Drag racer Scott Kalitta dies after crash

woodie1

Diamond Member
Mar 7, 2000
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Just got this message and thought some of you would be interested. A sad day.

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Scott Kalitta, a two-time former NHRA Top Fuel champion and one of just 14 drivers to have won in both of the NHRA's nitro categories, died Saturday as the result of injuries suffered in a qualifying accident at Old Bridge Township Raceway Park in Englishtown, New Jersey, during the running of the Lucas Oil NHRA SuperNationals. He was 46.
The Palmetto, Florida, resident's engine exploded short of the finish line and his car continued at high speed, eventually striking a wall at the end of the track and launching into the air. NHRA emergency services officials removed Kalitta from the car and transported him Old Bridge Township Hospital, where he was later pronounced dead.
Kalitta, the son of legendary Top Fuel and Funny Car racer Connie Kalitta, began his career in Alcohol Dragsters ...

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Iron Woode

Elite Member
Super Moderator
Oct 10, 1999
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very sad and very rare for a driver to die like that.

those vehicles are among the safest race cars in the world.
 

woodie1

Diamond Member
Mar 7, 2000
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Originally posted by: Iron Woode
very sad and very rare for a driver to die like that.

those vehicles are among the safest race cars in the world.

So true. After John Force's last crash and the millions he spent in R & D to increase safety in the sport this is a really sad day. Be interesting to see what we learn from this.
 

Kadarin

Lifer
Nov 23, 2001
44,296
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youtube link of the accident (warning: disturbing)

:momentofsilence;
rose.gif
 

Homer Simpson

Senior member
Oct 10, 1999
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sad news. what i was surprised about was the lack of shutdown area at the end of the track. it looked like a shorter that average shutdown area and an almost non-existent sand pit before some giant concrete barriers. wtf were there concrete barriers at the end of the track?
 

mooseracing

Golden Member
Mar 9, 2006
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Originally posted by: woodie1
Originally posted by: Iron Woode
very sad and very rare for a driver to die like that.

those vehicles are among the safest race cars in the world.

So true. After John Force's last crash and the millions he spent in R & D to increase safety in the sport this is a really sad day. Be interesting to see what we learn from this.

Not just Force's last crash, his teamates death as well. His name escapes me right now, but he is the one that died from his head shaking to much in the car.

 

YoungGun21

Platinum Member
Aug 17, 2006
2,546
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My cousin just got a job working on Kalitta's team about 3 wks ago. I believe this was his 2nd race he had been at.
 

M0oG0oGaiPan

Diamond Member
Dec 7, 2000
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digitalgamedeals.com
Originally posted by: Homer Simpson
sad news. what i was surprised about was the lack of shutdown area at the end of the track. it looked like a shorter that average shutdown area and an almost non-existent sand pit before some giant concrete barriers. wtf were there concrete barriers at the end of the track?

i think someone posted in offtopic that this was an older track which wasn't designed for the speeds of these newer cars that hit 300mph.
 

Vetterin

Senior member
Aug 31, 2004
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Originally posted by: M0oG0oGaiPan
Originally posted by: Homer Simpson
sad news. what i was surprised about was the lack of shutdown area at the end of the track. it looked like a shorter that average shutdown area and an almost non-existent sand pit before some giant concrete barriers. wtf were there concrete barriers at the end of the track?

i think someone posted in offtopic that this was an older track which wasn't designed for the speeds of these newer cars that hit 300mph.

The track opened in 1965, has a 2600' shut down length and one of the shortestt sand pits on the curcuit.
 

Toastedlightly

Diamond Member
Aug 7, 2004
7,213
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I have a friend who drag races (granted, he gets into the 11 seconds, not the 4s and 5s), but it is mellowing to know what a single problem can do.
 

cardiac

Platinum Member
Oct 9, 1999
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Video is no longer on Youtube as it says it's due to "Copyright violation from NHRA/ESPN)..

Anyone know where another video is?