Pit Fire Incident at VIR????

[seckerich]

With all due respect this is much to do about nothing. Some email eluded to a serious fire that evidently did not happen that is now cause for more cost and regulation? Get the actual pit report that would be filed with the stewards if there actually was a fire and then see if action is necessary.

[Knestis]

...and it would be a good idea to coordinate any changes in regulations with the regions that run longer enduros (NCR, 13 Hours; WDC, Summit 12; Longest Day; now Atl Region, etc.) and the Kumho Endurance Series organizers. A patchwork of different regulations only increases the chance that someone will make a mistake, while costing teams more than might be necessary.

K

[dickita15]

Up here in the northeast we do not require the person with the bottle to be in full nomex, just long sleeves long pants closed shoes. It used to say just the fueler had to have a fire suit but when we noticed a girl with a tank top holding the funnel we changed it to anyone who is over the wall and part of the fueling process has to have a fire suit. I do not see why the fire bottle guy has to be dressed any more that a flagger.

[Greg Amy]

I do not see why the fire bottle guy has to be dressed any more that a flagger.

Only because the fire bottle/safety gal has a significantly higher probability of having to deal with a liquid-fueled fire; after all, that's their promary role. On the other hand, corner workers rarely find themselves in any fire situation, let alone a gasoline fire.

Personally, if I were "manning" the fuel-safety fire bottle on a fueling pit stop, I'd be significantly more likely to interject myself into a fire situation when clothed in full fire gear, than I would if I were in jeans and cotton sleeves. I suggest anyone involved in the safety and/or fueling situation should have full fire-retardant gear, including eye protection.

For comparison, Koni Challenge requires EVERYONE over the wall, regardless of role, to have fire and eye protection during pit stops (no helmets, yet). And they all have quick-release dry-break fire systems (though a team demonstrated at Miller that that's not always a catch-all situation...) - GA

[Super Swift]

This “incident” was caused when a pit lane Fire Worker forced teams to replace their Fire Bottle Person with a person in full Nomex. Teams explained to the Fire Worker that he was acting contrary to the ECR rules.

He said he would see to it that the rules would be changed by the next race.

We have been racing the ECR series since the inception (1990±) with the same rule in effect and have never seen a problem. I remember a fire in (2000±) at Road Atlanta where the current rule set was implemented perfectly. (I think the car even received the checker)

It seems unfair to compare the Pro series as they have NO minimum pit time and I do not recall their requirement to have a Fire Bottle Person over the wall on ready.

Leave the Rule alone!



Ben Robertson

[Team SSR]

We don't need to refuel for 1 1/2 hour ECR (so we don't). Do the majority of the cars actually have to add fuel, or is it just added during the race for weight reasons?

[JeffYoung]

Yes, we have to refuel the Z to make an hour and a half. Some SMs have to refuel too, 1.5 hours is right at the limit of their endurance.

We don't need to refuel for 1 1/2 hour ECR (so we don't). Do the majority of the cars actually have to add fuel, or is it just added during the race for weight reasons?

[Mazmarc63]

This “incident” was caused when a pit lane Fire Worker forced teams to replace their Fire Bottle Person with a person in full Nomex. Teams explained to the Fire Worker that he was acting contrary to the ECR rules.

He said he would see to it that the rules would be changed by the next race.

We have been racing the ECR series since the inception (1990±) with the same rule in effect and have never seen a problem. I remember a fire in (2000±) at Road Atlanta where the current rule set was implemented perfectly. (I think the car even received the checker)

It seems unfair to compare the Pro series as they have NO minimum pit time and I do not recall their requirement to have a Fire Bottle Person over the wall on ready.

Leave the Rule alone!



Ben Robertson

Exactly what Ben said. I too have been running the ECR series since 1994. In that time, I have seen a total of one pit stop fire. I happened to be changing tires on that car at Road Atlanta. The fire was quickly extinguished, the pit stop was completed and the car continued.

Nothing is broken. Leave the rule alone.

Hey Greg, I think you mis-spoke here: On the other hand, corner workers rarely find themselves in any fire situation, let alone a gasoline fire.

I have extinguished more fires as a corner worker than I have ever seen during any pit stop or paddock experiment. I've even been on TV doing it.

[Greg Amy]

Hey Greg, I think you mis-spoke here: On the other hand, corner workers rarely find themselves in any fire situation, let alone a gasoline fire.

I have extinguished more fires as a corner worker than I have ever seen during any pit stop or paddock experiment. I've even been on TV doing it.

Did you stay at a Holiday Inn Express last night, too...?

No, I didn't mis-speak.

Your fires as a corner worker were - what? - electrical fires, engine oil fires, grass fires, maybe Fiberglas bodywork fires? Never a spewing/spilling fuel fire, right? Ever "seen" a pit lane spewed-gasoline fire, from someone spilling fuel all over the place and it ignites? I have, several times. It ain't pretty. Imagine fuel splashing out of a fuel filler - especially one that's not a dry break so it's not contained - and spilling onto the fire bottle guy who's wearing an absorbent cotton long-sleeve t-shirt. Now imagine the fuel on the car catching fire due to hitting the hot exhaust (that exact scenario happened this past June at the Summit 12). Now imagine a ball of fire expanding outwards to consume the fuel fumes, lighting up any and all gasoline it can find. Including what's on that cotton t-shirt.

The thing here is, you may think the risks of a fire happening in the pits are low; I disagree, I think we've just been lucky. But, significantly more importantly, the damage that a gasoline fire in the pits can/will cause if it does happen are enormous. And if all it takes to minimize that damage is that someone with a fire bottle has to wear a Nomex suit and safety glasses - especially given than a shiiteload of driver suits are about to become available real damn cheap due to the new SFI requirements - I really don't see how this is a show-stopper, or, really, nothing but a no-brainer...

In my opinion, we've been lucky. Let's keep hoping we continue to be so...