8 Year Old Jr Dragster Diver Passes Away after Accident

[dread Pirate]

8 year old Anita Board crashed during a licensing pass in Perth Australia this weekend. I can't imagine the pain this family is feeling. With all the safety we have in these cars it's hard to guess what went wrong. It's a reminder that it can happen and to remember to hug your kids and tell them how much you love them.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-11-...ter-perth-motorplex-drag-racing-crash/9142076

 

[Stainless]

8 year old Anita Board crashed during a licensing pass in Perth Australia this weekend. I can't imagine the pain this family is feeling. With all the safety we have in these cars it's hard to guess what went wrong. It's a reminder that it can happen and to remember to hug your kids and tell them how much you love them.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-11-...ter-perth-motorplex-drag-racing-crash/9142076

Been reading posts about it on Twitter for past hour. Godspeed little girl!

 

[wsuwrhr]

Oh wow. Heartbreaking. Just gave me a pit in my stomach. GodSpeed to her. Poor kid hasn't even lived yet.

 

[dread Pirate]

I know the feeling of watching one of your kids hit a wall. The run down the track is all slow motion, you have tunnel vision, can't hear the sirens, all the sounds muffled and you can't run fast enough. It's been 3 years since my son had his accident. I've seen a few wrecks with jr's, some very bad, but have never seen a serious injury. This family has been racing for generations and her older sister also races a jr. They are not new to the sport.

 

[wsuwrhr]

Just terrible

 

[buck35]

While I'm all about kids livin the dream , strapping a rocket to an 8 year old just seems like a very bad idea to me. Prayers to the family and friends.

 

[havasujeeper]

I don't think I could ever jeopardize my children like that. I cringed every time my son and grandson would take a spill on the BMX track.

 

[dread Pirate]

I don't think I could ever jeopardize my children like that. I cringed every time my son and grandson would take a spill on the BMX track.

That's why they are in a fire suit, a cage that can take a 200 mph impact, and all the other safety gear. In 25 years of jr racing this is the 1st fatality related to the sport. This is a freak accident or we need to change something.

 

[Sleek-Jet]

You can't wrap your kids in bubble wrap. How many kids die each year from bicycle accidents?

Condolences to the family. If there is a flaw in the system I hope it.is found and corrected so this great sport can continue.

 

[dread Pirate]

You can't wrap your kids in bubble wrap. How many kids die each year from bicycle accidents?

Condolences to the family. If there is a flaw in the system I hope it.is found and corrected so this great sport can continue.

I can speculate as I've been involved with jr racing for 7 years now. I can't come up with a scenario that could end like this given what has been shared about the crash. Worst crash I have seen was an outlaw car barrel roll through the lights at 90+mph. Kid was shaken and bruised but was back in another car the next day. Friends daughter rolled a car a few weeks ago. Brothers car actually. Car did it's job and she is fine and ready to strap back in. Car, not so much, but it did it's job. Protect the driver. It's typically harder on the parents than the kids when it goes bad.

 

[wsuwrhr]

I can speculate as I've been involved with jr racing for 7 years now. I can't come up with a scenario that could end like this given what has been shared about the crash. Worst crash I have seen was an outlaw car barrel roll through the lights at 90+mph. Kid was shaken and bruised but was back in another car the next day. Friends daughter rolled a car a few weeks ago. Brothers car actually. Car did it's job and she is fine and ready to strap back in. It's typically harder on the parents than the kids when it goes bad.

So what happened to the kid then? A medical problem instead?

 

[dread Pirate]

So what happened to the kid then? A medical problem instead?

All They have shared is she hit a concrete barrier. She would have been topped out at around 50 mph worst case. Pics I saw of the car was pretty intact. Didnt look like the cage was cut off of it. Granted it was under a tarp. Typically in an accident the cage is cut off the top of the car, 4 cuts and the kid, or adult in a big dragster, can be slid right onto the backboard. ( the car I cut up is now used for training at our track for this) The only thing I have been able to come up with is a foreign object came into the cockpit?

Here's a news article with some pics of the car under a tarp and her excited to get to drive it. It will crush you,,,,,

http://www.perthnow.com.au/news/wes...x/news-story/0d151f7b6d76ba41ec975fdd28054530

 

[wsuwrhr]

All They have shared is she hit a concrete barrier. She would have been topped out at around 50 mph worst case. Pics I saw of the car was pretty intact. Didnt look like the cage was cut off of it. Granted it was under a tarp. Typically in an accident the cage is cut off the top of the car, 4 cuts and the kid, or adult in a big dragster, can be slid right onto the backboard. ( the car I cut up is now used for training at our track for this) The only thing I have been able to come up with is a foreign object came into the cockpit?

Heartbreaking. Time for some Ti blast plates.

Noone said what the cause was?

 

[dread Pirate]

I

Heartbreaking. Time for some Ti blast plates.

Noone said what the cause was?

I'm hoping to find out for the benefit of all the kids who race. Cars typically have data loggers on them, so that could tell a lot.

Guessing, she got scared/excited and made a mistake. May have had a mechanical failure too. My kids have shaken down several other new drivers cars before they made their 1st licensing passes. My kids can tell if something isn't right and relay issues. A new kid may think that vibration is normal. Just an extra step to help keep kids safe.

 

[havasujeeper]

I'm certainly not knocking anyone who chooses to enjoy this sport with their child, but seems the grief of losing a child this way far outweighs the pleasure of them coming home with a $2 trophy.

 

[Taboma]

In addition to this of course being a most horrible tragedy, another thought that keeps surfacing. That being the relative weight of the helmet compared to a child's body weight and neck strength. Of course I'm assuming it's sized correctly, but the overall size seems quite large by comparison to her head in the linked article.

 

[dread Pirate]

In addition to this of course being a most horrible tragedy, another thought that keeps surfacing. That being the relative weight of the helmet compared to a child's body weight and neck strength. Of course I'm assuming it's sized correctly, but the overall size seems quite large by comparison to her head in the linked article.

The kid will also wear a foam neck collar or HANS device which limits the movement of the helmet. All my kids are in HANS devices as of this season. With the 5 point harness and arm restraints they can't move in the car once they are strapped in.

 

[DRYHEAT]

This was a terrible tragedy no matter how you slice it. Some of you were being a little harsh on the dragracing community. How many on this very site have their kids riding motorcycles, quads, three wheelers back in the day, and now side-by-side’s. People get hurt skiing both water and snow, you do the best you can to keep your kids safe. Sometimes shit just happens.
The only thing you can do is analyze and try to prevent it from happening again.

 

[RACER J]

While I'm all about kids livin the dream , strapping a rocket to an 8 year old just seems like a very bad idea to me. Prayers to the family and friends.

Let's not try and blow this completely out of proportion. It's not a "rocket" its a stock 5hp Briggs and Stratton.
My son started racing Jr's at age 8 also and now runs a full size car running 8.60 at 159 MPH. Do we worry about him racing? Sure, but it has also kept him out of trouble.
RIP. Little one.

 

[nowski]

That is one of the worse feelings in the world. God Speed Little Girl, God Speed.

Sad to say, this coming week is the ten year anniversary of losing a dear little girl that we'll always hold in our hearts. RIP Sammy, RIP...

 

[SBMech]

RIP little racer.

Heartbraking.

 

[TomD]

RIP little girl!!! So sad.

 

[92562]

I can't imagine the loss for the family. We raced both of our kids from age 8 to 18 in Division 7. We raced in countless races in California from San Diego (Qualcomm) to Redding, Arizona (Phoenix, Tucson and Speedworld), Las Vegas and Fallon, NV, and Denver, CO. I have seen exactly 3 wrecks in all that time. 2 of them were low speed roll overs when the kid took the turnout too fast at the end (one was Ron Capp's daughter at Qualcomm). Only thing bruised was ego! The other was a rollover incident through the lights at Denver and the kid raced the next day in another car. I have read about others and from what I know, the majority of injuries come from loose or ill-fitting seatbelts, just like the majority of injuries in a big car (Dale Earnhardt).

Australia however does have different rules than NHRA. Their 8 year olds compete in a class that is an 11.90 index and top out at 59 MPH. Our 8 year olds top out at 12.90 at about 45 MPH. Big difference hitting concrete at 60 vs. 45. Our 12.90 engines are NOT 5hp Briggs and Stratton's. They are modified Briggs engines on methanol making about 16Hp. NHRA now has a class starting kids as young as 5 with a SPEC engine that makes 5HP and no modifications are allowed.

That being said, drag racing is SOOOO much safer than motocross or even bicycles. With the number of Jr Dragsters in the world today, you would have heard by know if it was dangerous to kids. Every ER Doc will tell you how many broken arms they set from motocross accidents and broken collar bones. And as I said, everyone in my racing community (huge facebook group fro NHRA Division 7) will tell you, it's a safe sport. (But of course, I grew up in the 70's racing Speedway bikes and motocross!) I just hope that it was not an overlooked seatbelt or something similar that caused her death. As a Crew Chief/Father I could not live with myself. I have read that they were a drag racing family so that would imply knowledge of safety.

God Speed little one, and prayers for the family and everyone on site that tragic day.

 

[Old Texan]

So heart wrenching.....God's Speed

It was an accident and something just went wrong that couldn't have been foreseen. Kids do far more dangerous things and sadly things just happen. No reason and proof life is precious.

 

[dread Pirate]

92562,, NHRA dropped the 8-9 yr old group to 11.90 a couple years ago. My 9yr old just placed 5th in Division 7 this year. My mistake cost him a 3rd place or better finish. That's racing,,,

5yr olds can make solo runs at 20 seconds and 6-7yr olds can run 13.90.

 

[92562]

92562,, NHRA dropped the 8-9 yr old group to 11.90 a couple years ago. My 9yr old just placed 5th in Division 7 this year. My mistake cost him a 3rd place or better finish. That's racing,,,

5yr olds can make solo runs at 20 seconds and 6-7yr olds can run 13.90.

Wow, we've been out exactly 2 years now. But you're right, how many times do they run the number but miss the light. Only to then cut a .002 and you/we missed the number. I found it much easier (and won more races) once they learned to wheel race!

 

[dread Pirate]

Wow, we've been out exactly 2 years now. But you're right, how many times do they run the number but miss the light. Only to then cut a .002 and you/we missed the number. I found it much easier (and won more races) once they learned to wheel race!

Vegas Finals he went out in the semi's breaking out by .001 and treed the hell out of the other kid. Other kid was .14 over his dial. I had 5 pounds of plates in my hand. Still kick myself on that race...

 

[RiverDave]

While I'm all about kids livin the dream , strapping a rocket to an 8 year old just seems like a very bad idea to me. Prayers to the family and friends.

I don't think these things are crazy fast and as said before hey have a ton of safety. I'm not sure how something like this can happen??

 

[buck35]

I don't think these things are crazy fast and as said before hey have a ton of safety. I'm not sure how something like this can happen??

For some reason the pic didn't come up when I read it yesterday, and I didn't read the link . My bad for that , I just remembered how I was at that age . fearless and maybe not so smart.

 

[dread Pirate]

For some reason the pic didn't come up when I read it yesterday, and I didn't read the link . My bad for that , I just remembered how I was at that age . fearless and maybe not so smart.

For people who aren't into the sport looking in we often get "You're kids do what?! You're f'ing crazy!" Nothing new, so don't think I was offended or anything. I may have been a bit more defensive being this was tragedy that involves the sport we are passionate about, but I'd rather answer questions about jr racing than argue with someone any day.

My son crashed at 7 years old. Similar deal, he was making his last licensing pass when the throttle hung open. Being he was new he forgot about all the kill switches etc and nailed the wall about 35mph at 45 degree angle. His only injury was his thumb got wrapped up in the butterfly wheel during the impact. The chassis is made to collapse or breakaway leaving only the driver compartment which it did perfectly. The chassis was repaired and updated and will be running again this next season with the son of the original owner driving it. My now 10yr old son has done so well he has caught the attention of a sponsor for all 3 kids next season.

 

[dread Pirate]

Just read the Australian Minister of Sports has banned all jr drag racing until the police reports are filed.

 

[92562]

I don't think these things are crazy fast and as said before hey have a ton of safety. I'm not sure how something like this can happen??

I can only speculate based on past experiences but typically it is a safety equipment failure or omission.

 

[wsuwrhr]

wow

 

[dread Pirate]

Press is having a field day feeding the masses bullshit with this. Uneducated morons trying to troll less educated morons.....

 

[buck35]

For people who aren't into the sport looking in we often get "You're kids do what?! You're f'ing crazy!" Nothing new, so don't think I was offended or anything. I may have been a bit more defensive being this was tragedy that involves the sport we are passionate about, but I'd rather answer questions about jr racing than argue with someone any day.

My son crashed at 7 years old. Similar deal, he was making his last licensing pass when the throttle hung open. Being he was new he forgot about all the kill switches etc and nailed the wall about 35mph at 45 degree angle. His only injury was his thumb got wrapped up in the butterfly wheel during the impact. The chassis is made to collapse or breakaway leaving only the driver compartment which it did perfectly. The chassis was repaired and updated and will be running again this next season with the son of the original owner driving it. My now 10yr old son has done so well he has caught the attention of a sponsor for all 3 kids next season.

0

a friend of mine runs an alcohol funny car , his ride , for wharever reason came to mind when I first read the post. I realize that was a totally different deal , but just what I thought of . If you know greg , aka Zues say hello next time you see him.

 

[Sleek-Jet]

Just read the Australian Minister of Sports has banned all jr drag racing until the police reports are filed.

Not surprising considering the location.

 

[dread Pirate]

0

a friend of mine runs an alcohol funny car , his ride , for wharever reason came to mind when I first read the post. I realize that was a totally different deal , but just what I thought of . If you know greg , aka Zues say hello next time you see him.

We don't often end up on the same track while the big cars are running. I'll keep an eye out though.

 

[dread Pirate]

Not surprising considering the location.

As a parent/crew chief, I want to know what happened. Is there a flaw that needs to be addressed or what?

 

[92562]

I feel the same way. Not morbid curiosity but how do I make sure it doesn't happen to me.

 

[dread Pirate]

#HelmetsOutForAnita