RTJ49
Beltsville, MD 20705
Senior Member
Joined: 06/02/2003
View Profile
 Offline
|
Hi,
This is a sad day. Thoughts and prayers for Scott, and his family.
RTJ49
1997 U320 Foretravel 450 Cummins
1998 Ford Explorer
Our Foretravel
|
jcapps
Not a senior just a
Senior Member
Joined: 08/18/2004
View Profile
|
looks like he never slowed down and the sand trap was way too short. The car disintegrated at head on impact with a k rail
"The great challenge of adulthood is holding on to your idealism after you lose your innocence."
– Bruce Springsteen
"This ain't the practice round"
- a friend
.jpg)
|
8.1 Van
Millstone NJ
Senior Member
Joined: 03/20/2008
View Profile
Offline
|
I remember how happy Scott was when we were looking at a bunch of old Hot Rod and Drag Racing magazine that I had from the 60's with his dad Connie featured in them so I gave him the whole box back in 1985 at Englishtown.The whole Drag Racing family will miss him.
Scott with his dad Connie in the 90's at Englishtown.
FKA PSDExcursion
2002 Chevy Express LS 3500 8.1 155" WB passenger van 3.73 posi (GT4/G80)
41 Ft 2003 Thor Citation 41-ZBSR TT w/ Hensley Arrow
|
sctusa
Davie, Fl.
Senior Member
Joined: 07/07/2003
View Profile
Offline
|
jcapps wrote:looks like he never slowed down and the sand trap was way too short. The car disintegrated at head on impact with a k rail
Some of the other drivers interviewed mentioned the fact that with the increased speeds NHRA has not increased the run off area at many of the strips. Supposedly there was a catch net at the end of the strip. With the parachutes not working correctly with the fire after the motor blew near the speed trap, there was no way to slow the car enough.
I can remember as a kid back in the sixties in Miami, watching a rail where the chute did not deploy. Back then the top speeds were around 200 mph. At the end of the strip, a deserted airfield, there was a levee and then a canal and another levee on the other side of the canal.
There were some cattails before the first levee and this rail hit them and then the levee and went airborn.
The safety crew figured that the rail went into the canal and that is where they were looking, when the driver crawled up over the levee on the far side.
He was bruised some, but otherwise unhurt.
Scott
2005 Dodge 3500 4X2 HO CTD Dually 6 Speed
2005 Springdale 266RELL GL
Reese HP Dual Cam
Prodigy BC
2 Honda EU2000i's
2 Lifeline 31 Series AGM 12V RV Batts
2006 Harley XL1200R
SP 2610 GPS
26" Samsung LCD HD TV
|
CatandJim
Tulsa, as in Oklahoma
Senior Member
Joined: 08/23/2004
View Profile
|
What a horrible accident!
My condolences to the Kalitta family, friends, and NHRA fans.
Cat
(Jim just reads the forum once in a while)
Be kinder than necessary because everyone you meet is fighting some sort of battle....
Live simply, love wholly, give generously, care deeply, speak kindly.
Our toys: Sunline T2499 & ProCraft Fish & Ski
|
|
|
8.1 Van
Millstone NJ
Senior Member
Joined: 03/20/2008
View Profile
Offline
|
BTW after winning the NASCAR race last night Carl Edwards mentioned the news about Scott Kalitta and refused to do a backflip like he always does after winning.
|
Cloud Dancer
San Antonio and Livingston TX USA
Senior Member
Joined: 06/08/2001
View Profile
|
The first explosion must've been the engine. The second must've been the fuel tank.
NHRA banned the addition of hydrozene to nitro for fear of this type of engine explosion,.....what's next?
I personally know the Kalitta guys, Connie/Scott/Doug, and used to hang out in their racecar fab shop at Willow Run airport (back when I was flying freight out of there).
My prayers go out to the family.
Willie & Betty Sue
Miko & Sparky
2003 41 ft Dutch Star Diesel Pusher/Spartan
Floorplan 4010
Blazer toad & Ranger bassboat
|
michcruiser60
Michigan Water Wonderland
Senior Member
Joined: 01/14/2006
View Profile
|
Sad news. My prayers will include the Kalitta family.
2001 GMC Sierra 2500HD 8.1/Allison 4x4
1964 Ander-ett 16' TT
Please check out my profile...
"The camera always adds 10 lbs. So the trailer's not over weight."
|
Ultralife
West Coast, USA
Senior Member
Joined: 12/13/2002
View Profile
Offline
|
Very sad indeed to lose anyone. Sorry to see it happen.
If you look at the accident in pause frames it looked like the first explosion occured as he crossed the finish line and the chutes were deployed and the car appeared to slowing. A still at the finish line showed the top of the body going away and the nose dislodged. in the last few frames of the video show the last explosion at the catch fence. Just beyond that one can see a camera platform lift at or near the end of the sand trap with the platform extended above the center. The last couple of frames show the platform swaying up and down.
Do you think any real details will be released following an investigation?
Where you are is where your at!
2002 Beaver Monterey 38' DP 330HP Cat
2002 New Beetle "Silver Bullet" Turbo Sport (Manual 5-speed)
Blue OX tow bar and base plate
Who says AZ summers are hot???
Don and Pat
|
8.1 Van
Millstone NJ
Senior Member
Joined: 03/20/2008
View Profile
Offline
|
Quote:This news hits the Australian drag racing fraternity very hard, as Kallita had competed in Australia.
He raced a top fuel dragster at Western Sydney International Dragway during the 2006 and 2007 USA Boxing Day Top Fuel Invasion events, winning on both occasions.
His qualifying time of 4.517 seconds, topping 535.62kmh last year at WSID, set Australian records for speed and time in a one-off run, and the top-speed mark still stands as the national record in ANDRA Championship Drag Racing.
"The news of Scott's passing has shaken me up as much as any tragedy has," said Jim Read, chairman of the Western Sydney International Dragway board.
"Scott, like his father Connie and his cousin Doug, is passionate about drag racing. As everyone knows, we had Scott and a lot of the Kalitta team here in Sydney, and we got to know Scott's wife and kids. I really struggle to find the words to say how devastated I feel about this news."
The Sydney Morning Herald
|
|
|
