|
Let's face it, Motor Racing is a dangerous
sport. It always has been and always will be. The inherent danger is part of
its lure and its lore. Most fans like to see the driver flirt with danger
and avoid tragedy. The loss of Ayrton Senna in Formula I and Dale Earnhardt
in NASCAR made banner front page headlines, as well as sport page headlines.
It also prompted both sanctioning bodies to react with rule changes
attempting to deal with those tragedies.
The FIA has been more successful than NASCAR in
reducing serious injuries and fatalities. F1 has been accused by its
detractors, "of sanitized tracks overrun with chicanes". There is very
little to "sanitize" on an oval track, except for perhaps "soft walls" and
the paving of inside safety aprons. In both CART and IRL, the
sanctioning bodies have also tried to deal with the injuries. CART has
1 reduced boost and horsepower, made the HANS Device mandatory and made
changes to enhance cockpit and lower limb areas. The IRL has tried to soften
its transmission (for rear impacts) and also modify its cockpit and seat
designs to alleviate impacts.
Notwithstanding all the those efforts, it seems
to be an inescapable conclusion, that racing open wheel, Indy Type cars on
high speed ovals remains a dangerous endeavor. This year , as the table of
injuries has demonstrated below, current technology and engineering
have yet to produce a satisfactory response to the continuing number of
injuries on oval tracks.
Gladiators of the Roman Empire fought in the great
Coliseum and engaged in extreme battles resulting in severe injuries or even death. The
Gladiators of the modern era are Indy Car oval track racers in the IRL and
CART. The injury rate to the modern day gladiators is alarming, and we
have compiled the statistics to prove just how brave (or desperate for a job, depending on
where you sit) these men are.
This article isn't about CART vs. the IRL.
It's about the safety of the drivers in the CART and IRL Indy Car series.
Our research dates back to the inception of the IRL in 1996, for it was at that
time that we had a better balance between ovals (IRL and some in CART) and
road courses (CART). It's also as far back as we could find data for.
Still, it's enough data to have a reasonable assurance of statistical
accuracy/trends.
|
On oval
tracks, the safety crews stay very busy. Here
Mauricio Gugelmin is carefully extricated from his car by
the CART Simple Green safety crew after an accident during
practice for the Firestone Firehawk 600, CART FedEx
Championship Series at the Texas Motor Speedway in Fort
Worth, Texas.
Photo: Robert Laberge/ALLSPORT |
Since 1996, when the all-oval IRL series was
created, we suspected that the injury rate in Indy Car racing had gone up
dramatically, but we didn't bother to compile the data until now. The
number of road course races stayed about the same (all in CART) but the
number of oval races increased when the IRL came on board, and the combined
total number of oval races and road course races between the two series in
2002 is currently split about 60/40 in favor of ovals. Since 1996, 235
races weekends have been run between the two series. 60% have been ovals and
40% road and street circuits.
Because there were more ovals than road course races,
one would expect the ratio of injuries to be about 60% on ovals and 40% on road
courses if the two types of racing were equally as safe. However, what we
found was that in those 235 races, 90% of the injuries
occurred on ovals and just 10% on road courses, a statistically alarming
difference. Of course road courses have gravel traps, energy absorbing
barriers, and paved runoff areas to soften impacts. Ovals tracks have
nothing but hard concrete walls.
Of the 235 race weekends, 86 were IRL races and 149 were
CART races, or 37% IRL and 63% CART. Although CART had many more
races, the number of injuries in the IRL were 127 to just 48 for CART.
In other words, the IRL had only 37% of the events, but 73% of the injuries.
That equates to an average of 1.443 injuries per race weekend for the IRL and 0.322
injuries per race for CART. The data indicates, you are 448% more likely
to get injured during an IRL race weekend than a CART race weekend. The numbers are disproportionately high
for the IRL because they have so many ovals races. If we were to include all
forms of auto racing (NASCAR, short tracks, dirt, SCCA road racing, etc. the
number of injuries on ovals vs. road course would skyrocket even further.
No one is immune to the dangers of oval track racing, especially NASCAR and
the IRL.
Let's examine the statistics in more depth.
In the table below is a list of all injuries and deaths that we could verify for in the IRL and CART since 1996. Here is a summary of the
data:
|
Number of total
races since 1996 |
272 |
|
Percent of total races
on ovals: |
164 |
60% |
|
Percent of total races
on road courses: |
108 |
40% |
|
Percent of races run
by IRL |
107 |
39% |
|
Percent of races run
by CART |
165 |
61% |
|
|
|
|
Number of total
injuries: |
186 |
|
Percent of total
injuries from ovals: |
168 |
90% |
|
Percent of total
injuries from road courses: |
18 |
10% |
|
No. injuries in IRL |
136 |
|
No. of injuries in
CART |
50 |
|
Percent injuries by
IRL |
73% |
|
Percent injuries by
CART |
27% |
|
Injuries per race in
IRL |
1.271
|
|
Injuries per race in
CART |
0.303
|
|
Likelihood of getting
injured in IRL vs. CART race |
419% |
|
|
|
|
Number of total
head injuries |
60 |
|
Percent of total head
injuries from ovals: |
57 |
95% |
|
Percent of total head
injuries from road courses: |
3 |
5% |
|
|
|
|
Number of total
back/neck/pelvis/hip injuries |
44 |
|
Percent of total
back/neck/pelvis/hip injuries from ovals: |
40 |
91% |
|
Percent of total
back/neck/pelvis/hip injuries from road courses: |
4 |
9% |
|
|
|
|
Number of total
shoulder/arm/wrist/hand injuries |
21 |
|
Percent of total
shoulder/arm/wrist/hand injuries from ovals: |
18 |
86% |
|
Percent of total
shoulder/arm/wrist/hand injuries from road courses: |
3 |
14% |
|
|
|
|
Number of total
leg/ankle/foot injuries: |
40 |
|
Percent of total
leg/ankle/foot injuries from ovals: |
38 |
95% |
|
Percent of total
leg/ankle/foot injuries from road courses: |
2 |
5% |
|
|
|
|
Number of total rib
injuries |
4 |
|
Percent of total rib
injuries from ovals: |
3 |
75% |
|
Percent of total rib
injuries from road courses: |
1 |
25% |
|
|
|
|
Number of total
misc. injuries: |
13 |
|
Percent of total misc.
injuries from ovals: |
10 |
77% |
|
Percent of total misc.
injuries from road courses: |
3 |
23% |
|
|
|
|
Number of total
fatalities |
4 |
|
Percent of total
fatalities from ovals: 5 = 63% |
2 |
50% |
|
Percent of total
fatalities from road courses: 3 = 37% |
2 |
50% |
We'll let you draw your own conclusions from the
data presented. However, given the statistics, it's not inconceivable
that the US Surgeon General might someday stamp a warning on all Indy Car
oval races, similar to what they do on cigarette packs - "WARNING, The
Surgeon General has determined that Indy Car oval track racing is VERY
hazardous to your health."
Note: we have exercised
due diligence to fully and factually examine all the records available to
us. We were not given records from either IRL or CART. We may have
accidentally left out some injuries, but any omission was unintentional, and
due strictly to our lack of access to official records. If better
records become available in the future, we will update the statistics
presented. Indy Lights and Toyota Atlantic series injuries are not
included because 1) injury records were not available to us, 2) the number
of injuries in those two series are statistically insignificant, 3) at the
time, the IRL did not have an equivalent ladder series to compare against.
Detailed Injury Listing
|
1996
|
Series
|
Driver
|
Venue
|
Type
|
Injury
|
|
1.
|
IRL
|
Butch Brickell
|
Disney
|
Oval
|
Broken Neck
|
|
2.
|
IRL
|
Eliseo Salazar
|
Disney
|
Oval
|
Broken Leg
|
|
3.
|
IRL
|
Roberto Guerrero
|
Disney
|
Oval
|
Concussion
|
|
4.
|
IRL
|
Eddie Cheever
|
Phoenix
|
Oval
|
Concussion
|
|
5.
|
IRL
|
Stan Wattles
|
Phoenix
|
Oval
|
Concussion
|
|
6.
|
IRL
|
Buddy Lazier
|
Phoenix
|
Oval
|
Broken back
|
|
7.
|
IRL
|
Scott Brayton
|
Indy
|
Oval
|
FATALITY
|
|
8.
|
IRL
|
Billy Boat
|
Indy
|
Oval
|
Shoulder Separation
|
|
9.
|
IRL
|
Dan Drinan
|
Indy
|
Oval
|
Broken Pelvis
|
|
10.
|
IRL
|
Lyn St. James
|
Indy
|
Oval
|
Broken Wrist
|
|
11.
|
IRL
|
A. Zampedri
|
Indy
|
Oval
|
Broken Feet/Ankles
|
|
12.
|
IRL
|
Brad Murphey
|
Las Vegas
|
Oval
|
Broken Hip
|
|
13.
|
IRL
|
Tony Stewart
|
Las Vegas
|
Oval
|
Broken Shoulder
|
|
14.
|
IRL
|
Mark Dismore
|
Las Vegas
|
Oval
|
Broken Pelvis
|
|
1.
|
CART
|
Parker Johnstone
|
Homestead
|
Oval
|
Concussion
|
|
2.
|
CART
|
Scott Goodyear
|
Rio
|
Oval
|
Broken Back (Thoracic compression fracture)
|
|
3.
|
CART
|
Mark Blundell
|
Rio
|
Oval
|
Rib and foot fractures
|
|
4.
|
CART
|
Jeff Krosnoff
|
Toronto
|
Street
|
FATALITY
|
|
--
|
CART
|
Gary Avrin
|
Toronto
|
Street
|
FATALITY (Corner worker)
|
|
5.
|
CART
|
Paul Tracy
|
Michigan
|
Oval
|
Fractured Vertebrae
|
|
6.
|
CART
|
Emerson Fittipaldi
|
Michigan
|
Oval
|
Neck fracture
|
|
7.
|
CART
|
Parker Johnstone
|
Elkhart Lake
|
Road
|
Hospitalized/Soft Tissue
|
|
1997
|
Series
|
Driver
|
Venue
|
Type
|
Injury
|
|
1.
|
IRL
|
Eliseo Salazar
|
Disney
|
Oval
|
Broken Back (Thoracic compression fracture)
|
|
2.
|
IRL
|
Davy Jones
|
Disney
|
Oval
|
Head/Neck/Neuro
|
|
3.
|
IRL
|
Kenny Brack
|
Phoenix
|
Oval
|
Concussion
|
|
4.
|
IRL
|
Sam Schmidt
|
Phoenix
|
Oval
|
Spinal Fracture (Thoracic compression fracture)
|
|
5.
|
IRL
|
Jeret Schroeder
|
Phoenix
|
Oval
|
Concussion
|
|
6.
|
IRL
|
Scott Sharp
|
Indy
|
Oval
|
Head/Cerebral Hemorrhage
|
|
7.
|
IRL
|
John Paul, Jr.
|
Indy
|
Oval
|
Broken Leg
|
|
8.
|
IRL
|
Johnny O'Connell
|
Indy
|
Oval
|
Broken Foot
|
|
9.
|
IRL
|
Robby Gordon
|
Indy
|
Oval
|
2nd/3rd Degree Burns
|
|
10.
|
IRL
|
Paul Durant
|
Indy
|
Oval
|
Broken Pelvis/Concussion
|
|
11.
|
IRL
|
Mike Groff
|
Texas
|
Oval
|
Broken Leg
|
|
12.
|
IRL
|
Robbie Buhl
|
Colorado
|
Oval
|
Concussion
|
|
13.
|
IRL
|
Jim Guthrie
|
Colorado
|
Oval
|
Broken Back (Thoracic compression fracture?)
|
|
14.
|
IRL
|
Scott Sharp
|
Colorado
|
Oval
|
Cerebral Hemorrhage
|
|
15.
|
IRL
|
Buzz Caulkins
|
Loudon
|
Oval
|
Fractured Skull/Broken Ankle
|
|
16.
|
IRL
|
Mike Groff
|
Loudon
|
Oval
|
Concussion
|
|
17.
|
IRL
|
Davey Hamilton
|
Las Vegas
|
Oval
|
Concussion
|
|
18.
|
IRL
|
John Paul, Jr.
|
Las Vegas
|
Oval
|
Concussion
|
|
19.
|
IRL
|
Jimmy Kite
|
Las Vegas
|
Oval
|
Concussion
|
|
1.
|
CART
|
Christian Fittipaldi
|
Australia
|
Street
|
Broken Leg
|
|
2.
|
CART
|
Bryan Herta
|
Australia
|
Street
|
Broken Hand
|
|
3.
|
CART
|
Parker Johnstone
|
Michigan
|
Oval
|
Facial Laceration
|
|
4.
|
CART
|
Bobby Rahal
|
Michigan
|
Oval
|
Bruised Hip
|
|
5.
|
CART
|
Patrick Carpentier
|
Fontana
|
Oval
|
Concussion
|
|
6.
|
CART
|
Alex Zanardi
|
Fontana
|
Oval
|
Concussion
|
|
7.
|
CART
|
Arie Luyendyk
|
Fontana
|
Oval
|
Concussion
|
|
1998
|
Series
|
Driver
|
Venue
|
Type
|
Injury
|
|
(A.)
|
FF2000
|
Thiago Bezerra
|
Disney
|
Oval
|
Severe head injuries (Not included in totals)
|
|
(B)
|
FF2000
|
Bill Tichenor
|
Phoenix
|
Oval
|
Severe head injuries (Not included in totals)
|
|
1.
|
IRL
|
Mike Groff
|
Phoenix
|
Oval
|
Concussion
|
|
2.
|
IRL
|
Danny Ongais
|
Indy
|
Oval
|
Concussion
|
|
3.
|
IRL
|
Jim Guthrie
|
Indy
|
Oval
|
Broken Elbow
|
|
4.
|
IRL
|
Mark Dismore
|
Texas
|
Oval
|
Concussion
|
|
5.
|
IRL
|
Billy Boat
|
Loudon
|
Oval
|
Broken Leg & Pelvis
|
|
6.
|
IRL
|
Eliseo Salazar
|
Dover
|
Oval
|
Broken Leg/Hip/Arm/Pelvis (I.e. entire right
side)
|
|
1.
|
CART
|
Dennis Vitolo
|
Homestead
|
Oval
|
Burns/Broken Finger
|
|
2.
|
CART
|
Christian Fittipaldi
|
Milwaukee
|
Oval
|
Concussion
|
|
--
|
CART
|
3 spectators
|
Michigan
|
Oval
|
3 FATALITIES
|
|
3.
|
CART
|
Andre Ribeiro
|
Elkhart Lake
|
Road
|
Fractured Leg
|
|
1999
|
Series
|
Driver
|
Venue
|
Type
|
Injury
|
|
1.
|
IRL
|
Stan Wattles
|
Atlanta
|
Oval
|
Broken back
|
|
2.
|
IRL
|
3 Spectators
|
Charlotte
|
Oval
|
3 Fatalities
|
|
3.
|
IRL
|
(3 Crewman)
|
Texas
|
Oval
|
3 Hospitalized multitude of injuries
|
|
4.
|
IRL
|
Sam Schmidt
|
Texas
|
Oval
|
Severe Foot Injury
|
|
5.
|
IRL
|
Robby Unser
|
Texas
|
Oval
|
Back Injury/Hospitalized
|
|
1.
|
CART
|
Shigeaki Hattori
|
Homestead
|
Oval
|
Concussion
|
|
2.
|
CART
|
Al Unser, Jr.
|
Homestead
|
Oval
|
Broken Ankle
|
|
3.
|
CART
|
Naoki Hattori
|
Homestead
|
Oval
|
Broken Leg
|
|
4.
|
CART
|
Mark Blundell
|
Gateway
|
Oval
|
Broken Neck
|
|
--
|
CART
|
Crewman (Andretti)
|
Milwaukee
|
Oval
|
Fractured Skull
|
|
5.
|
CART
|
Christian Fittipaldi
|
Gateway
|
Oval
|
Concussion
|
|
6.
|
CART
|
Patrick Carpentier
|
Detroit
|
Road
|
Broken Back (Thoracic compression fracture)
|
|
7.
|
CART
|
Gonzalo Rodriguez
|
Laguna Seca
|
Road
|
FATALITY
|
|
8.
|
CART
|
Greg Moore
|
Fontana
|
Oval
|
FATALITY
|
|
2000
|
Series
|
Driver
|
Venue
|
Type
|
Injury
|
|
1.
|
IRL
|
Sam Schmidt
|
Disney
|
Oval
|
Paralyzed/Broken Neck
|
|
2.
|
IRL
|
Davey Hamilton
|
Disney
|
Oval
|
Hospitalized/Back Injury
|
|
3.
|
IRL
|
Jacques Lazier
|
Disney
|
Oval
|
Broken Back (Thoracic compression fracture)
|
|
4.
|
IRL
|
Tyce Carlson
|
Indy
|
Oval
|
Concussion
|
|
5.
|
IRL
|
Hideshi Matsuda
|
Indy
|
Oval
|
Broken Wrist/Knee/Concussion
|
|
6.
|
IRL
|
Al Unser, Jr.
|
Kentucky
|
Oval
|
Bruised leg
|
|
1.
|
CART
|
Dario Franchitti
|
Homestead
|
Oval
|
Broken Pelvis/Concussion
|
|
2.
|
CART
|
Tony Kanaan
|
Detroit
|
Road
|
Broken Arm/Ribs
|
|
3.
|
CART
|
Takuya Kurosawa
|
Michigan
|
Oval
|
Concussion
|
|
4.
|
CART
|
Christian Fittipaldi
|
Chicago
|
Oval
|
Concussion
|
|
2001
|
Series
|
Driver
|
Venue
|
Type
|
Injury
|
|
1.
|
IRL
|
Greg Ray
|
Homestead
|
Oval
|
Concussion
|
|
2. | |
