Be careful out there (freak accident this weekend)

September 04, 2018, 09:22 AM

A good friend of mines son had a freak accident pulling into the staging lanes at our home track this past weekend. (The staging lanes are directly behind the burnout area.) As he pulled up first car in line in his dragster, a piece of debris (3/8 heim joint) was kicked up by a car in the burnout and struck him in the head above his left eye.

He was taken by ambulance to Baltimore shock trauma where he spent the weekend and underwent surgery yesterday to repair his eye socket and multiple skull fractures.

We all take so much for granted in this sport. We talk about proper safety equipment (on track) all the time but then something crazy like this happens to remind us how dangerous this sport really is, even when not going down track.

Please be safe out there and keep Robbie Hamilton in your prayers. He is home now recovering and can't wait to get back out there and race.

September 04, 2018, 09:28 AM

Cashflow

Really sorry to hear this. Years ago at Amarillo some one left a wrench on the wing of a T/F car. The wrench vibrated off and the subsequent burnout stuck it in the radiator of the El Camino push car.

I used to put my hands up in front of my face but now I just duck my head. I figure the helmet will stop most anything. Our friend Max Tafoya got hit really hard in Denver on his hand with a rock from a burnout.

Bottom line, be careful out there. Oh yeah, prayers sent!

September 04, 2018, 02:31 PM

fivecentcharlie

I've made it a point to never stand behind a car doing a burnout. Got peppered in the leg with some small rocks one time, no damage, just stung like hell. Since then, I try to always be off to the side or have something/somebody between me and the box. Hope your buddy is okay.

September 04, 2018, 02:44 PM

TomR

He will make a full recovery.

What happened couldn't be avoided and safety gear would never come into play. He was just pulling into the lanes for his first time run of the day. Fortunately, he was able to put the car in park and shut it off before getting out of it.

I'm sure there are plenty of stories of people getting hit with stuff. Surprised there aren't more injuries with the wall of people standing around the cars at No Prep events and grudge races.

September 04, 2018, 02:45 PM

RPROGAS

Sorry to hear about your friend. As Charlie said be careful where you stand when there is a car in the water box. The area around the water box and starting line can be a very dangerous place.

Hope that he recovers soon with no lasting effects.

Bob

September 04, 2018, 03:02 PM

wideopen231

Hope he recovers fully.

I guess age and being around and seeing so many stupid things happen you just notice them more. Always watch car doing burnout because have seen few things happen,that are totally non expected to be. Seen crew member hit in hand and broke finger from rock off slick. Few others have seen. I am sure I have been looking somewhere when should have looked else where and just got lucky myself.

Something that in noway could he control got him bad.Hopefully turns out to be a once at the track bench race story he tells for many years.

September 04, 2018, 04:08 PM

sammy christian

luckily, there aren't many ****hole tracks still operating with the burnout directly in front of staging lane(oh . . .Indy and VMP!)
Does this track ever sweep?

September 04, 2018, 06:03 PM

Tom H

First year i was in a dragster I was behind the guy in the burnout box, got a rock in the shoulder that hurt just enough to make sure i have my helmet on with the visor down if i am at that track. This track is a national track that takes very good care of the burnout box. Doesn't stop rocks from shaking loose off the car doing the burnout.

September 04, 2018, 06:26 PM

Mike MacBrair

quote:
Originally posted by Tom Reyer:
He will make a full recovery.

What happened couldn't be avoided and safety gear would never come into play. He was just pulling into the lanes for his first time run of the day. Fortunately, he was able to put the car in park and shut it off before getting out of it.

I'm sure there are plenty of stories of people getting hit with stuff. Surprised there aren't more injuries with the wall of people standing around the cars at No Prep events and grudge races.

Good driver and a tough kid right there to secure a running race car after being hit that hard!

September 04, 2018, 06:46 PM

Bucky

Byron has staging lanes behind the burnout box. With small walls behind the burnout box. Pull around the wall, back into the box.

September 04, 2018, 08:07 PM

J178RED

I hope he is ok , tough to go through something like this...

My home track has car in the lanes right behind the burnout box. I hang way back. A new windshield is pricey and being hit by a rock is no fun, been there and got the t shirt (blood washed out).......

September 05, 2018, 08:57 AM

TomR

quote:
robbiehamilton12 It’s hard to believe that this little rodend almost took my life this weekend at capital, after pulling up to the staging lanes I was sitting in my dragster and suddenly got struck in the head by this piece of hardware after someone was doing a burnout and it got kicked off there tire. I Immediately was bleeding profusely from my nose and head, and had to be rushed to shock trauma. I had a hole in my skull the size of a golf ball, multiple skull fractures and a fractured sinus cavity but luckily no brain damage. They estimated that it hit me in the head at over 100mph and if it had hit just a couple inches to the right it would have killed me. Just got out of surgery yesterday and they fixed my hole with a titanium piece and lots of stitches. Just wanted to say thank you to all the thoughts and prayers and everyone that was at the track that day that helped me before and after the first responders got there. I will keep everyone up to date on how I’m doing, thank you all

September 05, 2018, 09:02 AM

Cashflow

Get well Robbie, we're all pulling for ya bud!!

September 05, 2018, 11:31 AM

Big Steve

The FB post from Robbie

https://www.facebook.com/photo...96131&type=3&theater

September 05, 2018, 04:35 PM

Edd Harney

quote:
Originally posted by sammy christian:
luckily, there aren't many ****hole tracks still operating with the burnout directly in front of staging lane(oh . . .Indy and VMP!)
Does this track ever sweep?

True about Indy but cars in staging are offset (inside) of the cars doing burnouts.

September 06, 2018, 12:10 AM

J178RED

quote:
Originally posted by sammy christian:

Does this track ever sweep?

As soon as I saw the Facebook picture I wondered how the track could’ve missed that sitting in the burnout box , I thought every track had personnel maintaining the burnout box. Sad somebody had to get hurt just because someone was not there to see it ....

September 06, 2018, 08:52 AM

TORQIN

This kind of thing is possible weekly at the racetracks we all attend. Thank god the gentleman is ok and I and many others hope for a speedy recovery.

The burnout box is a place of danger, like it or not. Please be careful in the vicinity of and especially behind it.

If you see a potential problem don't hesitate to go to an official (QUICKLY) who may have missed it...you may safe someone's life by doing so.

September 06, 2018, 10:16 AM

TomR

quote:
Originally posted by J178RED:
quote:
Originally posted by sammy christian:

Does this track ever sweep?

As soon as I saw the Facebook picture I wondered how the track could’ve missed that sitting in the burnout box , I thought every track had personnel maintaining the burnout box. Sad somebody had to get hurt just because someone was not there to see it ....

I have raced at a lot of tracks over the years. I can not put blame on the personnel at this track. They are the very best I have ever seen. They are meticulous and extremely professional from start to finish.

I mean that from the heart, the best I have ever seen.

September 06, 2018, 03:48 PM

ferndaleflyer

I won't go that far Tom but thats a pretty dedicated bunch that works there. I knew Rob and Suzie long before Robbie came along. Saw him in a Jr and was there talking to his Mom when he made his first pass in a big car. This is a good family dedicated to the sport we love. Darn shame. Hope he recovers well and the rest of us learn from this. Hard to imagine a hiem joint comes off a car and the car went down the track and no one saw it on the ground. Must have been a hairy ride.....

September 06, 2018, 05:06 PM

jimv245

I had a friend get hit standing by the waterbox by a piece of flywheel in the foot. Required several surgeries. Luckily he recovered with no permanent damage, but lots of scars