Re-thinking my place in the world...

[ratssass]

Drag Illustrated
19 hrs ·

UPDATE: Ian Tocher remains in stable condition at UNC Medical Center's Trauma Unit in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, and is still sedated. Ian lost a lot of blood, but they have stopped all internal bleeding and no major internal organs were hit. No head or heart trauma to report. The primary concern right now is a very serious, potentially life-threatening "open book" pelvis injury, which means that it has been flattened. Another surgery is set for tomorrow to address his leg, which is broken in multiple places and, basically, in really bad shape. Blood flow remains good to his ankles, though, so we are hopeful. He also has a broken vertebrae somewhere. Sue and Robert, Ian's wife and 12-year-old son, remain strong and positive and, again, are very appreciative of all the support. Sue told me that the surgeon working on Ian's pelvis has 20-years of experience dealing with injuries like this. So, that's encouraging, too. The big laceration is still an issue, so the doctors and nurses are constantly dealing with that as it was/is packed with dirt and debris. Please keep Ian and his family in your thoughts and prayers. For those that don't know, Ian played highly-competitive hockey sometimes as often as three nights a week. We're lucky he's a big, strong, tough guy. - Wes Buck


Sadly,driver Ronnie Davis has succumbed to his injuries.Drag Illustrated senior photog, Ian Tocher remains in critical, but stable, condition.

 

[Nevermore1]

Always hate seeing wrecks and injuries/deaths at events. Unfortunately it does happens when combining cars with high speeds. There's only so much that can be done to improve safety. The way I look at it is that they wouldn't be doing this if they didn't really love doing it. My husband used to race at the local track so I can sort of understand what they are going through.

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[SCraig]

These things happen. Motorsports is dangerous, nobody ever said that it wasn't. The governing bodies do everything they can to keep everyone safe but they can't do everything. That's why we all sign or agree to waivers when we go into a track.

Keep yourself safe when photographing a race. Take notice of where you are and think about where the junk will fly if there is an accident. I don't like to be on the outside of a turn, especially the exit to a turn, on a road course, circle track, or motocross, and I don't like to be at the fast end of a drag strip.

 

[JacaRanda]

Crazy! I recently saw a video with a similar crash and the photographer escaped (really by doing nothing) with no injury at all. The car basically went right over the top of him while of course he was still photographing.

Side note - My neighbor is Don Enriquez. He is 72ish years old and just came back last weekend from winning a drag event in Bakersfield, Ca. He is a member of the NHRAHOF and has raced against Don Garland etc. Pretty cool to still be doing that and he is a great guy!

Hmmm, I think it was this video.

 

[ratssass]

I've always thought in the back of my mind, I would just drop behind the wall as tight as I can.That car pretty much slammed down in my perceived safe zone.Serious re-think going on.

 

[robbins.photo]

I've always thought in the back of my mind, I would just drop behind the wall as tight as I can.That car pretty much slammed down in my perceived safe zone.Serious re-think going on.

Would it cheer you up at all to realize that your far more likely to get killed by some idiot on the highway on your way to the track?

Umm.. ya, probably not. Ok, I'll stop helping..

 

[SCraig]

I've always thought in the back of my mind, I would just drop behind the wall as tight as I can.That car pretty much slammed down in my perceived safe zone.Serious re-think going on.

There is no 100% safe spot to be because it always, ALWAYS depends on the circumstances. If you want 100% safe a racetrack isn't the place to be. However, the vast majority of the time a wreck slides and doesn't get airborne so your original thought about dropping behind the wall is, in my opinion, correct and is the one I would choose, and have chosen, as well.

 

[vintagesnaps]

That's a shame. I've done hockey which obviously isn't this fast, and a puck or a hockey player coming at you isn't quite like a car would be heading your way. But I found you have to be aware of what's going on.

Mostly for me it's been when they're getting an injured player off the ice. I found you need to be prepared when things start happening fast so you can get out of their way. I remember once that the team doctor was coming down the steps and before he got to the bottom he literally leapt into the tunnel right next to where I'd been standing.

Condolences to this driver's family.

 

[ratssass]

I've always thought in the back of my mind, I would just drop behind the wall as tight as I can.That car pretty much slammed down in my perceived safe zone.Serious re-think going on.

Would it cheer you up at all to realize that your far more likely to get killed by some idiot on the highway on your way to the track?

Umm.. ya, probably not. Ok, I'll stop helping..

good idea

 

[robbins.photo]

good idea

Ya, I know, I'm not exactly Ms. Mary Sunshine..

 

[Watchful]

Crazy! I recently saw a video with a similar crash and the photographer escaped (really by doing nothing) with no injury at all. The car basically went right over the top of him while of course he was still photographing.

Side note - My neighbor is Don Enriquez. He is 72ish years old and just came back last weekend from winning a drag event in Bakersfield, Ca. He is a member of the NHRAHOF and has raced against Don Garland etc. Pretty cool to still be doing that and he is a great guy!

Hmmm, I think it was this video.

You mean Don Garlits?

 

[Trever1t]

Praying for his speedy recovery. Racing is intense and that was a crazy intense wreck.

 

[Gary A.]

You just gotta be aware of what's going on. Yeah that's easy to say ... But you have to be like those spy movies, when the CIA guy is always taking in who's in the room and what's going on around him. In potentially dangerous situations I shoot with two eyes open, one to shoot and one scanning what around me. I even switch eyes keeping the eye that can see the source of potential danger free to scan in that direction. I learned early that attention to details may be the only thing separating you from harm.

 

[ratssass]

There really is no safe zone, and I do try to keep both eyes open.I guess, like anything else, we try to minimize our exposure to harm.I have remotes, there's no reason to expose myself, on the top end.
A projectile traveling at only 150mph, still travels 220'/sec.You just used half that time blinking.
On the positive side,Ian is progressing well,considering.....
UPDATE: Ian is awake and improving... - Drag Illustrated | Facebook

 

[Gary A.]

I vividly remember the first drag race I shot (decades ago). Somewhere in Orange County, I was at the start, I was using a wide angle and standing/kneeling right next to the cars. They were rev-ing up pretty high as the lights blinked down the tree, then the engine blew-up on one of the cars. My ears are still.