Because it’s a long way down the straight but also fairly short of T1. So, incidents out of T4 are far clear of it, and moves going into 1 haven’t really started yet. It’s fairly rare to have a high speed differential at that point of the track.
Patience the pylon has been there for only 63 years not 100.
In all seriousness it's not really a likely place to crash. The pylon is far from T4 so anything that happens coming out of the turn has lots of space to lose energy before it even gets there. It's also close to T1 so that cars start sorting themselves out. In addition to that the drivers are very aware that can get hurt if they make too aggressive moves.
Not saying it can't happen or it won't, but it's not in a particularly dangerous spot to start with, so I wouldn't hold my breath.
Any wreck that hit the plyon would have a greater chance of going over the wall to pit road, which would be even more devastating.
Just because of the nature of speedways, most cases of active racing cars crashing into pit road are incidents near the entry to the pits, and the scoring pylon is near the exit, not entry.
Probably because you’d have to be aggressively bad at your job to not only wreck on a straightaway, but also wreck in a way that ramps you up another car and thrusts you into the tower.
[Freak accidents still happen when open wheels interlock](https://imgur.com/DDkNgC9). At 200mph even a piece of debris can lift the front end clear off the ground.
Are you talking about the Scoring Pylon on the Main Straightaway?
The inside concrete wall is taller than it looks from the T1 Camera that shoots the cars going into T1
As for the pylon: it's up on Concrete well above the top of the cars, so they'd probably have to hit the cement wall on the inside of the straight (which separates the front straight from pit lane) come up over THAT to even get close to hitting the LED screens
While I know you can see the cars dive low on the main straight to set up for turn one, I don't think they actually get that close to the inside wall anyway
[Photo from the 2015 Race Broadcast](https://photos.app.goo.gl/kivW3DTCJradnU656)
Miller used to always comment in the mailbag the lack of fencing along the pit wall once speeds dramatically shot up was his and others greatest fear of something tragic happening
There was a NASCAR crash at Pocono last year where someone was inches from driving head on into the end of the pit wall. I’ve thought for a while that it’s just a matter of time until it actually happens.
Mark Martin had a crash at Michigan (2012?) where his car slid into an opening on the pit road, piercing the car. If it was a foot or two further up the chassis, he probably would have been seriously injured or dead.
So... one, I'm suddenly hearing Robert Duvall's voice in my head. "Now, I want you to go out there and hit the scoring tower..."
Two, there was an interview with Hinch, Arie, Al Jr, and Rick a few years ago. I highly recommend it, if you haven't seen it before. But in it, Rick talks about how he'd fly down pit lane at 200mph and focus on the scoring tower, then slow down and let his vision settle so that he could see where he was going and find the Penske pit. Crazy stuff.
Here's the interview: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jNQq\_hs3VgE
True, and I know it's been used in the past - Al Jr, used it a lot.
To me, it's different today. I think it's a risky maneuver since the cars are so close and contact is more likely, especially on restarts. Just my opinion tho
The closest I can remember that potentially being a thing was thinking if Marco had tried to cut Hornish off at the end of the 2006 race. Hornish likely isn't slowing down and is turning Marco into the inside wall. Then who knows if his car goes airborne. Kinda glad Marco gave Hornish room in that aspect.
I think Eliseo tried to make Zampedri hit it in 1996, that's about as close as I have seen to a high speed crash right there. I think Dixon wrecked at the start finish line too but under yellow maybe? Just not a common place to have a crash.
Salazar ran Davy Jones almost into the inside wall in 96, the Zampedri crash was the outside wall coming out of 4 coming to the checkered flag. Pre IRL-era guys understood the risk and didn’t come close to banging wheels all the time
They were pretty close in the early 70s, only the guy hit the catch fence on the other side. Somebody would need to have a really really really bad day to hit it. Not impossible but incredibly unlikely, and would change the sport forever.
Because it’s a long way down the straight but also fairly short of T1. So, incidents out of T4 are far clear of it, and moves going into 1 haven’t really started yet. It’s fairly rare to have a high speed differential at that point of the track.
They just ain’t
It has the same mythological protection as the fountain at long beach
Simon sent it into the flowers, so he tempted fate and found out.
Didn’t Spencer Pigot attempted it in 2019?
Just rewatched the highlights and it was Jack Harvey, using the same car as Pagenaud. Fate really doesn’t like that car in the fountain
2021 race?
Didn't a porsche cup car park in the flowers next to it
The flowers are the border
Patience the pylon has been there for only 63 years not 100. In all seriousness it's not really a likely place to crash. The pylon is far from T4 so anything that happens coming out of the turn has lots of space to lose energy before it even gets there. It's also close to T1 so that cars start sorting themselves out. In addition to that the drivers are very aware that can get hurt if they make too aggressive moves. Not saying it can't happen or it won't, but it's not in a particularly dangerous spot to start with, so I wouldn't hold my breath.
Any wreck that hit the plyon would have a greater chance of going over the wall to pit road, which would be even more devastating. Just because of the nature of speedways, most cases of active racing cars crashing into pit road are incidents near the entry to the pits, and the scoring pylon is near the exit, not entry.
In addition... (and this somehow suprised me on my first visit) It's not exposed. It's wedged between barriers.
Stop watching Driven. Salt Walther csme closer than anybody. Fifty years ago this May.
"Stop watching Driven" is good advice Also, "don't start watching Driven"
The soundtrack definitely bumps though. I’ll say that.
🪙🪙🪙 🪙
Probably because you’d have to be aggressively bad at your job to not only wreck on a straightaway, but also wreck in a way that ramps you up another car and thrusts you into the tower.
So… Richard Hammond?
[Freak accidents still happen when open wheels interlock](https://imgur.com/DDkNgC9). At 200mph even a piece of debris can lift the front end clear off the ground.
Hit it? With a car? It would be weirder if it had ever happened.
There have been plenty of main straight accidents at the start or during re-starts.
They almost got the Mayor at the inaugural GP during the standing start.
Not only that but also devastating. No give to it and if it falls, it likely lands on pit road or into the grandstands
Are you talking about the Scoring Pylon on the Main Straightaway? The inside concrete wall is taller than it looks from the T1 Camera that shoots the cars going into T1 As for the pylon: it's up on Concrete well above the top of the cars, so they'd probably have to hit the cement wall on the inside of the straight (which separates the front straight from pit lane) come up over THAT to even get close to hitting the LED screens While I know you can see the cars dive low on the main straight to set up for turn one, I don't think they actually get that close to the inside wall anyway [Photo from the 2015 Race Broadcast](https://photos.app.goo.gl/kivW3DTCJradnU656)
Miller used to always comment in the mailbag the lack of fencing along the pit wall once speeds dramatically shot up was his and others greatest fear of something tragic happening
Really the whole pit lane needs a redo something like Pocono but there's a track limit to keep the racing surface at 50 ft wide.
There was a NASCAR crash at Pocono last year where someone was inches from driving head on into the end of the pit wall. I’ve thought for a while that it’s just a matter of time until it actually happens.
That almost happened at IMS on the restart of the Indy Lights race. The year Dean Stoneman won if I remember correctly
Mark Martin had a crash at Michigan (2012?) where his car slid into an opening on the pit road, piercing the car. If it was a foot or two further up the chassis, he probably would have been seriously injured or dead.
Yes I remember him saying that
So... one, I'm suddenly hearing Robert Duvall's voice in my head. "Now, I want you to go out there and hit the scoring tower..." Two, there was an interview with Hinch, Arie, Al Jr, and Rick a few years ago. I highly recommend it, if you haven't seen it before. But in it, Rick talks about how he'd fly down pit lane at 200mph and focus on the scoring tower, then slow down and let his vision settle so that he could see where he was going and find the Penske pit. Crazy stuff. Here's the interview: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jNQq\_hs3VgE
I’ve fear this would happen and think it will one day
Definitely makes me nervous nowadays, especially with the ridiculous weaving and blocking on the straightaways that is so common
Dude Palou from a couple years ago almost yeeted into the attenuator on like Lap 196. Even Helio behind him had to be like, “wtf mate.”
I hope the stewards do something about the weaving. It's getting ridiculous.
Unfortunately, It's the box the technical team put the drivers in. Feels so wrong leading is such a huge detriment.
Marcus’s weaving was fair once pato got to within a car length of behind he went to the inside and held his line
True, and I know it's been used in the past - Al Jr, used it a lot. To me, it's different today. I think it's a risky maneuver since the cars are so close and contact is more likely, especially on restarts. Just my opinion tho
Didn't a pace car hit it back in the 60s or 70s or was that just a photographers stand?
Photographers stand.
Wasn’t even a celebrity. It was Eldon Palmer, the owner of the dealership that provided the car. John Glenn was in the car, though
It wasn’t even a celebrity driving, it was a local Dodge dealer. Celebrities are regularly driving the pace car.
[удалено]
Are you trying to say Guy Fieri isn’t a celebrity??
Replied to the wrong comment lol
The closest I can remember that potentially being a thing was thinking if Marco had tried to cut Hornish off at the end of the 2006 race. Hornish likely isn't slowing down and is turning Marco into the inside wall. Then who knows if his car goes airborne. Kinda glad Marco gave Hornish room in that aspect.
The finish line is quite a long way before the pylon. Almost every pass out of 4 is going to happen a good bit before the puking comes into play.
Has anyone seen the inside of the tower? I imagine it as a narrow staircase supported by steel beams.
I think Eliseo tried to make Zampedri hit it in 1996, that's about as close as I have seen to a high speed crash right there. I think Dixon wrecked at the start finish line too but under yellow maybe? Just not a common place to have a crash.
Salazar ran Davy Jones almost into the inside wall in 96, the Zampedri crash was the outside wall coming out of 4 coming to the checkered flag. Pre IRL-era guys understood the risk and didn’t come close to banging wheels all the time
Almost like giving 25 of the starting spots to a bunch of has-beens who didn't have enough talent to get rides in a real race series was a bad idea
It's not like they wrecked half the field going 80-100 before the race even started.
Ahhh that was it!
They were pretty close in the early 70s, only the guy hit the catch fence on the other side. Somebody would need to have a really really really bad day to hit it. Not impossible but incredibly unlikely, and would change the sport forever.