[DeTomaso] What a tire blow-out at 186 MPH can do

[Asa Jay Laughton]

As Dennis (Mad Dawg) Antenucci has often pressed folks to enter Open
Road Racing in order to get those speed thrills taken care of, many
people have balked at the tech rules concerning tires.  They think if
their tires were just purchased and have nearly all the tread on them
and "look" brand new, they should be fine.

Here is a video of a top speed car having a tire blowout at 186 MPH. 
Consider these tires are less than two years old; there doesn't appear
to be any debris that hits the tire; the cause might never be known.

The driver of this Corvair was essentially uninjured; the car spun flat
and never rolled or flipped:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JITmiRuJxCg

Here is a photo of the car prior to the run that day:
http://928.jorj7.com/2013-NORC/Race-Day/slides/0519-084050-01.html

And here are a few of it after the blow-out:
http://928.jorj7.com/2013-NORC/Race-Day/slides/0519-123345-03.html
http://928.jorj7.com/2013-NORC/Race-Day/slides/0519-123322-01.html
http://928.jorj7.com/2013-NORC/Race-Day/slides/0519-123732-01.html
That's the driver in the red shirt and shorts (after having removed his
race suit, helmet and other gear).

There are a few points I'd like to make here (and I'm not a know-it-all):
- If you go fast for prolonged periods of time, on old tires, you're
just begging for something like this to happen.  These tires were less
than two years old and it happened.
- Rules are there for a reason, to help promote safety.
- Safety equipment is your best friend in an accident like this.

I don't mean this to dissuade anyone from racing their Pantera in
recognized events; I mean it to show what -can- happen if a tire blows
out at a really high rate of speed.  In this case, the speed may never
be one you reach in your Pantera, but please do be mindful.

Team Pantera Racing would love to see you come out and join us this
September for the  Silver State Classic Challenge in Ely Neveda.  We can
help answer questions and get you started on the right path to going
fast in open road racing.

Asa Jay



-- 
Asa Jay Laughton, MSgt, USAFR, Retired
& Shelley Marie
Spokane, WA
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