Scott Kalitta

I don't know how many of you follow Drag Racing or even know the name Kalitta. Connie Kalitta was one of the most popular and legendary racers of the '60's and 70's. His son Scott began racing full time in about 82. He was killed today in one of if not the most violent crashes I have ever seen.
YouTube - Scott Kalitta Fatal Crash 6/21/08

Despite all of the best safety equipment, protection and everything else, he must have hit the wall at 250 MPH.

Just read about it. Like so many, too many, of our two-wheeled brethren he went out doing what he loved. A tragedy, yes, but I'll take that way over a hospital bed. :cheers: to ya, Scott. Keep 'em smokin' & spinnin'!

Yeah, if I had a choice it would be to go when I am flyin'. sort of like the old saying that the last words a pilot utters before running out of altitude, airspeed and ideas all at the same time... Aw Sh#t.

Funny Car has had a tough year and a half. Two deaths and several bad crashes, most from big engine explosions and huge fires. Looked like Scott's never slowed. Wonder if he was "out" from the concusion of the explosion or something? Not unusual for the chutes not to deploy in this situation either, or burn off if they do. What bothers me is that you dont see the slicks lock up and bounce like they always do under braking. Catastrophic failure all the way around. Might be time to shorten fuel cars to 1/8th mile or 1000 feet? Very exciting to watch in person, but not worth the loss of life. 330 mph is mighty fast to have a problem. My heart goes out to his family and friends.
Drag Racing would not be what it is without the likes of the Kallita family.

Jake
Big Drag Racing fan and former competitor. (Comp ET, low 10 second Plymouth)

U Tube has pulled the Vid. RIP Scott. Like Big Jake says it's been a rough season in the Funnies. Damn.

ESPN claimed rights to the film. There are some home videos out there.
Englishtown is an old track with a short shutdown area and very short sand trap with a curved cement wall at the end. I agree, it looks like Scott was knocked out or the brakes failed also.

I think on old tracks without adequate traps designed for todays speeds the distance should be 1,000' like you said. It may also be time for the NHRA to revisit nitro percentage, blower capacity and impose a small CID. A lot of drivers agree that it has gotten too fast. Sort of like Bill Elliot said about doing 213 at Talledega.... Way, way, way too fast.

I ran a small block Duster that used to point to the sky at launch and sometimes the end of the strip at Gainsville looked a tad short.... and I wasn't haulin' the mail anywhere like these guys....

[I ran a small block Duster that used to point to the sky at launch and sometimes the end of the strip at Gainsville looked a tad short.... and I wasn't haulin' the mail anywhere like these guys....[/QUOTE]

I hear ya. My home track was Thunder Valley in S.D. We had nearly a half mile shut down area, uphill even, but at the end was two cable catch fences, then a bout a 50 ft. drop off. We found out how good the catch fences were one July 4th, when a rocket powered (not jet,,, rocket) doing an exibition run lost its chutes and disapeared over the hill at nearly 350 mph. Everyone just kinda looked at each other and waited. The 2nd fence caught him. Felt better about loosin my brakes on a 130 mph pass after that.

Dusters made great race cars. I almost bought one 3 years ago (big block tho) and went back to the track, but the good woman gently talked me out of it. Spent the money on a Wide Glide instead.