Back to A Familiar Beast

The date is October 12, 2003. In what was suppose to be a thrilling, five-way fight for the championship, ended just a few laps shy of the scheduled distance and with a veteran driver heading to hospital not knowing what the future held for he and his family. A driver is crowned champion, a decorated driver retires in victory lane celebrating a final victory and a young, future champion wins rookie of the year.

The date is October 16, 2011. In what was suppose to be a thrilling, two-way fight for the championship, ends after only 13 laps. A driver is crowned champion, a decorated driver appears to have raced for the final time and that rookie of the year has gone to join Ayrton Senna, Dale Earnhardt and Greg Moore at the great racetrack in the sky.

Kenny Bräck's accident at the end of the final race of the 2003 season raised some eyebrows about IndyCars racing on the high-banked, one and a half mile racetracks. The term "Death Race 2000" was labeled to these races. Bräck would battle back from the injuries he sustained that day to race in the 2005 Indianapolis 500, where he was the fastest qualifier. On September 11, 2005, another accident into the catch fence occurred. This time at Chicagoland Speedway with Ryan Briscoe getting into the back of Alex Barron and leaving Briscoe with broken clavicles and a bruised lung. He would return to racing the following season, running four races for Dreyer & Reinbold as well as the final two ChampCar races of that 2006 season for RuSport. We arrive finally to the day where "Death Race 2000" went from a playful label to reality at Las Vegas Motor Speedway last October with the fatal accident of Dan Wheldon.

Texas, Chicagoland and Las Vegas are all one and a half mile racetracks with 18 degrees of banking or more. Each of these three tracks has the tendency to produce large, pack racing with IndyCars which leaves many holding there breath all race long. The question is how can this pack racing be prevented? On the automotive side you can reduce downforce by removing the wings and turning up the turbo levels to increase power. The one thing I look at though is the track itself. Take Kentucky Speedway for example. It is a one and a half mile racetrack like the others but never really produced pack racing to the degree of the other three. The amount of bank at Kentucky is only 14 degrees. Same when IndyCar raced at Kansas Speedway The pack racing was not as severe and that track has 15 degrees of banking. Finally look at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. Not now but before it was renovated. It is still a mile and a half but the banking in the turns was only 9 degrees then and not the 20 degrees as it is now. The racing was fine when ChampCar raced there in 2004 and 2005. There was no pack racing and the races were exciting.

Why shouldn't the racetracks lower there banking? Well, these tracks were not built for the general safety of all forms of racing. They were built for NASCAR. With that said, shouldn't a track make sure it is safe for all series that race there? Yes it should. We can change the cars all we want but if the track is still producing dangerous pack racing and getting cars airborne into the catch fence then something else has to be changed. Jackie Stewart fought and continues fighting to make racing safer. With help from Professor Sid Watkins, Formula One was made much safer and better prepared for accidents. I have no problem if drivers such as Oriol Servia, Dario Franchitti and Tony Kanaan voice that they feel the track is unsafe. A track should not just stand and shrug it's shoulders when a problem occurs. If the drivers feel changes must be made for the safety of the drivers then do not ignore there calls. Act because they are speaking up to protect there lives and the lives of their competitors.

To be honest, I do no thing the banking has to be this high. There has been great racing on tracks with 12-15 degrees of banking. Will this be the last time IndyCar races as Texas Motor Speedway? I hope not because it draws a great crowd, however if they leave I would be relieved. If Texas Motor Speedway and the drivers could compromise on such things as the banking and the catch fence, that would be great. Sadly though I see one side not willing to make a change and I will give you a hint on who I think it is, they would be in a race car on Saturday night.