Truck on the Track at Baltimore IRL

[cosworth151]

In another thread, we discussed a marshal being on the wrong side of a barrier during the warm up. The start of the Baltimore race was even worse. A Honda Ridgeline safety vehicle was on track running the wrong was at Turn 1 during the start! It passed the first two rows of cars as it dove off the track.

The incident really stands out in the second part of the vid. IRL really needs to get its sh*t together.

[Ian]

That is pure insanity, the front drivers must have thought....What the f*** is going on here.

[Scott]

    IRL officials who a) threw the green before the track was clear and all safety vehicles parked, and b) who told the Safety Truck crew to go the WRONG WAY down the track when the cars were already circling (...the RIGHT WAY).   

[Canada Darrell™]

As I posted in the other thread, nothing much seems to have changed since I was fortunate enough to see some of what goes on behind the scenes 10 or 11 years ago...

M-I-C-K-E-Y M- O-U-S-E

That was far too close to killing a driver. Someone better either lose their job or get suspended for that atrocity!

[lkjohnson1950]

Brian Barnhart has made error after error in running the show. He started the cars in the rain at NH. He robbed Castro- Nieves of a win in Canada. He insists the drivers can't start 3 wide at Indy. He calls blocking penalties on drivers he doesn't like while ignoring others that he does. He must have something on the Hulmans, because he should have been canned long ago'

[markfarrell9572]

Brian Bernhart has made so many bad judgements, going right back to Paul Tracy losing Indy in 2002 (hope I have right year), he has lost the confidence of the teams and drivers, and is in fact openly disliked.  He should be removed from his post before he is responsible for a driver's death

[Dare]

I don't think Brian Barnhart was in charge of Indy when
Tracy should have won the 500,I could be wrong

[Scott]

Yeah, I think you're right Dare, it was Tony.  And if I recall, many of the conspiracy theorists figured it was about anti-CART sentiments (I agreed).

[John S]

Indycar has suspended the Truck driver who took such a chance with lives at Baltimore.   

Seems Brian Barnhart agrees with all of us, he's quoted as saying "It was a near catastrophe," in this Autosport report

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/94337

[markfarrell9572]

Brian Bernhart should be sacked for allowing race go green while truck was on track.

[Canada Darrell™]

Brian Bernhart should be sacked for allowing race go green while truck was on track.

Yeah, that's what I was thinking. Unless the driver drove out on the track AFTER he was told not to (I presume there is some kind of communication to ensure all on-track personnel have vacated the track???) then this is just covering his own ass.

Some jackass dropped the green flag or gave the OK while the truck was out.

[PG_Gabriel]

Well the truck driver is out

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/94337

[Scott]

Brian Bernhart should be sacked for allowing race go green while truck was on track.

Yeah, that's what I was thinking. Unless the driver drove out on the track AFTER he was told not to (I presume there is some kind of communication to ensure all on-track personnel have vacated the track???) then this is just covering his own ass.

Some jackass dropped the green flag or gave the OK while the truck was out.

Yeah, it's pretty clear to me that the procedures that should be looked at are those preceding the green flag throw - not the safety vehicle ones.  The very last thing that should be assured is that all safety vehicles are parked, and all track personnel are in their positions BEFORE the flag man is given the OK.  It doesn't matter that the truck went the wrong way on the track - anything could have happened to the truck, even if it had gone to a different track exit.  Throwing the green flag before it was off the track and radio-ed in, is the serious blunder.