Fatal Trackhawk Crash

[jroyk]

I said he had to have a cage thinking this was in the U.S. but it appears it was in the Dominican Republic so I’m sure their rules are not the same as they are here.

I watched an in car video of him and there was no roll bar and he was using just the factory over one shoulder seat belt. I do not know when that video was taken but it looked like he launched hard so sadly it seems like he might not have had the proper safety equips for the speeds he was running.

Sad, but that falls into FAFO territory.

 

[Linda's Hell Cat]

I said he had to have a cage thinking this was in the U.S. but it appears it was in the Dominican Republic so I’m sure their rules are not the same as they are here.

I watched an in car video of him and there was no roll bar and he was using just the factory over one shoulder seat belt. I do not know when that video was taken but it looked like he launched hard so sadly it seems like he might not have had the proper safety equips for the speeds he was running.

I really didn’t think he had a cage, because I’ve seen racers here in the US flying down the track without one and also the resistance to put one in. Believe or not, I think this is more of an American thing that many racers take on as a Challenge. I've seen some well-known Hellcat owners racing into the 8's and are very lucky to be alive, racing with no cage after their Engine Blew or the Trans.

When something goes wrong at the Big End—whether it’s a tire blowout, a chute failure, or a mechanical failure at 140+ mph—that’s when the cage becomes more than just a rule. It becomes the difference between walking away and not.

Back when, Hellcats were still fresh off the showroom floor, and people were just starting to realize how much potential they had. Modding them for 8s wasn’t just about horsepower—it was about tuning, traction, parts, and guts. My husband "Top Cat" was doing just that and pioneering the way for all to go faster.

It takes a certain kind of racer to swallow pride and do the right thing before being forced to. Installing the cage and other safety mods ahead of time shows foresight, maturity, and a real love for the sport—not just the thrill. It’s easy to chase numbers; it’s harder to chase them responsibly. John actually had a deep root for safety; he was an Eagle Scout. “Be Prepared” isn’t just a motto—it’s a mindset!

 

[SilverBillet]

I really didn’t think he had a cage, because I’ve seen racers here in the US flying down the track without one and also the resistance to put one in. Believe or not, I think this is more of an American thing that many racers take on as a Challenge. I've seen some well-known Hellcat owners racing into the 8's and are very lucky to be alive, racing with no cage after their Engine Blew or the Trans.

When something goes wrong at the Big End—whether it’s a tire blowout, a chute failure, or a mechanical failure at 140+ mph—that’s when the cage becomes more than just a rule. It becomes the difference between walking away and not.

Back when, Hellcats were still fresh off the showroom floor, and people were just starting to realize how much potential they had. Modding them for 8s wasn’t just about horsepower—it was about tuning, traction, parts, and guts. My husband "Top Cat" was do just that and pioneering the way for all to go faster.

It takes a certain kind of racer to swallow pride and do the right thing before being forced to. Installing the cage and other safety mods ahead of time shows foresight, maturity, and a real love for the sport—not just the thrill. It’s easy to chase numbers; it’s harder to chase them responsibly. John actually had a deep root for safety; he was an Eagle Scout. “Be Prepared” isn’t just a motto—it’s a mindset!

Seems like there are plenty of street cars going over 140 mph in the 1/4 with no added safety equipment

 

[Linda's Hell Cat]

Seems like there are plenty of street cars going over 140 mph in the 1/4 with no added safety equipment

Hector was going 180 + mph

 

[MMissile]

140-180. No walls, safety equipment........same result.
And no, it looked nothing like a streetcar.

 

[mantisSRT]

It's kinda crazy how fast things are today. Stock cars going 8-11 second range. Look at all the EV's and how fast they are, stupid fast for everyday people.

I like 1/4 mile racing but I'm not interested in building a 9 second or faster street car. If you're going to get into these kinds of numbers , you have a race car not a street car. It needs to built as such.

This accident sucks and I feel bad it happened.

 

[Marc W]

When stuff like this happens it starts conversations about safety. Not only the sanctioning body tech requirements (NHRA) but also the tracks and individual responsibilities. There are tracks running popular events that have zero safety requirements. In fact… the back in the woods atmosphere with everybody, including the spectators tempting fate are a big draw. Look at the starting line circus’s where the grudge race guys are doing their burn outs through a crowd of “hands-on” spectators. There are a lot of people who are attracted to this. While I’m not… I get it. Doing stuff and having fun at your own personal risk is a freedom that shouldn’t be over regulated. You just need to remember that saying…. Play stupid games… win stupid prizes 🤡

 

[Jack_Toepfer]

My brother just finished his 1000rwhp TT Camaro, went out and ran a 9.1@150… no safety equipment at all. Told him he better get that cage in it, no excuses. It’s a street car, full interior, AC, etc… but it’s gotta happen. We joke about sponsors all the time, that’s something I could see sponsoring.

EDIT - just told him I’ll give him $1000 once the cage has a sticker on it. We’ll see if that gets him moving.

 

[Marc W]

A cage on the street is a dilemma. The bars over the doors block the curtain airbags from doing their job. Plus that bar is in the impact zone for your head. So unless you cinch down your shoulder harnesses and wear a helmet on the street, that could be a concern 🙁. When I was still driving mine on the street, I did always use the harness and just drove super careful. Plus I had padding on that bar. Not too sure how much difference that would make but better than nothing. It is what it is. 150 mph is FAST. Safety equipment fast. That’s my feeling anyway.

 

[BULL]

A cage on the street is a dilemma. The bars over the doors block the curtain airbags from doing their job. Plus that bar is in the impact zone for your head. So unless you cinch down your shoulder harnesses and wear a helmet on the street, that could be a concern 🙁. When I was still driving mine on the street, I did always use the harness and just drove super careful. Plus I had padding on that bar. Not too sure how much difference that would make but better than nothing. It is what it is. 150 mph is FAST. Safety equipment fast. That’s my feeling anyway.

I'm not sure if I'm remembering this correctly or not, but I think at one point you were putting a full cage in your street car, even to the point of having elements put through the dash (in a very clean, professional way).

I remember thinking that not only did it look super invasive, but also really expensive.

What did that cage end up costing?

My guess is north of $10k?

 

[Marc W]

I'm not sure if I'm remembering this correctly or not, but I think at one point you were putting a full cage in your street car, even to the point of having elements put through the dash (in a very clean, professional way).

I remember thinking that not only did it look super invasive, but also really expensive.

What did that cage end up costing?

My guess is north of $10k?

You remember right. I was initially building the car to run in the nines and the tracks out west where I am are strict on NHRA compliance. Back then you had to have a 8.5 cert cage to run under 10.0 and a 9.99 could get kicked out and banned until you were right. Back then I paid $6000 for that nice Chromoly cage. Nicely done bars through the dash and removable door bars for street use. Professionally done cages like that are so tightly placed inside the car that they do not restrict egress up front. With the door bars removed you could get in and out without even knowing the cage is there. Of coarse the back seat is another story. Doing it right is a pretty big labor job. Involves removing the dash and windshield and everything else in the interior of the car. Of coarse it all goes back like it never happened but it’s a lot of work. Nowadays I would guess that $10k would get the 8.5 cert package including a chute at Carlin Fabrication where I go. A 7.5 package like I have now would probably be another half that.

 

[Marc W]

Also…. The NHRA keeps changing the requirements for this stuff. If you go 150 mph now the harness requirement is a 6 point in place of the old 5 point. In place of the old submarine (crotch) strap you now have two. You also are required to have a tethered helmet restraint instead of the old donut. In order to recert my cage to the SFI 25.5 standard (7.5 second) we needed a bunch of bars added under the car. The NHRA (and SFI) never sleep and it always costs more money 💰