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The 2003 racing season has continued to show that changes are dictated within the pit rules to provide safety to all involved in pit stop participation. We have recently seen crew members injured at the Brickyard 400 (where the pits are large enough to accomodate about anything) and at Gateway (where the pits are somewhat smaller).
The pit rules in IndyCar racing under USAC rules at Indy stated no pit crew member was allowed over the pit wall until the car was actually in the pit box. Today, pit members go over the wall, take equipment, tires and etc. before their cars are even in the pit area. Even with reduced pit speeds as compared to those previously where there was no speed limit, the pits are an extremely dangerous area. No one, except racing officials, should be allowed over their respective pit walls until the race cars are within their own pit box, or even better, before the race car stops.
If action is not taken immediately to remedy the situations seen at Gateway and the Brickyard, injuries will continue and will worsen perhaps leading to a fatality. Prior to the introduction of the IRL and IRL rules, and this can be verifiied through USAC, no pit members were allowed over the wall until the race car was in the pit box nor was equipment allowed to be placed within the pit box prior to the car entering the pit box.
Please consider an immediate change to the IRL pit rules to increase the safety for everyone involved in the pits during race action pit stops.
The pit rules in IndyCar racing under USAC rules at Indy stated no pit crew member was allowed over the pit wall until the car was actually in the pit box. Today, pit members go over the wall, take equipment, tires and etc. before their cars are even in the pit area. Even with reduced pit speeds as compared to those previously where there was no speed limit, the pits are an extremely dangerous area. No one, except racing officials, should be allowed over their respective pit walls until the race cars are within their own pit box, or even better, before the race car stops.
If action is not taken immediately to remedy the situations seen at Gateway and the Brickyard, injuries will continue and will worsen perhaps leading to a fatality. Prior to the introduction of the IRL and IRL rules, and this can be verifiied through USAC, no pit members were allowed over the wall until the race car was in the pit box nor was equipment allowed to be placed within the pit box prior to the car entering the pit box.
Please consider an immediate change to the IRL pit rules to increase the safety for everyone involved in the pits during race action pit stops.
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