SCOTT KALITTA PASSED AWAY TODAY.....
 

scott kalitta died today in the fourth round of funny car qualifing at englishtown.... my prayers go out to the whole kalitta family... RIP

Former NHRA world champ Kalitta succumbs to injuries in accident

Funny Car driver Scott Kalitta, 46, died Saturday from multiple injuries suffered after his car went out of control and crashed in a high-speed racing accident at Old Bridge Township Raceway Park during the fourth and final round of qualifying at the Lucas Oil NHRA SuperNationals.

Kalitta earned most of his racing success in Top Fuel, where he claimed back-to-back world championship titles in 1994 and 1995. He retired from racing in 1997, sitting out most of two seasons before returning for a 10-race campaign in 1999. He sat out three more seasons following that brief stint and then returned again in 2003, joining cousin Doug as a second driver for the family's two Top Fuel dragsters.

Re: SCOTT KALITTA PASSED AWAY TODAY.....
 

saw that. someone posted the espn replay on youtube

Re: SCOTT KALITTA PASSED AWAY TODAY.....
 

Re: SCOTT KALITTA PASSED AWAY TODAY.....
 

Re: SCOTT KALITTA PASSED AWAY TODAY.....
 

why is there a huge wall at the end of the track

Re: SCOTT KALITTA PASSED AWAY TODAY.....
 

tracks usually have a gravel pit to help stop cars at the end of tracks when their schutes don't come out. most of the times when schutes fail to deploy, they have enough power in their standard brakes to slow them down enough from a malfunction before hitting the end of the road. i would imagine the wall at the end of the track is there just because there simply isn't enough space to continue the track. engine explodes at the finish line, 300 mph. schutes come out but are burnt off almost immeadiately. i would imagine that the explosion messed up the manual brakes or possibly knocked him out. the worst drag racing accident i have ever, ever seen. i can't see there not being changes made to extend the slow down part of tracks or add a longer gravel pit/safety nets at the end. RIP Scott Kallitta

Re: SCOTT KALITTA PASSED AWAY TODAY.....
 

to stop you.

Re: SCOTT KALITTA PASSED AWAY TODAY.....
 

I have been to this track a few times. That wall at the end of the track is the only thing that stops cars from going out onto the street. They just don't have the room to add on to the track.
He was most likely dead or passed out by the time he hit the wall, so even breaks wouldn't help him.

Re: SCOTT KALITTA PASSED AWAY TODAY.....
 

2800 ft long shut down area......at 250 mph.....not enough if the driver is already knocked out.

BTW the sandtrap lip ramped the car into the air.

Re: SCOTT KALITTA PASSED AWAY TODAY.....
 

its been a while since i was there but i think that shot is deceiving, i thought the sand trap was longer (i might be thinking of the 1/8th mile track though, i forget)