Tony Renna crashes in Indianapolis

[Morcilman]

injuries are 12 this year, is very high, but taking in account the speed, as adam says is lower that I thought. but I still think that one fatal accident is too much. The risk is very high. What is the wiew that all f you have on that?

[BootsOntheSide]

Most of the 12 injuries in the IRL this year have been fairly minor, I think only 4 drivers have missed the next race (and that's counting Brack and Luyendijk).

Your likelihood of being injured in 200 miles of IRL racing are higher than in just about anything else, true. However, your chances of being injured at 100mph is much lower compared to championships such as CART, Touring Cars and even F1.

[Dov]

I thought that this might be appropriate at this time........

Sulka: Racing Days (Must Read)
I think everyone should read Sulka's latest....

Racing Days

By Mike Sulka - Senior Correspondent
In racing, there are good days.

In fact, some of the best days of my life have take place at the racetrack. I simply love racing. It has become a drive, a thrill, and a passion.

In my thoughts, I’ve acquired many special memories over the years.

Standing next to the fence at Michigan International Speedway for the first time. Watching a future CART champion blast past at full throttle. The cars speeding past, so close that the draft “wake” can be felt on my smiling face. The engines powering along at full song. I can feel the sound resonate… right here in my chest and in my ears. The smell of burnt methanol fills my nostrils.

For an instant… the cars are so close.

And then… just like that… the sound trails off into the distance.

I wait…

Anticipating the opportunity to relive the entire experience again. A mere 32 seconds passes. It seems so long. But as the howl from the back stretch reaches my ears, ahead of its’ pursuer… It barely wins its’ race against the turbo-charged machine tracking it down.

This time by, the experience changes… if only slightly. Instinctively, my hand reaches towards the fence . I can feel the fence reverberate from the commotion, and the adrenaline fills my entire being. I am in awe of this terrific beast, carefully controlled by its’ tamer.

My memory tries to recreate the complete feeling, but it can’t. So I’m drawn out, time and time again… to relive the experience, as often I am able. My part-time passion is a full-time pursuit. I just can’t get enough of this game.

But in racing, there are bad days.

The painful reality of this sport can reach just as deeply with its bad days. It can reach inside you, and force you to deal with mind-numbing questions. The simplest questions are the toughest to answer. The answers… can tear you apart… wishing you never had the questions.

Death is the worst event that can happen in racing. It leaves a mark in the heads and on the hearts of each person caught up in the sport. It touches fans, fellow drivers, teams, and sponsors. It reaches across the walls of racing series, and reminds us again of what is important. That life, above all else, is fragile. That life is important. That life…is not guaranteed.

No one is left unaffected by a fatality in racing. No one.

It is with great sadness that we observe the passing of racecar driver Tony Renna. We will never know what he could have become. 4 laps…. Into his day… his life ended. His future suspended in an instant.

My prayers go out your family, your fiancée, and your friends.

The good days in this sport are wonderful. The good days are an intoxicating thrill that demands to be repeated. The good days are what we live for….

…But there are days… that I hate the sport I love.

Mike Sulka
Msulka@champweb.net

[gofastturnleft]

Terrible day. Thoughts are with Tony's family, friends and team.

Very well written article by Mike above. This sport gives so much to us but when it does stop to take something away it rips a chunk from our hearts.

---

For those who noted concern about the IRL working on the problem at hand, fear not - this work has been ongoing and there has already been testing done on different aero pieces designed to hopefully alleviate the issue. This is not a group that has ever rested in terms of safety. Changes can't be just thrown together though. It takes time to design and manufacture prototype pieces before you even takke in to account testing, analysis, modifications, more testing and finally installation on all cars. This will take time. This is a dangerous sport and safety is a continuous issue. From the IRL to CART to Atlantics to Star Mazda - formula car racing may be the most safety concious group in all of auto racing. Be proud of the safety improvements the folks responsible for these cars have made and have faith that given the proper time and testing they will again raise the safety bar for the drivers and the fans.

----

Lastly, don't read too much in to the Ticker/Yahoo article as there were a number of conflicting comments and general innacuracies. However, the accident was terribly tragic as noted, let's leave it at that as opposed to relying on wild speculation from someone that wasn't on the scene.

[R]

Absolutely awful news, I'm just a casual follower of the IRL due to lack of coverage here, but this was terrible, terrible.

My deepest sympathies to his family and friends. RIP Tony.

[Knowlesy]

Very sad news indeed.

I'm not a big IRL fan or watcher but I think serious questions will be asked now over the safety of the series. This comes so soon after Bracks incident and also a lot of debris went into the spectator areas again.

But never mind that now, we are still mourning the loss.

Bad news indeed i Agree but,is it to Early to say who will have that Ride next year?


RIP Tony,

[touringlegend]

We can all just be thankful that it wasn't a race day, and those stands weren't full of spectators. Although tickets warn of the danger of motorsport no spectator should be needlessy killed or injured.

Sad as it is the driver knows whats on the line each time they get in the car, sadly for Tony Renna it really wasn't meant to be for him was it.

[Snrub]

This sucks.

My first reaction was ' IRL!' However, it doesn't look like it would have mattered what he was driving. If we're doing the dealth toll and including spectators, I believe Fernadez was in a crash where the wheel and attached suspension parts went over the fence and killed 3 people.


Please don't dodge the auto-censor, thanks - DF

[Dov]

Originally posted by Snrub
This sucks.

My first reaction was ' IRL!' However, it doesn't look like it would have mattered what he was driving. If we're doing the dealth toll and including spectators, I believe Fernadez was in a crash where the wheel and attached suspension parts went over the fence and killed 3 people.

But CART moved quickly to make the cars safer for the drivers and especially the fans........ From Cart.com: http://www.cart.com/Tech/Wheel_Tethers.asp

Wheel Tethers
Suspension tethers are braided Kevlar® double straps bolted to the wheel and chassis. These wheel tethers bind wheels to open-wheel cars. They prevent wheels from flying away from a car upon impact, protecting drivers and spectators. Suspension tethers may be enclosed in a protective fairing or fed through the suspension tubing (as shown in the diagram on the lower A-Arm).

[Mr V]

Very bad news indeed, like R, i am just a casual follower, but always sad when something like this happens, not matter what your sport is.

[Jay]

Dov, I'm also extremely anti-IRL, but this is not the place to have that debate. Perhaps the Robin Miller thread would be a better place.

It's just really tragic when someone young, with a bright future ahead of him, loses his life. And as huge racing fans, it's always a huge shock when something like this happens. That said, I know his family and friends will be well looked after by the racing community.

[Teretonga]

11 fatalities over a 20 year period is BETTER than 6 over an 8 year period Morcilman. I'm not interested in a CART vs IRL argument. I don't care about that but the stats indicate a very high risk factor. If you also took into account the size of the fields in terms of average size or total size the IRL stats would look even worse alongside CART, NASCAR or F1. Mr George, the rulemakers and track and car designers have some work to do.

[macdaddy]

Looking over rustyfan's numbers...
Combined, the two series have lost 7 drivers, compared to 9 spectators/workers. That number would have been terribly skewed had Tony's accident happened on raceday. This is why I found it so surprising that many race fans were complaining about the fencing being erected around Brands.

[jetsetter]

Renna's death is extremely sad & it always makes you realise how dangerous the sport is.

[Dov]

Originally posted by Jay
Dov, I'm also extremely anti-IRL, but this is not the place to have that debate. Perhaps the Robin Miller thread would be a better place.

It's just really tragic when someone young, with a bright future ahead of him, loses his life. And as huge racing fans, it's always a huge shock when something like this happens. That said, I know his family and friends will be well looked after by the racing community.

Jay, I understand what you are saying and I will do as you wish and only debate this from now on in the Robin Miller thread. That being said, I don't appreciate being singled out! First Paul-Collins tells me this and now you.....I'm not the only person in this thread discussing the IRL's saftey record! Btw, this has nothing to do with being "extremely anti-IRL", I'm just concerned about their drivers and fans. The heads of the IRL and their fans have to stop making excuses, turning their heads away and face reality!

This debate is MUCH bigger then the CART vs IRL debate!!!

[ghinzani]

Did poor Tony have a website? I couldnt find anything on google.

[rustyfan]

Originally posted by Dov
The heads of the IRL and their fans have to stop making excuses, turning their heads away and face reality! [/B]

Gee, thanks for bunching all of us IndyCar fans together under one single roof

[Down F0rce]

Please discuss this in the "Texas style Racing" thread now. This thread will go back to the original topic of Tony Renna.

[corkholio]

RIP Tony. You will be missed.

That said, I find it rather sad that some classless fans is using this as an opportunity to stir up a political p*ssing match and then go around and then gutlessly covering their agenda up by saying they are "concerned about the drivers and fans safety", when none of their posts have said a single thing about how to improve safety, instead they are too busy pointing out injury and fatality rates of one another or calling out other fans.

[gaines]

The only thing that is different about the accidents the past few years and any other open wheel series is the air born factor. I'm horrified to think what this accident looked like. I was shocked and so upset when I saw Kenny's car explode into pieces at Texas. I can only imagine the horror of this accident which was so much worse. I was so happy for Renna. I'm not a huge IRL fan but I've begun to accept the series for what it is. I've followed Renna for a number of years and have been impressed with him. I always follow the young superstars as so few of them stick with American Open Wheel racing once they arrive. They either 1.) Go to Europe or 2.) Go to stock cars. Renna was an unbelievable talent who worked his way up the right way, with talent and hard work. With so many young drivers given everything so quickly it was refreshing to see a young man who had worked his way up through the system and never give up. Now, on the verge of his dreams coming true he is killed. Horrible. My prayers go out to his family and fans. It's horrifying to think that we've lost yet another champion before his talent ever got to be fully developed.

[jenna]

Originally posted by corkholio


That said, I find it rather sad that some classless fans is using this as an opportunity to stir up a political p*ssing match and then go around and then gutlessly covering their agenda up by saying they are "concerned about the drivers and fans safety", when none of their posts have said a single thing about how to improve safety, instead they are too busy pointing out injury and fatality rates of one another or calling out other fans.

Amen. have a little respect guys...

[Flatspot]

From todays paper:Renna Accident Article