Worst Weekend EVER Tragedy Nearly! Pics Now

[VincentHill]

First, Just in case anyone does not know this, I really appreciate and feel the support and good wishes the people give me. There was a light turn out and the Cross winds and rain were serious. I started not to post this here, but then again, what better place.

Maxton June 25 & 26.

I went there with possibly the best prepared bike I have ever had (Mistake #1)

First, we left home and were in Virginia near the Pentagon when Peggy Realized that I did not have my Leathers. On the way back home we also realized that I also did not have my Back Protector.

Now it is after 11 PM when we are on the road to Maxton 6 hours away.  Somehow, we meet up with Randall  at the Rest Stop in North Carolina. We get to The Hotel by 6 AM and wore out get up at 9:30 and head to the Air Base. I make my first run by  Noon.

The run was slow to check things out but I feel the engine cutting off and on during the run while I avoid a "CONE" in the Middle of the course at about the 3/4 mile mark.  I ran 182. I look over the bike and see that the fuel Pressure seems to be lower than I set it on the Bypass Fuel gauge but the gauge could be off so I reset it and make the second Run. This Run is a little better 184 but the bike actually dies a few times during the run. We check the bike over again and I again reset the fuel presure and make the next run. This time the bike is really accelerating well and then the engine noses over and I pull in the clutch and make the turn off the course then let the clutch out a few times but the bike is making funny sounds and will not start.

OH Oh have I really done it this time? I call for help and check the bike over and realize not only will it not start but I alco cannot hear the Fuel Pump. Now I really am sacred because I hit the NOS Button several times during the run to reset it because the engine seemed to be bogging down. Have I just sprayed an Fuel Starved engine and Killed it for GOOD??

Peggy and Randall show up with the van and We put the bike in it and go back to the Pitts. NO Pump noise what so ever. My first thought is, the New Muzzy fuel Pump is one of  only 2 things I have changed and I have never had a pump failure in the past, is it the Muzzy Pump or something I did wrong when I installed it??

It now has started to rain so I push it under Snark Racing Tent. I turn on the key and the Pump works and the Bike is now running and I am breathing again. NO STRANGE NOISES NO Engine DAMAGE (As far as I can tell) We push and pull on all of the wires than the Bike continues to run well. I take it out for a spin and it still runs well. I ask Randall does he want to ride it but he says no because the Track is still wet and who knows about the Bike? I start down the taxi way to the start line and the bike stopps just before the cement ends. I tell people to let the starter know so that Peggy can come and get me but the bike starts again and I go to the start line where it dies again. ENOUGH IS ENOUGH! NO MORE UNTIL I FIGURE THIS OUT>

The day is over and we go to eat with OldKawboy and his family and some other friends. All night long I go over the bike in my mind and heat out about 7 AM to fix this monster. We check the Wires from the Connector to the ECU. We check the Pump itself and everything is fine. We (Dan "OldKawboy" and I check the relays, fuses and everything works perfectly. San finds  loose connector and the pump squirts fuel and we think he has found the answer but by the time I put the tank on, no fuel pump.  FInally the person that is with his son that I sold some NOS to suggest to bypass and run a Jumper wire connected to a toggle Switch to see if we can get the pump to run. Well I have one other thiong to try first, I eun a bypass wire from the Pump connector to the ECU to see if there is a problem with the wire but the pump does not run. SO I now take the wire from my Heater Blanket and carefully cut into the Pump wire and connect this and flip the switch and the pump turns on!

 "THERE IS NOTHING WRONG WITH THE MUZZY FUEL PUMP PERIOD[/u]

I then hit the starter Button to see if I have damaged the ECU (I ALSO HAD DISCONNECTED THE PC3 to make sure it was no problem)  The bike starts right up and I take it for a ride. Now it is about 11 AM but no one can go on the track because JOHN BECKETT has just crashed HARD In his 200+ Old Honda Land SPeed Car. AT about 200, the Chutes faied to deploy and the car went sideways and every other way before it left the course and hit a tree.  We have all heard the souds of tires Heavy braking no engine sound and then the Sounds of the things being struck. Then the Siren came on and the Rescue equipment came and you know it is bad. John suffered no injuries and the car has the front end damaged. Not too bad (But this is not the Tragedy I was referring to in the Title.

SO finally Randall in suited up and rides down to the start line. We check over everything for his run and he states that he does not want to hit the NOS but I suggest that he use it a "little" so we can get a Base Line to set the timers. Geared 19 / 44 about enough gearing to run over 200 he starts his run. He runs close to 190 but then the stated tells me that Randall has a problem (Maybe a flat tire) but he did not fall and is OK.

SO I make sure that this is no Joke and we drive to the Pits and see Randall sitting on the bike with something Hanging off the right side (as you sit on the Bike) I get closer and see that it is the fairing ripped out and a closer look I see that the Exhaust pipes are "ALL" Flattened (SMASHED)!  We then look over the bike some more and see that the front wheel has a large dent in the rim (Bent back about 1/2 Inch). Talking to Randall and the track officials, we find that just after the run at about 190, Randall is braking hard, so hard that he knocks out part of the concrete Patch which put a hole in the course and caused the rim to get dented and Randall to stand the bike on its nose. Then when the bike came down, he landed on the patch and drove over it kicking the back of the bike up in the air again and to the left. Randall saves it again and brings the bike under control and rides it back to the pits. Even the rear tire has cement marks on the right side.  We went out on the course and took part of the patch home with us because Randall Paid for it and I did with the damage to my bike.

I am extremely upset at the problems I had with the Bike and more upset about the Course conditions that almost took out Randall Forget the Bike.  We are home now and I have 3 months to "FIND THAT DAMM Short in the Wiring!" and put on a new exhaust, New fairing and new exhaust. We all know racing by its nature can be dangerous, but this disturbed me because nothing we have any control over almost got Randall. Hard to believe myself, But I was not upset about the Bike's condition after finding out what happened.

This has to rank as one of the worst weekend I have ever been through! I will post some pictures later but right now, I am exhausted and need to clean up and go to bed and be at work tomorrow. People in their 60's need their rest !

Thanks to Bergie for Hosting a Few Pics on the 2nd Page

[Bergie]

1st- I'm glad everyone is "okay".  Sorry to hear about your troubles.

What I want to know is WHO was the driver that went down the course just PRIOR to your run where there was a CONE ON THE TRACK?  You need to look that up in the run log and FIND OUT WHO because it is EVERY DRIVER/RIDERS RESPONSIBILITY TO REPORT PROBLEMS ON THE COURSE.  As you know, following each run the rider or driver needs to signal an official that everything is CLEAR on the track.  If this was not done, then that put your life in danger!

Were they able to continue racing after the incident?  Was the damage to the course repaired or deemed insignificant enough to keep racing?  Were you able to get any photos?  If you need someone to host the photos email them to me and I will post them up.

Wiring problems suck.  They are the worst to trace and sometimes what works perfectly on the dyno doesn't work when you get out on the bumpy surface at maxton!  The pavement is so bumpy and rough it can easily loosen a tight connection.  I always check fasteners and wiring regularly because of this.

Well, at least you were able to go and although you had problems it's better than being stuck at home.  I'm sure you had some good times hanging out with Dan and the crew and chowing down on some seafood.  

Let us know how others made out if you have a chance, how did Chad do running Don's ZX10R?  Did they run the Coby Adams cruiser?  Any other news?

Also glad to hear John Beckett made it okay in his crash!  No injuries is great!

[2fast4u2c]

Vincent,  
HolyToledo man!  I feel your pain my friend, so very glad no one was hurt.  Cone in the middle?  Outragious, Bergie is right about that one, who was the last rider?  You'll get her figured out for sure, no worries there.  Keep us posted on the repairs.  If you need anything at all, you know how to get me.

Guy

[THE ICE MAN]

This is no the 1st time I heard about the track surface comming apart
and almost taking someone out !

Is there some way that they can fix the surface up a bit ?
How many people walk the track before running ?

[VincentHill]

Thanks Bergie, Guy and Ice.

First, let me say that "Things" are different now. It is more like Bonneville now and then it is not like Bonneville. You must meet the "CLASS" Specifications to run in a class. Last year I ran S/F 1350 and 3000. This year, the "ONLY" Class I can run in is MPS! So far I think we can run up and down displacement, but who knows how long that will last.

Not like Bonneville, I pre-entered and there was no entry form filled out for me that I had done this. Second, Randall and I did not get Wrist Bands and that could have caused a problem entering the track on Sunday. The COurse condition, no one checked anything until we told Tanya that the bike "HIT" SOmething than bent the RIm and Smashed the pipes and ripped the fairing out from under the bike and left a mark on the rear tire.

THEN they stated that Randall had take out a patch. After the Meet was over, we went to see where this happened and all of the lose conctrete was still laying there with large pieces over the course. We picked up about 7 or 8 pieces and threw them in the weeds and like I said, Randall kept a large piece.

About the Cone in the Middle of the Course. I do not know if it was discussed in Rider's meeting because I was not there at that time. I know that Dan told me that Chad had to let off and go around it and they way he told me was that it was there in error. SO When I made my run, no one told me that it was there as a marker for a Hole or "Something" and surprise surprise it was there when I made my runs. Of course I told Randall that it was there which threw him off the line I told him to take. (Start to the left of the line, over to the right side of the line at the turn on to the main runway and as you near 1/2 track, go over the ridge in the concrete to the left side again (This is not about time but speed so you want to use as much distance as possible and be on the smooth part as possible) and stay there through the timers and then under breaking about 1/2 way down the 1st shut down ease left through the 2 patches of Asphalt over to the right side of the line until slowed enough to make the turn or as Bergie does, go straight and turn around in the second shut down and came back out. You do not want to do long because on the return road where they Blow up the airplanes, scrap pieces and cut a tire.

Bergie, I will take a few pictures of the bike later and Peggy used a regular Camera to take pictures of the Patch problems. I will work it out and get to you. Thanks .

Correct, being at Captain's Larry's with Dan and Family is always a pleasure. there was 3 other people I do not know their name, but the dad gave me the idea to bypass the wire and "MAKE" the pump work. I am Still TIRED and need rest . One thing that was different this time, were my Nerves. It was more like going to Daytona for an AMA Road Race because this time I had a bike that could run the numbers and the only thing (I THOUGHT) could mess it up was "ME"! Too much Mechanical Faith I guess

[TRNorBRN6001]

Dang, glad everyone is OK. What a ride for Randall.

Do you think the first crash had anything to do with loosening
the surface or taking chunks out?

[VincentHill]

Dang, glad everyone is OK. What a ride for Randall.

Do you think the first crash had anything to do with loosening
the surface or taking chunks out?

HUMM!! Good thought because he sure was all over the place with the Brakes on and you know how the cars bounce and slide. Sure could be??

Randall is only 24, but he has almost 20 years of riding experience. He wanted a bike so even when he was 14, we sold the YSR50 and GT 80 and got him a Tomos Moped this I got to go 50 and made him ride it to school Rain, Snow, Ice, COld or hot. He also had to explain everything that happened when he fell off so he could learn! I guess he learnd something? Scott Gutherie Wanted to say maybe it was in the Genes, Well it was, because of Peggy and also in his enviroment because since he was 5, we had him on a motorcycle and he operated my 1984 Ninja 900 riding Peggy and myself. We had him on the gas tank with his feet on the valve cover and with his little head under the Bubble he would take us 80 and 90 mph down the interstates changing lanes and braking. SO I am Proud of him because he Done Good!

[THE ICE MAN]

I was thinking on comming up to the last event, but man thats a long distance to travel to get my bike torn up, or myself killed ?????
Vincent that was before the finsh line?
Go left, go right, move over here, then stay there thats alot to think about while trying to pay attention to the bike and make a fast run, I hope someone whos in good with the track officials will give us good feedback as to addressing this problem for the next meet!
Do they fix that part of the track ? fill the hole with some very good repairing material, or just sweep the track and cross their fingers and hope no more comes apart and no one gets hurt or killed??  
A friend of mine hiy something yesterday while running at 170+ down the road blew the front tire and went into a semi tank slapper but slowed down to 60mph before it threw him, bike is shot and he spent the day in the hospital.

[DahMurf]

Hey VinCENT,
 I'm really glad that Randall is ok & it's just the bike issues you need to deal with. I can't help myself but to comment on some of this. Now VinCENT you know I know & love you so please don't take this as me ragging on you or Randall it just seems like people are perpetuating the problems & not looking out for the next guy/gal.

Second, Randall and I did not get Wrist Bands and that could have caused a problem entering the track on Sunday.

I wonder why you didn't ask for your wrist bands? Surely by now you know you need them right? (Yes I've worked in that damn busy box & those that are in there are only human & can use all the help and reminders they can get! Not to mention the fact that they are volunteers too! Without them we wouldn't even have a meet)

The COurse condition, no one checked anything until we told Tanya that the bike "HIT" SOmething than bent the RIm and Smashed the pipes and ripped the fairing out from under the bike and left a mark on the rear tire.

THEN they stated that Randall had take out a patch. After the Meet was over, we went to see where this happened and all of the lose conctrete was still laying there with large pieces over the course. We picked up about 7 or 8 pieces and threw them in the weeds and like I said, Randall kept a large piece.

Now I would be really surprised if Tonya was working shut down so I have to ask why Randall didn't stop on the track or at the track shut down person to let them know something was on the track? What if the next bike hit what Randall kicked up? Surely he had to feel that he hit something on the track that should have been checked right then & there?

About the Cone in the Middle of the Course. I do not know if it was discussed in Rider's meeting because I was not there at that time. I know that Dan told me that Chad had to let off and go around it and they way he told me was that it was there in error. SO When I made my run, no one told me that it was there as a marker for a Hole or "Something" and surprise surprise it was there when I made my runs. Of course I told Randall that it was there which threw him off the line I told him to take. (Start to the left of the line, over to the right side of the line at the turn on to the main runway and as you near 1/2 track, go over the ridge in the concrete to the left side again (This is not about time but speed so you want to use as much distance as possible and be on the smooth part as possible) and stay there through the timers and then under breaking about 1/2 way down the 1st shut down ease left through the 2 patches of Asphalt over to the right side of the line until slowed enough to make the turn or as Bergie does, go straight and turn around in the second shut down and came back out. You do not want to do long because on the return road where they Blow up the airplanes, scrap pieces and cut a tire.

Again, why are we not notifying the shut down person or stopping on the track to let someone know there is something on the track? Why are we passing on from one racer to the next, hey, there's a cone on the track that you need to drive around? What the hell is going on there? Geeze!  


Deb  

[RansomT]

Vincent, I feel your pain. I lost an engine last season due to an overheated fuel pump and/or injector.  I've also delt with the "weather" and track conditions this year.  But the way I look at it, if I make it home un-hurt, I can always ride another day.

[TRNorBRN6001]

Dude, Bike issues no worries, but getting bucked at 190+ because of
track issues is just not right.

[narider]

Dude, Bike issues no worries, but getting bucked at 190+ because of
track issues is just not right.

It's all volunteers that keep the track in as good as condition as it is(which is much better IMO then most care to admit), and you have the right and ability to help decrease it's issues by showing up early.
Glad to hear everyone is safe, it's raicing... and in racing there's a certain amount of risk involved. There have been a few hairy moments in the past of course, but we're forgetting to mention the previous 20,000+ runs(no, that's not an exageration) that proved succesful enough to get Maxton tlaked about on this and many other boards as well as gain some of the highest speeds in the world. Hell, is it any worse then runnning in rutted dirt or loose salt?
TD

[austxbusa]

It might be kind of far for you East coasters, but none of those crazy worries at the Texas mile.  Potholes, patches, dodging cones??!!!!!! No concerns like that down here.

[VincentHill]

Debbie I know that you are 100%  and will answer 100%.

Wrist Bands, I did not see any when I was at the stand and did not realize or even think about it until I was entering the track Sunday. Remember this is the FIrst race for us under the new ownership and all new rules. Clases We had run last year are out, so who knows for sure? I do not give the orders I just follow them and do not argue about them either.

Randall just went through the ride of his life. He has no idea of what the Hell 0 happened and pulls into the Tech Lane still shaking. All he knows is he almost lost the bike and felt like he hit something.

#1 We are told that Randall had a Flat tire but saved it. The people in the corner call it in that Randall had a problem which is maybe a Flat tire. All Randall knows to do is get the bike back to us to find out what happened. He does not know if he has hit an object, a Hole, an Animal or a part came off the bike and he ran over it or what! He knows that the Bike has a problem and that someone need to see what happened so he stops in Tech.

#2, We rush to see him and the Bike and see the fairing torn off on the right side as we pull up and ask what happened (He states thatit felt like he hit something and the bike stood up on the front wheel and it hit hard as it landed and then he bounced over it and almost got thrown off)

#3, I am on the ground looking to see what we need to do to get him back out and see the primary tubes for cyl 2 & 3 smashed flat and realize right there that he is not going back out. Then someone sees the bent front Rim and then we see the white marks on the rear tire.

Right there I know that it is serious. Randall has yet to get off the bike and is still collecting himself. I immediately go to Tanya and tell her that Randall hit something very serious because it Bent the rim and smashed the pipes. She calls out on the course and they stop the racing to look and call back that Randall has taken out a patch and that the course is now OK and resume racing.

After the Racing is over, "WE" Go to see the place this happens and see the lose pieces of patch still sitting there and parts of the patch in the line on the course. We pick up the pieces and throw them in the grass and take a piece with us along with a part of the bike we find.

I think he could not have done better than what he did because he was in no postion to evaluate what the course needed or what he needed


Last, the CONE on the track. Again, I "MISSED" Rider's meeting. Seeing that the cone was visible from the Tower, I felt that it had been placed there for a reason (A Bigger Hole) that had not been patched. SInce no one seemed concerned about it, I thanked Dan for telling me and I told Randall.

Debbie, Randall has been to Maxton a total of 3 times. 3 runs to get his B license Last Year and In October he made 3 more passes and ran 199.2 and then His first Pass Yesterday. He knows to stop on the right if the Bike is hurt and on the left if he is hurt. He knows if he sees a Muffler or something on the course to tell the people in Shut Down. Please try to understand just one thing here Randall Saw NOTHING! If he had, then he would have avoided it. The patch slipped out when his front wheel under braking and pushed it out, then he hit the hole left by the missing patch. The Bike then ran over the Patch and Smashed the underside of the bike and almost threw him off twice at close to 190 MPH. WHAT WAS HE GOING TO TELL ANYONE WHEN HE DID NOT KNOW WHAT HAPPENED UNTIL AFTER WE LOOKED AT THE BIKE AND THEY INSPECTED THE COURSE AND FOUND THE PATCH MISSING??

I am not sure of even what I would have done if anything differently? The people in Shut down, how would they know what is anything was missing on the bike never having seen the bike before? The bike was running fine to bring him back to the Pits except he heard something dragging which may have been weeds

I like Maxton and know the surface conditions which is fine for myself, I just never thought about the fact that they could hurt anyone other than myself. Stupid I know, but that is how I think. As long as it is me, that is fine but for others, I am more careful! The truth is the truth and I did what I said and what I said happened because I was on the outside looking in this time. Randall only has our word on what happened because he still does not know what happened from his own knowledge.

[landracing]

I am having a hard time figuring out how you bottom out from braking hard enough from 190 mph to hit the pipes???
Surley Bud busa is doing 60 mph faster and never had a problem bottoming out and I figure they are on the brakes pretty damn hard.

Was the bike lowered considerable for the event??

Could you have a flat tire??? Before the run???

I dont know, cant wait for Guthrie to analyze this for us.


Jon

[THE ICE MAN]

#1Was there a pot hole in the track?
If so, and the rider hit it, then I blew the tire out, bent the rim and bike went a couple feet in the air then bike wieght with rider wieght surely would have bottomed out suspension and bent header tubes.
#2 Then again the bike could have hit a chunk of concrete blew the tire,
bent the rim and passed under the bike hitting and crushing the header tubes and lodging itself between the bike and the ground forcing the bike a foot into the air and or as it went under the bike after it crushed the headers then he ran it over with the  back tire kicking the bike up in the rear!
I say #2  I have had the bike jump off he groung 6-8" after running something over

[landracing]

I heard reports that there was something flapping in the wind under the bike BEFORE all the other stuff happened.....

Jon

[TRNorBRN6001]

I  have never been to Maxton, nor do I know anything about what it's like to run on the salt or dirt.

I do understand there are inherant dangers in racing, but there also has
to be a set of checks and balances for safety. Track safety is of the utmost
importance. I am sure every year the track degrades even further and these will be issues you all will have to iron out.

Good luck all, hopefully a complete donated re-surfacing.    

[VincentHill]

I am having a hard time figuring out how you bottom out from braking hard enough from 190 mph to hit the pipes???
Surley Bud busa is doing 60 mph faster and never had a problem bottoming out and I figure they are on the brakes pretty damn hard.

Was the bike lowered considerable for the event??

Could you have a flat tire??? Before the run???

I dont know, cant wait for Guthrie to analyze this for us.


Jon

Me Either! Scott saw the Bike.

The section of patch is about 2 feet wide all of the way across to section of Concrete and about 2 to 3 inches thick. The part he removed was about 1 foot wide which left the depression the front tire went through and is where "I" think the the bike bottomed out when it hit the edge in front of the bike. The bike has about 4 inches of ground clearance and about 3 inches of travel and the area he went through was 2 to 3 inches deep (with the patch removed). Remember the underside of the 12 has openings and right where the first one begins is where it is pulled away.

I rode the Bike Saturday and have 100 Pounds Randall and did not "Bottom" out and only on the dirt road between the Taxi way and the start line did I ever Drag anything. (Right front bottom side has a few Scrape marks.)

Both tires lost no air and had 47 PSI before the run and still fully up!. I will post the tire, rim and underside pictures, parts and surface when the Pictures are developed.

[Bergie]

Since I was not there I can only comment on a couple things that I've read.  Please bare with me here...

The cone -I'm still not sure what the real story is with the cone on the course, was it a marker for a hole in the course?  Or misplaced?  If it's a marker, then it should be (and could have been?) announced at the drivers meeting and possibly during the 1st morning session to every driver at the line as a reminder.  

This brings up another point- drivers meetings.  These are held for a reason!  To keep people up to date on last minute issues, including the fact that a cone might be on the course!  It would be a shame to make drivers meeting attendance mandatory but in all seriousness every driver should do whatever is necessary to attend!  


Driver responsibility- If any rider has a "serious incident" on the course, regardless of outcome, it's that drivers responsibility to STOP at the return road station and let an official know to check the course!!  Sure it might hold up the next guy for 5 minutes, but it's a MUST DO!   Maybe the debris was already there from the car wreck, maybe it was not, in any case if you have a serious problem have the courtesy for the next guy in line!  I sure as hell know that if I thought I hit something, I wouldn't want the next person to suffer possibly worse consequences.  Stop and alert someone to check the course.  It takes 5 minutes.  Don't go back to the pits and assume everything is okay.

Wristbands.  No blame to be shed here except upon thyself.  Case in point, I didn't get a wristband last month either but I didn't notice until Sunday morning.  I had no issues getting in the gate as I just told them I raced the day before.  I realize that the VOLUNTEERS can get overwhelmed at the trailer during registration, and it's easy to overlook a wristband with so much shuffling going on.  Fact is that *I* should have realized it before my 1st pass, having been there many times and knowing that I need one, I should have picked up on it too that something was missing and gone right back to the trailer to get one.

[TRNorBRN6001]

A cone in the middle of the course to mark a pot hole?        

Course description: zig zag around, turn around, do a couple loops, turn this way and that, avoid the pot hole and cone in the middle of the course,
You guys are crazy!    

[narider]

Oh yeah, us east coasters like our racing like we like our big city driving(cones, potholes or chuckholes depending on where you're from, pedestrians, animals, etc, etc., throw in a prostitute and we're having fun now) . Ain't no sense in makin it easy ya know.  
Seriously, do you people that haven't been there and ran think that this place would be honored by the speeds it's seen and the teams that have ran there(for a simple little one mile concrete track) if it were not for the organization and the people that make it what it is(it's not the concrete that makes it one of the best places to race in the world IMO). Come run down the track and if you like it give a hand, everyone that helps volunteer gets closer to getting the track in better shape. Or maybe you have a friend with a concrete company and $250,000(or whatever it would cost) to blow on concrete(i personally hope it doesn't get asphalted).
  I say come and run, pick your line, and if there's anything in need of repair on your line then fix it.
Good post Bergie
TD

[VincentHill]

Driver responsibility- If any rider has a "serious incident" on the course, regardless of outcome, it's that drivers responsibility to STOP at the return road station and let an official know to check the course!! Sure it might hold up the next guy for 5 minutes, but it's a MUST DO! Maybe the debris was already there from the car wreck, maybe it was not, in any case if you have a serious problem have the courtesy for the next guy in line! I sure as hell know that if I thought I hit something, I wouldn't want the next person to suffer possibly worse consequences. Stop and alert someone to check the course. It takes 5 minutes. Don't go back to the pits and assume everything is okay.

Bergie, This all "ASSUMES" one thing, that you "Know" what happened? He still does not know what happened except for what we figured out. He was knocked around pretty good on that ride and is not the "EXPERIENCED" person like you are. If he had gone down and was Knocked out, I guess he would still be responsible for telling the people what happened. He just went through and Emergency and used everything he had in him to save it. I think that the People in Tech (Where he took the bike), Dan and others plus myself had to figure it out because it took a while for us to go over the bike and figure it out.

I was doing OK with this until I went back out on the course after the racing and found a piece of the bike and then a large piece of the patch "IN THE LINE" and all of the loose pieces still sitting in the place where the bike hit the patch ready to fly out and get more people. SO even stopping the race and checking the course did NO DAMMED GOOD EITHER! SO do not blame Randall for not stopping at the Turn out. Because when they knew and "Checked it all out" the pieces of patch were still on the course. I have a piece at home want to see it? I will send a picture to post of it also in my hand.

No disagreement what you say about the wrist Band except it had never happened before because I was never allowed to leave without it ever. Old people have no memory it is the Young people that need to look out for us!

[Quijinn]

I am just curious was the course walked or checked out after the car wrecked? I dont know much about it, but in drag raceing when a car eats it they check the whole track for parts, oil and damage before they open it up, takes up to a hour. So I am just wondering if this was done, a car slideing might have caused a track issue. I have a hard time imagining a bike pulling up that large of a patch area, I guess its possible, but seems hard to imagine.

[SPEED KING]

Vincent like I said today when I called you, I am glad Randall is fine and the bike can be repaired...and remember to cut those tires prior to tossing them so they cannot be used in the future..

Also glad John Beckett sp? is fine also.

LSR boys and girls need to support each other...Vince and Randall did for the most part the right thing..

Lets hope the "track" can be repaired to a standard better then it has been in the past.

J