06/15/2005

A HEALTHY BILL FOR RACING
by Geno Ostrowski

Drivers racing at local tracks in the past month suffered four separate heart attacks, which resulted in death.  This brought many questions to the table.

 

It’s not a topic taken lightly, but should all drivers be mandated to pass a pre-season physical in order to compete at any specific track for the season?  Do they have to be in good physical condition to compete in short-track auto racing?  Well, in a recent on-line survey conducted by Mountain Speedway and the Long Island Jam website, yes.  The results were split, with 25% saying no, and 75% leaning toward yes.

 

Sanctioning bodies, such as NASCAR and SCCA currently mandate drivers to have a physical prior to the start of each racing season.  Can a driver suffer a heart attack even after being ‘approved’ to race by a doctor?  Sure they can, but with lower risk.  In many cases, signs of heart problems are noticeable during a routine physical.

 

Like it or not, predictions are, that within the next few years, local tracks will be forced to mandate a physical, or a ‘clean bill of health’ on each driver who competes at their facility.  The idea may cause a stir, especially among the elder drivers, but in the long run, everyone wins.

 

Expensive insurance bills and liability claims force tracks to carry that cost over to the drivers and fans.  Going through the motions to assure the best precautions are taken to prevent injury, or death is what insurance companies want to see, not to mention that the competition may feel more at ease knowing that everyone on the track is physically healthy.

 

Driver safety isn’t the only concern, as each driver has a crew full of members in the pit area throughout an evening of racing.  One suggestion was to keep a file on each driver and crewmember in the track office.  The file might include a laminated ID card and emergency contact information, along with a list of any allergies, etc. that the person has.  In the case of an emergency, the file would be pulled and given to the ambulance crew.  This would help assure that any injury that occurs in the pit area would be dealt with in a professional fashion, as their medical information is on hand.

 

Remember, this sport we all love so dear is fun to do and great to watch, but with having the reassurance that each driver is in good physical condition is much better than witnessing injury, or even death.

Source:  Geno Ostrowski/LongIslandJam.com
Posted:  June 20, 2005