Rally safety equipment thoughts

I think the AMA left when the one mile oval was built, i.e. when Bryar Motorsport Park became NHIS.

I still don't get why road racers ARE still allowed to drive into concrete walls (for relatively short money), but rallyists are NOT allowed to drive into trees, anymore.

Do rallyists have better attorneys? Maybe that's how ya'all afford to run those open class Sub-a-Bishi monsters? ;-)

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Ted Mendham
www.rensport.net

I personally think it's because of the whole "rubbin' is racin'" bullshit that They preach (They being the veritable Legion Horde of the NASCAR scene). To me, rubbin' is one of two things: poor sportsmanship, or inability to control your vehicle. Either of which should get you booted from whatever event you're driving in.

If smashing into each other is considered part of the race, then the consequences of that action is ALSO part of the race. Therefore, hitting walls is just fine!

Now, if we were to change Rally into a wheel-to-wheel event, a la Death Race, then I'm sure that hitting trees would be allowed, and even highly televised.

--sarge

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---** To be in compliance with the Anarchy **---
Jorden R. Kleier
Baraboo, Wisconsin, USA
1990 Mazdog Protege 4WD
1973

Yep, things have changed more than somewhat. I have a very cool book by Denis Jenkingson called The Racing Driver, published like 1959 I think, and it's a gem, talks much about how and why guys like Fangio and Moss the the rest of the GP guys were so much faster than everyone else. On the cover is Fangio in a Maserati iirc, and he's wearing a helmet, and goggles, and gloves. And a short sleeve polo shirt. Prolly chinos and wingtip shoes. And that's it. No belts, no suit, no rollbar, and this was a Grand Prix race. And yeah there were prolly 1-3 drivers killed every year back then...

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Jay Woodward
Snohomish, WA
'90 Mazdog Frankenprotege
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