Fatality in ARCA

[muggle not]

There was a fatality in ARCA practice at the Charlotte track. Deborah Renshaw was involved in the accident.

http://espn.go.com/rpm/2002/1009/1443506.html

[Moncada69]

Meaning? was she the one who caused the wreck? What happened?

[rustyfan]

Eric Martin spun and slapped the wall coming out of turn 4, sliding to a halt entering the dog-leg.

Around 6-7 seconds later, Deborah Renshaw plowed straight into the side of Martin doing around 160mph, and he was killed instantly from the savage impact.

Given the fact that her spotter was standing on the top of the team's hauler (rather on the grandstand roof), in a position where the entrance to the dog-leg is actually blocked from sight, she might not even have gotten word Martin had spun and thus had around 2 seconds to react when she came out of turn 4. Why only 2 seconds? The left front window-pillar creates a blind-spot as you go through the high-banked turns at Charlotte, so she couldn't have seen Martin until actually coming out of turn 4.

There are also reports of oil on the track, so this is a tragic case of extremely bad circumstances playing in all at once.

On a final note, yesterday's crash was nearly a mirror-image of the NASCAR Sportsman crash which claimed the life of David Gaines back in 1990.

[Trebor]

ARCA driver dies in collision with Renshaw CONCORD, N.C. — The skyrocketing career of Nashville racer Deborah Renshaw took a tragic turn yesterday when she was involved in a crash at Lowe's Motor Speedway that left one driver dead and Renshaw hospitalized with a concussion and a shattered foot.

Driver Eric Martin, a 33-year-old father of two from Hixson, Tenn., was killed when his car was struck in the driver's side by Renshaw's car, which was coming out of the fourth turn at approximately 160 mph. Martin's car had spun and rammed the wall backward before the crash.

Martin died instantly of massive internal injuries. The crash occurred during practice for the ARCA Series season finale tonight. Both drivers were wearing HANS devices, which are designed to restrain head and neck movement during crashes.

Renshaw's father, Dan Renshaw, told The Tennessean last night that his daughter had not yet been informed of Martin's death.

''Deborah's already in pretty bad shape and the minister on hand thought it would be best not to break the news to her until after she gets through the surgery,'' he said.

Dan Renshaw said his daughter suffered ''seven or eight'' broken bones in her right foot and ankle, sustained a cut over her nose, and was still dazed from the concussion. She will undergo surgery on her foot at 7:30 this morning at University Medical Center in Charlotte. Afterward, she will be informed of Martin's death.

''It's going to be rough,'' Dan Renshaw said. ''It's going to tear her up.''

Martin's team owner and step-father, Wayne Hixson, said Martin either hit some oil on the track or blew a tire as his car exited the fourth turn of the 1.5-mile track.

''I did not see the accident happen,'' Hixson said. ''He hit the wall and came over the radio and said, 'I'm all right.' He was sitting there and about four or five seconds later, [Renshaw] just broadsided him. ... It's just a wreck. It's just something that happened.''

NASCAR veteran Ron Hornaday saw Martin's car spin in front of him.

''My car turned to the right and I went between him and wall,'' he said. ''By the time I got into [Turns] 1 and 2, Doug [Richert, crew chief] said, 'You won't believe this. That kid just got hit. Just got hit hard. Slow down, there's debris everywhere.' ''

Dan Renshaw was at trackside and witnessed the crash.

''There was oil everywhere on the track,'' he said. ''There wasn't much left of either car, and I knew it was bad. I ran straight to Deborah's car, and she was dazed and bloody from the cut over her nose. The emergency workers got her out and transported her straight to the hospital.''

Renshaw's family issued a statement through hospital spokesman Scott White: ''The Renshaw family would like to express their condolences to the Martin family. They hold Eric and his family in their hearts and prayers at this time of tragedy.''

ARCA (Automobile Racing Club of America) is a steppingstone series for drivers trying to make it to NASCAR's Busch Series or Winston Cup.

ARCA requires all cars on the track to have a spotter, stationed either on a team's hauler or in a stand located on the roof above the press box, with two-way communication between the driver and the spotter.

Renshaw's team owner, Bob Schacht, a three-time ARCA champion, was spotting for her during the practice session. ARCA President Ron Drager would not speculate last night whether or not Schacht saw Martin's crash in time to radio a warning to Renshaw.

''[Schacht] would have been on top of his transporter in our garage area,'' Drager said. ''ARCA has taken steps to work with each of the speedways to see that all of the spotters are provided with credentials to provide them access to the roof spotter's area or at their option to spot off the top of their transporters.''

Renshaw, 25, moved to Nashville this summer from her hometown of Bowling Green, Ky., to pursue her racing career at Fairgrounds Speedway. She became the first female driver to lead the point standings and win a pole in the premier division of the 44-year-old track.

A midseason plot against Renshaw by several male drivers at the Fairgrounds resulted in her car being disqualified on a rule technicality and attracted national attention. Busch Series team owner Rick Goodwin began to follow Renshaw's part-time ARCA career and became so impressed that he signed her to drive for his Bristol Motorsports team next season.

Renshaw had five ARCA starts this season, with three top-10 finishes. She planned to move to the Charlotte area to be near her new Busch team and was scheduled to compete in her first Busch Series race next Saturday at Memphis Motorsports Park.

Martin became the 15th fatality at Lowe's Motor Speedway and eighth stock car driver. Blaise Alexander was killed last October during an ARCA race in a crash involving Kerry Earnhardt. Earnhardt, like Renshaw, was unable to avoid the car that crashed in his path.

Martin had competed in all the ARCA races this season and was 20th in the points standings. He is survived by a wife and two children. His wife Tammy is in the U.S. Navy, serving on the U.S.S. Gettysburg, which is in port in Jacksonville, Fla.

The remainder of yesterday's ARCA practice was canceled, along with qualifying. The lineup for tonight's race will be based on driver points.

[muggle not]

#69....Gee whillikers, I posted the website where you can read about the accident.

[Ax Slinger]

It seems to me that this could have been prevented if they had spotters on the grandstand roof as is required during a race. In fact, I think it should be required for spotters to have a full view of the track anytime there are cars out there. If they have other duties to perform during practice, it would seem logical to find someone else to do them at that time. A spotter's job to to keep an eye on the track when there are cars present, and how can they do that if they are busy doing something else, or cannot see the track?

Trebor,

I know you are just trying to be informative, but please use the [url] vB codes and link to articles, rather than copying them in their entirety, as doing so is a violation of applicable copyright laws (as well as the forum rules), and leaves the door open for lawsuits against the forum from the owners of the copyright.

If you need help learning how to use vB codes, just ask. I'll be more than happy to assist you.

[Irene]

How is it in every article I have read about this incident they have to bring up her being set up! And then some article I have read make it sound like it was her fault when it wasn't....It was a accident that happens in racing. We all know how dangerous racing is and its a chance they take when they get in a car.
I read a article at Nascar.com and Bobby LaBonte was quoted saying I dont know how she could not see him with that much time in between the wreck....That upset me. Would they be saying this is she was a guy and it happened?????

I dont want to turn this into a sexist thing but she could not help it and if her spotter would have been where he should have been maybe all this would have been avoided. Appearently someone thought she was good enough to advance to Busch next year but that all can change now. If she has the courage to get back in the car. She has to live with the fact that she did kill someone wheather it be intentional or not. My heart goes out to everyone involved in this horrible nightmare. She is gong to need all the prayers to in the next few months as she tries to cope!

So to both families I send my prayers..........

[muggle not]

Originally posted by Irene
If she has the courage to get back in the car. She has to live with the fact that she did kill someone wheather it be intentional or not. ......

Of course it was not intentional....I do not believe you meant to say that.

And yes it was a "racin accident" and should not be singled out because of a female driver.

[Ax Slinger]

The reason people are bringing up her being set up, is because she was. And quite unfairly too, I might add.

In my mind, I see that as some (concerned, caring?) reporters dropping the hint that she was set up once already, and that if people start saying she caused this accident, that people may think twice about it. Not to mention, why would she intentionally wreck someone who was already wrecked, and get badly hurt herself in the process? She wouldn't. Even the worst driver wouldn't do that.

[Irene]

I totally agree....

And I was not saying that I said she woud do it intentionally.....I was stating that in some of the articles I have read that it sounds like some people making it SOUND like she did. Muggle not I know it was not intentional. God I know this stuff happends all the time I have family in it and I pray everyday that they stay safe..so I know without a shadow of a doubt that it was no intentional just wonder if everyone in the racing network feels that way???/ I hope so! Didnt mean any harm! Sorry if it sounded that way.

[muggle not]

No sorry neccesary. I know what you meant and I did not convey my thoughts correctly. Now, please do not misread my following comment:

I believe that ARCA should not be racing on tracks such as Charlotte, a superspeedway that is difficult for experienced drivers. Ninety nine % of ARCA drivers are not ready for the superspeedways. What is wrong with waiting until they have more experience before tackling Charlotte, Talladega, Daytona, etc. I am not demeaning the ARCA drivers, but simply stating that I think there are steps in a drivers career that are necessary.

[DMC]

This is a terrible tragedy but risk is a part of motorsport that we all have to accept. I can only imagine how hard this must be for everyone involved, there will always be finger pointing when something like this happens but it can never bring back someone we lost.

[Irene]

I agree moggle not 100%

Some of the Winston Cup drivers still cannot handle the "BIG" tracks. So I see where you are coming from

[Joe Fan]

Irene,

I'm sorry but this Renshaw deserves all the criticism she is getting because what she did was inexcusable. Even if she didn't have a spotter, the yellow lights came out which she should have seen. In my opinion, her racing license should be suspended and she should seriously consider retirement.

[Irene]

Soooooo if this was a male driver would u be saying the same thing??? Would u say the same thing about Sterling Marlin for wrecking Dale??????

u are entitled to your own opioion but I do not believe she deserves any of this. She was racing....she had an accident this is something that we all know happens in racing.....I think knowing she is responsible is enough punshiment for her..and IF she ever gets back in a car she shold be givin that chance. It was an accident..have u ever been in one of those cars?? Do you know that she seen the lights in time to slow that car down?? How hard is it to slow a car that is going 100 to 130???/ Dont point fingers till you have the whole story and she hasn't told her side yet so therefore the whole story hasn't been said! She is not to blame.....its called RAcing!

[Joe Fan]

Irene, comparing Marlin's tap of Dale Earnhardt on a restrictor-plate race to the incident at Charlotte is ridiculous. I have seen drivers miss t-boning a car within a few seconds even at Daytona but you have to be paying attention and have the necessary reaction times.

Renshaw is a perfect example of a driver who has been shot up to a higher level too fast simply because she is a woman. There are a few other fine examples when it comes to foreign drivers or the open wheel hotshoe who wants to make the career change but Renshaw was called a dangerous driver by her fellow competitors before this incident. And the media made it out to be a sexist deal. Here is a copy and paste of an article you should read:

Day revs up battle of sexes
By LARRY WOODY
Staff Writer
May 7, 2002

Veteran racer Mark Day yesterday continued his stinging criticism of woman driver Deborah Renshaw, after taking a verbal swipe at her following a crash last Saturday night at Fairgrounds Speedway.
''Deborah is so star-struck that she can't focus on racing,'' said Day, a 40-year-old driver from Clarksville. ''She's been getting so much media attention here lately that I guess she feels like she has to live up to it.
''I don't feel safe around her on a racetrack. I won't race beside her anymore. I'll slow down and let her go by before I'll race with her.''
Three weeks ago, Renshaw, a 24-year-old driver from Bowling Green, Ky., made national racing history by becoming the first woman to lead a division in NASCAR's Weekly Racing Series. Since then, she has slipped to fourth in the division.
''It won't happen again,'' Day said of Renshaw's one-time division lead. ''She's a sinking ship. Or a crashing ship.''
After their crash Saturday night, Day told a TV reporter who tried to interview him: ''Go stick that camera in Deborah's face where you've had it the last two weeks.''
''I thought that was kind of tacky,'' Renshaw said yesterday. ''I'm sorry Mark feels that way about me, but I'm not going to let it bother me and I'm certainly not going to let it affect my driving.''
Renshaw admitted she felt a little uncomfortable with the recent swirl of media attention, even though she did not invite it.
''When someone asked for an interview, I would do it,'' she said. ''The way I looked at it, the publicity was good for the track and good for racing in general.''
Renshaw denied Day's charge that she is pressing too hard to live up to expectations.
''That's absolutely not true,'' she said. ''I'm driving hard because I'm trying to win.''
Day claimed that ''Renshaw just ran right into me.''
Renshaw's version: ''I had the faster car, and Mark wouldn't move out of the way. When I tried to go around him, he cut me off and we wrecked. It's like Darrell Waltrip said during the telecast of Sunday's race, if you've got a slower car than the driver behind you, you're supposed to get out of the way.''
Day said he is not convinced that a woman — at least any woman he knows of — can drive a race car.
''I think there is a mystique about woman drivers,'' he said. ''I've got a 17-year-old daughter and I'd never let her race. But I'm not upset at Deborah because she's a woman; I'm upset at her because she's a bad driver. She's trying to overachieve, and that gets her in trouble.''
Told that his comments could cast him in a bad light, Day said: ''I don't care. I'm 40 years old and I know I'm not going anywhere. I'm not afraid to be candid.''
Renshaw said perhaps Day is ''resentful'' because he is resigned to racing on the local level while she has ambitions of moving up the NASCAR ladder.
''I don't know what Mark's problem is, but he's not going to intimidate me. Maybe he just has trouble believing that a woman driver can be successful.''

[Irene]

Ur are entitled to your opioion.

I will not continute this....I believe with all my heart that what she did was not intentional there was a reason she did not stop and ur the one being ridiculous for not waiting for the answers and pointing fingers. and u may say that ur not but u r!

My opioion is she is innocent and did not mean any harm but she has to live withth is accident with the rest of her life. Isnt that enough???????

[Burnsieold]

I cannot believe that I'm saying this but I agree with Irene 100%. If you lived in Nashville and knew the facts of all that went on with Day and Renshaw then you would know what kind of a man he is. Have you ever talked to him? How about his sponsor? How about Renshaw? Day is the biggest sexist that has ever sat foot ina car. He does not believe tha women belong in racing in any form. Those were his words. He's still peeved over all the booing he's got, and his win being DQ'ed after he made such a big deal about Deb's car being illegal.

As far as the accident this weekend goes, it seemed to be the almost identical to Kerry Earnhardt's last year with Blaise Alexander and I don't hear too many people saying these things about him. Should he retire also? Or is that now different? Does make you feel like she's catching so much heat because she is female.

[full_throttle]

Originally posted by Joe Fan
Irene,

I'm sorry but this Renshaw deserves all the criticism she is getting because what she did was inexcusable. Even if she didn't have a spotter, the yellow lights came out which she should have seen. In my opinion, her racing license should be suspended and she should seriously consider retirement.

Joe please explain yourself you sound very anti women. You also sound like you dont know what your talking about.

[muggle not]

ANYTHING that Mark Day says should be completely ignored as he is a COMPLETE sexist. Let me tell y'all that women CAN drive, not all, but neither can all male drive. We have a female driver and without a doubt she can outdrive the majority of her counterparts...period.

I do not have all the info on the accident and as such cannot make a definitive statement, however, it appears like a "racin accident".

One more point...it is utterly ridiculous to even discuss whether or not females have the talent to drive. It makes absolutely no sense. Sorry for my rant but it sets me off hearing such nonsense.

[Irene]

Originally posted by Burnsie
I cannot believe that I'm saying this but I agree with Irene 100%.

Okay have I missed something??? why is it so believeable that you would agree with me?? Do I know you? I'm lost? I do make sense sometimes ya know??? LOL

[Joe Fan]

Originally posted by full_throttle
Joe please explain yourself you sound very anti women. You also sound like you dont know what your talking about.

The word is that Renshaw's impact was 8 seconds after Martin's car came to a rest up against the outside retaining wall and 18 seconds after he first crashed. He had radioed that he was OK after the initial crash. Driver Shelby Howard, who was in front of Renshaw, said he seen the yellow lights come on and he was able to miss hitting Martin's car. It is speculated that she must have missed at least two yellow caution lights.

Color it anyway you want but it seems to me as if she wasn't paying attention. I have seen quite a few drivers miss hitting a car on the driver's side with much less time to react. But these drivers are experienced and this was only Renshaw's third start on a track a 1.5 mile or larger. The time elapsed makes me wonder if Martin had started undoing his belts. However, if you get hit by any car at the "wrong" angle driver's side at a high speed, the results won't be good. I am not sure how effective a HANS device would be in this type of crash but most of the top Winston Cup drivers have pretty sophiscated seats, head rests and padding on the roll bars to prevent their head from hitting things inside the car. Does anyone know exactly what the cause of death was to Martin?

At any rate, if you listen to the interviews after this incident found at: http://espn.go.com/rpm/2002/1009/1443506.html# (look on the right-hand side of the page)

One veteran driver states that the graduation of drivers to these series is too fast. He says that it is necessary for a driver to learn the skills when these things happen on smaller tracks. I think that inexperience was the reason that this occurred. Today, way too many drivers are being promoted to top series without the necessary experience. Woman and foreign drivers are being promoted much faster than anyone else.

Take a look at Japanese driver Hideo Fukuyama, who has only competed in two low rung NASCAR series races (Winston West) and is being allowed to compete in Winston Cup when there are plenty of drivers in the Truck Series or Busch Grand National who are much better qualified and have much more proven track records for that ride--witness Jamie McMurray! But Fukuyama is getting to make the Carter-Hass #66 car his own personal Richard Petty Driving Experience ride because he is bringing his own money to a car that would otherwise be parked. Ditto for Renshaw, she does well in NASCAR Weekly Racing Series and gets a sponsor behind her and leap-frogs over more qualifed and proven drivers simply because she is an attractive woman driver. She is getting opportunties faster than Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Dale Jr. had actually won three Late Model races before he moved up to Busch. Renshaw has never won a race. Her best finish in a Late Model car was 2nd at the 1/2 mile Nashville Speedway.

[full_throttle]

Where the hell is a driver to get super speedway time if not ARCA? This is freaking ARCA we are talking about and you make is sound like WC. Its not even Busch. You dont get it do you. You sound bitter about these people trying to move up.

[Joe Fan]

Originally posted by full_throttle
Where the hell is a driver to get super speedway time if not ARCA? This is freaking ARCA we are talking about and you make is sound like WC. Its not even Busch. You dont get it do you. You sound bitter about these people trying to move up.

Well there are plenty of stock series in between Late Models and ARCA for drivers to prove themselves. Check here: http://www.nascartouring.com/

I feel that Renshaw is unjustifiably being given the fast-track to a stock car career soley because: 1)she is an attractive female, 2) because she has shown some promise in a Late Model racing series. Success in Late Model series is all about having an adequate tire supply every week, which she had. I know a Late Model owner at Odessa Speedway (1/2 mile 28 degree banked oval) and he said that is the key to running well every week. A lot of those guys have to race with the same tires until they blow or get too bald because they don't have sponsors. Consequently, Renshaw's success in NASCAR's lowest rung doesn't do enough to convince me she is ready for ARCA. ARCA is a pretty challegning series and it is a big leap from Late Models.

Take Tammy Jo Kirk as a good example. She starting racing at age 9, moved up to Late Models when she got older and then raced in the All-Pro Series beginning in 1991, winning several poles in the All-Pro series before she got a taste of the Craftsman Truck Series. Renshaw started racing at age 19 in the Legend series, attended some driving schools, raced a couple years in Late Models at Highland Rim Speedway (where she was runner-up for rookie of the year honors) and then at Nashville Speedway. Then poof...she is promoted to ARCA. I wonder where the rookie of the year at Highland Rim Speedway is now? So it should be obvious that what I am maintaing is accurate. Tammy Jo Kirk wasn't given the fast-track to a stock car career because she doesn't look like the Prom Queen.

[full_throttle]

Ohh come on Joe that does not fly. Your saying that a women is only promoted by looks. I say not look at Sarah Fisher.