jpg
http://www.thunderhill.com/tracklap.html

Stephen

[racer_tim]

Steven, Robert left the track at the entrance to turn 14. turn 12 is the kink before you get to the back straight.

Like I posted on the Production car site, a protest was lodged on Saturday by a Formula Mazda driver and on Sunday the track added a couple of more rows of tires between the existing barriers, and the comm station, drivers left turn 14 apex.

I've got my in-car video that I'm looking @ to see if I can capture a couple of stills between Saturday and Sunday.

The local newspaper article that I saw on Sunday at the track stated that this was the 4th death @ the track. 1 kart, 1 motorcycle, and these. The track has been in operation since 1993. Pretty good safety record if you ask me.

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Tim Linerud
San Francisco Region SCCA
#95 GP Wabbit
http://linerud.myvnc.com/racing/index.html

[This message has been edited by racer_tim (edited October 12, 2004).]

[BUMPnGO]

Hey Tim, any word on any type of memorial fund set up for these two scca brothers?

[racer_tim]

This is from the San Francisco Region's Site:

In lieu of flowers please make a donation in Robert's name to The Snell Foundation http://www.smf.org/

Make checks payable to : Snell Safety Education Center

Mail to:
Snell Memorial Foundation
3628 Madison Avenue, Suite 11
North Highlands, CA 95660

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Tim Linerud
San Francisco Region SCCA
#95 GP Wabbit
http://linerud.myvnc.com/racing/index.html

[This message has been edited by racer_tim (edited October 13, 2004).]