Motorsports
NASCAR's priority: end rear-safety fires
Compiled from Times wires
© St. Petersburg Times
published July 22, 2003
NASCAR's research and development team is working to find a solution to rear-impact fires.
Gary Nelson, NASCAR's managing director of competition, said he'd like to introduce some safety-related changes before next week, but that isn't likely to happen.
"You never say never, but I really can't say there's something coming," he said.
Nelson, who manages the engineers at NASCAR's research facility in Concord, N.C., said preventing fires is his top priority.
"Fire extinguishing is at the top today," he said.
Many drivers are calling for rear fire extinguishers for their cars after Bobby Labonte's car erupted in flames during the July 13 race at Chicagoland Speedway. Labonte was not injured in the fire that occurred after his car backed into the wall.
Ryan Newman, Dale Jarrett and Ken Schrader have had similar incidents this season, though none was injured.
On another safety issue, NASCAR recently called on Schrader to test the roof escape hatch it is developing. "To me it's a wonderful improvement, looks fairly easy to implement and it's not complex," Schrader said.
TIRES CONFISCATED: NASCAR confiscated four tires from Johnny Sauter's car after Saturday's Busch series race and sent them to North Carolina for chemical analysis.
Sauter's No. 43 Chevrolet was seized for inspection because its lap times were as fast as the race leaders though he was running in the back of the pack.
NASCAR thoroughly inspected the electrical system, possibly searching for traction control, and the tires were taken. They will be analyzed this week.
Soaking tires in chemicals would make them softer and give the car better grip.
Sauter started 27th and was running in the middle of the pack until he pitted and the car suddenly came to life. He took the lead from Kevin Harvick but made a green-flag pit stop two laps later and was caught on pit road when a caution came back. He later retired with engine problems.
GARAGE GOSSIP: Casey Mears' struggles and car owner Chip Ganassi's reputation for impatience have started a firestorm of speculation that the rookie won't make it past this season.
But Ganassi tried to silence the talk by saying Mears' job is safe.
"He's fine," Ganassi said. "All these rumors are false. Unless he does something stupid, he's going to be here next year."
Mears thanked his boss with a 16th-place finish Sunday, his third top 20 this season.
Mears, the nephew of four-time Indianapolis 500 winner Rick Mears, has an open-wheel background and still is adjusting to the bulkier, heavier Winston Cup cars.
His best finish was 15th in March. He's 34th in the points standings.
Mears is the third driver in as many seasons to drive the No. 41 Dodge, taking over after Jimmy Spencer was fired last year and rookie Jason Leffler the year before.
"Sooner or later I'm going to have to stick with one of these guys for more than a year and see what happens," Ganassi joked.
CHANGING CARS: Justin Wilson, who raised $1.9-million in a share sale to fund his first season in Formula One, has quit cash-strapped Minardi to join the Jaguar Racing team. The 24-year-old rookie will replace Antonio Pizzonia at the Aug.3 German Grand Prix, Minardi spokesman Graham Jones said.
PIT STOPS: Michael Waltrip was black-flagged with six laps to go in Sunday's Winston Cup race because his exhaust pipe was hanging, spoiling what would have been a good finish. He finished 28th and dropped to sixth in the standings. ... Rusty Wallace and Tony Stewart weren't on the best of terms after tangling on the track. ... A piece of sheet metal from Jamie McMurray's car flew into the stands when he hit the wall midway through the race. No one was injured. ... Longtime Dixie Speedway official Corey Haney was killed after he was hit by a race car under caution at the track in Woodstock, Ga. Haney, 42, was working the crossover gate on the backstretch Saturday night when he was hit. He was airlifted to Grady Medical Center in Atlanta and died there.
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