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Re: Honesty...is the best policy!

To: pat@prismacars.com, vintage-race@autox.team.net
Subject: Re: Honesty...is the best policy!
From: LMR356@aol.com
Date: Tue, 27 Feb 2001 09:32:04 EST
In a message dated 2/27/01 2:16:12 AM Eastern Standard Time, 
pat@prismacars.com writes:


> I also wonder if the sewn together loop could catch on the
> edge of the slot and rip itself apart.  I will not be surprised if this
>  


I always like to read what Pat Ryan has to write....he usually makes 
sense...for a  Southerner.  

Here's my Mid-Atlantic viewpoint:  Although it's early in the "cover 
up".....it may appear that  Dale Earhardt's left side lap belt was left to 
rest on the floor after testing, qualifying, and  racing (since being 
installed in November).  It's quite possible that the belt absorbed the 
intense heat coming through the floor directly above the hot exhaust...which 
caused the webbing material to degrade.   Being a "Curious George type", I 
took an old seat belt....and held it over the electric stove for about 10 
minutes...guess what?  It started to melt....the fibers turned brittle and 
became hard like a piece of plastic.  

I believe Bill Simpson:  "Having tested and produced seat belts for more than 
43 years, we have never seen a seat belt come- apart in the manner that 
occurred....Our seat belts if properly installed, won't fail."   Where was 
the scrutineering...by NASCAR.. .by Earnhardt's  crew...by the driver himself?

I now have less regard for NASCAR following the lame statements of Mike 
Helton and Dr. Steve Bohannon with respect to what, why and how.   Seems to 
me that NASCAR  needs to awaken from their aerodynamic entertainment mode and 
impose some real safety rules for safety sake. 

New Bumper sticker for  2001: NASCAR... Not A Safe CAR?   

__________________________________________________
BTW:  Add one more vintage race fatality on the east coast....1993 Pittsburgh 
Vintage Grand Prix (VSCCA)*..David Kuhn, MGT driver, age 50....single car 
crash....severe dehydration, disorientation. Like David Kuhn... Dale 
Earnhardt's accident was also an unnecessary American tragedy.

*  The VSCCA, is the only vintage racing club that still does not require any 
medical examinations...or roll bars, or fuel cells, or arm restraints, or 
even checks dates on the safety equipment...belts and sometimes helmets too. 
Yet, their racing record is pretty safe.  However, I am of the opinion that 
what was acceptable 15 years ago was fine.....this is now.  Sometimes this 
kind of stuff scares the $#!T out of me...what about you?  

Lee Raskin
Brooklandville, MD  21022
Arnotl-Bristol and 356ers

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