The weekend started off rainy with Friday being a total washout in the rain. There was so much rain and standing water (a lake) on the no-name straight that the group 1 cars could barely make it through!  The water was a good 8 inches deep!!! So, Q1 was run under wet rainy conditions....Q2 later in the day looked like it was going to be dry to just damp.....however with about 2 to 3 minutes to go on the grid, the skyies opened up and the rain came down. A number of drivers including myself left the grid and went back to the trailers to quick mount the rain tires. At the end of the session the qualifying times looked like the following:

SSB

Alan Yankielun Pontiac Solstice
Fred P Mini Cooper S
Richard Cullen Mini Cooper S
Bob Demers Pontiac Solstice
Mark Scharf Mazda Miata

SSC

Joel Lipperini Honda Civic Si
Larry Delude Honda Civic Si
Gary Delea Mazda MP3

For the race the following day the sky was sunny and it was HOT out.  From my seat this is how the race played out. We had a split start with the SM Miatas behind us. The race was clean at the start, Richard C got the lead going into turn one on Fred P with Alan Y and I tucked in behind with Bob Deemers following and Larry Delude in tow .....not sure how the rest of the SSB & SSC cars lined up going into one. A lap or so in Fred P had an off going into one, a few turns later I went up high and Bob Deemers went on by so that he could join the other SSB cars racing.  During the race my mirrors were pretty filled with SM's...pretty much trying to pick lines to let them by without screwing up their race or mine.  Some other noteables during the course of the race.....James McCarthy had a close call spinning coming out of the left hander, narrowly getting missed by me (thank god he locked it up and didnt let it roll across the track - GREAT JOB!!!). Brian Kleeman ran in front of Marty in the Nissan and won despite finishing on 4 cylinders and apparently getting overheated in the driver's seat.  I think Richard C and Alan had the closest battle on the track and Fred shredded his front left tire again on the Mini!!!!....then with 6 laps to go it all went bad.....

David Brand in the Lotus spun in the right-hander going onto the no-name straight.....next through were a few Miatas that were nose to tail, the first went left and the second had no place to go - BAM - head on into the Lotus! The SM Miata of Ken Payson got catapulted into the air and did a complete flip coming to rest on its wheels.  Richard Cullen said he had a front row seat when the car went airbourne. I came though a few seconds later and it was like a war zone...yellow flags waving, corner workers frantically running and waving their arms....then the red flag quickly displayed.

They called the race with 6 laps left on the board in lieu of the accident. Both drivers were transported to medical and believe were taken to the local medical facility in Sharon, CT. Upon leaving the track we were told that the Lotus Driver David Brand was released with no major injuries (except to his wallet). As far as Ken Payson, I am not sure if he was released but indications are that he had suffered a broken neck or back (not a 100% confirmed report). Our prayers are with both drivers for a speed recovery.

So, results as I remember for Showroom Stock are as follows...

Race Results:

SSB

1st Richard Cullen Mini Cooper S
2nd Alan Yankielun Pontiac Solstice
3rd Bob Deemers Pontiac Solstice

SSC

1st Joel Lipperini Honda Civic Si
2nd Larry Delude Honda Civic Si
3rd Gary Delea Mazda MP3

T3 (No Cars Entered)

T2

1st Brian Kleeman Nissan 350z
2nd Marty Grand Mitsu EVO
3rd James McCarthy BMW M3

Here are a bunch of photos from the race. Hope you enjoy them.  See you all next race at Pocono!!!!

FWIW, a perspective from the spactator hill. I did not see the crash. The sound echoed on the hill and everyone started running towards the scene. I was watching with the wife of an SM driver so of course we went to see who was involved. When we got over to no-name Ken was still in the car and seemed at least awake and talking to someone who was leaning in the passenger window. David Brand was already out of the car. There did not appear to be any medical personal on site although it was hard to tell who was who. At least there was no ambulance or other medical vehicle on site. Ken was in the car for at least 5-10 minutes again with no ambulance on site.

Ken exited the car somewhat under his own power meaning that two workers helped him out of the window. No helmet. He stood leaning next to the car for several more minutes with his head in his hands. There was nobody attempting to stabilize his head or neck. He was just leaning there and appeared shaken. When the ambulance finally did come Ken sat on the stretcher very slowly but mostly all under his own power. When reclined his head was stablized and then loaded in.

Others spectators accounts on scene concur with Joel.

Some obversations that I am hoping someone from medical or flagger will answer. If there is even a hint of head or neck injury, wouldn't the head and neck be stabilzed even before taking a driver out of the car? What is the protocol? There were at least 10-12 cars that came up to the corner after the hit and went on through with yellow. Does it really take that long to make the call up to control to get the red flag thrown? There were at least 2 other cars there with damage, albeit small, so it was hard to tell if they came into after or were involved from the start. Also, the ambulance took a LONG time to get on site.

Last, the T2 leader was towed in once the race was called. In there anything in the GCR about having to come in under power or does where you stop on track lock in your finishing position?

I hope both drivers are ok.  My thoughts are with them both.

It has been a very bad season for this kind of stuff.  The first two races of the year I participated in have had two life flights- Ron Valline at Blackhawk in an FF (who is still in a coma from May- please keep him in your thoughts), and Tom Thrash at the June Sprints.  I have to say that I witnessed the incident and response of the track and SCCA workers at Blackhawk and they did a heck of a great job.  Very fast response, and by the book.

Let's make sure that we make our concerns for safety are known with stewards, race-chairs, etc... about quick and appropriate response. When an entry fee is $500, I assume that the racers are paying for proper medical and emergency worker coverage and protection.  The response as reported on here is of concern, and needs to be corrected in the future. 

Good photo from up on the hill!

I do have to say that I came up on the accident pretty soon after it happened...

When I came on the turn the yellow was waving vigorously, there were also a worker on station left indicating that I should stop or slow down...it was an ambiguous arm jesture. I had already slowed to a non-race speed and was looking for workers to direct which side to drive to and looking for a red flag. It was not until I made it to the uphill that the red was thrown.

So in my opinion, other than the one corner worker jesturing there hands in a slow down or pushing her hands out at me indicating a stop (which is not an approved action without a flag) everything ran text book and happened quickly. From the right hander stations to the uphill corner station is only a 10 second or so jaunt in a SSC car.

I say thumbs up to all the Response crews.

FYI - Our photographer indicated that Ken got out with assistance and thenslumped over the hood as though he was in pain or trouble.  Unlike David who jumped from the Lotus and rjogged from the car.

Joel

I am a Co-Chief of F&C for NER and was the Captain at Station 5 on Saturday at Lime Rock, where this incident occurred.  I will try to answer these questions, which are all good ones.

Some obversations that I am hoping someone from medical or flagger will answer. If there is even a hint of head or neck injury, wouldn't the head and neck be stabilzed even before taking a driver out of the car? What is the protocol?

If a driver is unconscious or there is a concern that there is a spinal injury, we (corner workers) leave the driver in the car until medical personnel and other emergency workers arrive to assist in extrication.  If the car is on fire, however, we will attempt to remove the driver from the car.  I did not specifically see either driver getting out of their car, but often drivers get themselves out of their cars before we can stop them from doing so, even when we feel it would be safer if they remained in their vehicles until medical arrived. 

There were at least 10-12 cars that came up to the corner after the hit and went on through with yellow. Does it really take that long to make the call up to control to get the red flag thrown?

That is an emphatic yes.  You say "that long" but really it was only a matter of probably less than half a minute.  This situation unfolded extremely quickly, and I have to say that IMO it was handled very well by all personnel.  This is what happened:  The Lotus spun, I was waving the yellow flag as soon as the spin started.  Multiple cars immediately behind him were able to avoid him.  As soon as he came to a stop facing counter-race, almost directly in front of my station (and my frantically waving yellow flag) I asked the communicator to request Station 4 (at the left-hander) to go waving yellow.  Before that call could even be made Ken impacted the Lotus.  It was unavoidable.  IMMEDIATELY after the impact, we made the emergency call into race control telling them we needed the race stopped (red flag).  Race control needed perhaps 10 seconds to make the decision to stop the race.  The decision to go full-course yellow, red flag or black flag is made by the operating steward in race control, not by the corner workers.  As workers, we know what decision we need them to make, so we try to give them the information they need to make that decision, as quickly as possible.  In this situation, a black flag would not be considered.  The track was almost completely blocked by the cars and the debris (I estimated about 75-80%) and there was significant fluid on the track as well.  We needed to completely stop traffic.  A black flag wouldn't accomplish that, and neither would a full-course yellow.  You rarely see a red flag in a race situation and the stewards need to be sure that they have all the information needed to correctly make that decision.  In this case, this decision was made promptly. 

Also, the ambulance took a LONG time to get on site.

The call for medical (ambulance) is made by the corner workers, and in this case was made in the same breath as the request to stop the race.  At Lime Rock, a medical car with trained EMS personnel is dispatched first when medical is requested.  The EMS personnel then request an ambulance if one is needed.  While it was a long time (or at least seemed like) before the ambulance arrived, EMS personnel were with both drivers almost immediately after the incident occurred.

Last, the T2 leader was towed in once the race was called.

The T2 leader was treated for heat distress by medical at the scene after the long, hot clean-up, which was why his car was towed in.  We distributed water to all the waiting drivers in our sector while cleanup was going on, but he was stopped between 4 and 5 not near a flag station.  He finally drove up to the station requesting water and clearly needed medical attention.

Leigh McBride

I will not be online all week, just saw these posts.  I came on the wreck right after FredP and Kenny came through.  When I came onto no name, Ken's car was up in the air and flipping.  I slowed, went left through the grass and then accelerated when I saw it was clear.  The Red flag was displayed as I went under the bridge.  I was asked to give a witness report as was FredP, and it seemed to me that the incident was handled quite well under the extreme circumstances that occurred. I obviously did not see Ken get out of the car or go to the ambulance, but I think Leigh explained it quite well.  It would be good if people would really try to find out what happened rather than just post stuff here.

I checked wiht Ken's girlfriend after the race, and she said he was really sore and they were keeping him overnight.  I wish Ken a spedy recovery and good racing when he gets back on track.

LD71  [:D]

Thank you Leigh for the reply. So the people with Ken at the car must have been those EMS first responders. The fact that the ambulance came later is almost irrelevant then.

I also completely understand the time to make the calls and give as much info as possible. To be honest as an SIT I have observed "the chair" several times but only at NHMS where you can see mostly everything. Just thinking about being in the chair at LRP or the Glen is exactly what has scared me away from continuing with the program.