Time to Rethink IMSA Safety Team

Risi Competizione team manager Dave Sims is advocating IMSA brings back the full time
safety team. Interesting article.

Viewpoints - PRUETT: Time to rethink IMSA's safety team

BHW

 

Personally, I think it's a good idea.

But, of course, it's an increased cost to IMSA, and they may not have the budget for it.

CW

 

I've known and worked in the past with Beaky, he has been there, done that. Someone like him should be in some high position within IMSA. A strong and true perspective, let's hope they do something.

 

I wonder what the budget IS for a man's life?

 

Ultimately, the money has to come from somewhere, and IMSA's owners and organizers are trying to make a profit for themselves at the end of the day, too. Call it a moral hazard problem, if you like, but there's only so much $ coming in, and a dedicated, traveling safety team means more $ going out.

As far as I'm concerned, IMSA is the apex sports car series. It should be run accordingly. That doesn't mean without regard to expense or blank-check, though. And, with the increased number of races on the calendar due to the merging of the series, it just means even more $. Even the competitors cite that as a factor in their own budgetary considerations.

I also think your comment is a bit unfair. I'm sure no one wants to have a fatality or a total equipment loss, but racing is also a game of risks. Each driver and team owner knows that when the car goes out on track there's a possibility it and the driver won't come back in one piece. Or at all, sometimes. Safety is important, but, as in all things, there are also diminishing returns.

I'm not advocating for unreasonable risk-taking. I'm just suggesting that it can always be argued that more should be done. Despite everything that's already being done. IMO, what's being done is sub-optimal and could be improved. I agree with Sims. As a driver, I'd feel much better about getting into the car if I knew those guys personally and had a laugh over a beer with them. I'd at least have some level of camaraderie with them and know they'd do everything in their power to save my neck. As opposed to some crew that I've never met and have no idea what their levels of competency are.

CW

 

I agree on the safety especially after watch last year's LeMans

Couldn't they radio directions to the crew doing safety on where to shut things off when they get there?

 

CART (Simple Green) and IndyCar (Holmatro) have managed to find sponsorship for their safety programs. IMSA, and NASCAR, can do the same.

IMO this is a case where the NASCAR influence is obvious...they are just offloading their legal liability to the tracks/promoters/local SCCA workers/ambulance and fire crews.

which is silly since ultimately the France family owns most of the tracks too...

 

In time, IMSA might be able to do the same. Maybe that should have been handled earlier in the process. But, it's also a tough economy out there, and it won't happen over night.

Agreed. This is, at least in part, an effort to limit IMSA's liability. In addition to the cost of establishing, training, equipping and transporting the crew and gear, though, there is also the cost of setting up the separate corporation (not big) and insuring it (much bigger, I'd think).

CW

 

IIRC, there was mention of this post-Sebring when it seemed none of the corner marshals
could seem to figure out who was supposed to do what with regard to the Viper fire incident.

A colleague informed me later that the call is made from race control above the track by
someone watching TV monitors and that the track side marshals were instructed to stand
down and wait for the fire truck to arrive which was parked over a mile away.

The same colleague said that NASCAR is looking to replace flag marshals with a lights system
also run from race control. Whether this is all true or not remains to be seen.

But, what NASCAR has to know is that running a sports car race on a road course is different
than running a roudy-round race.

With NASCAR's know-how to get sponsorship for anything big enough to put a decal on, it
would seem the full-time safety team would be a first priority and would be fully funded.
Hopefully, Sims continues to pursue this and gets the full backing of everyone in the paddock.

BHW