BIll Simpson RIP

Only if a working HANS device was being used with the seatbelts. The basal skull fracture is basically an internal decapitation of the brain. The heavier full face helmet would have made it more likely for the injury to occur, unless used with the HANS, and properly belted.

 

Thats good info there, thanx.

I heard the stories, but what I keep going back to is the video of Ken Schrader ? walking up to Dales driver-side window after the wreck and Immediately backing away from the car.....you can physically see the shock / fear.

It was a tragedy, and to this day, all the legal complications.....I believe if Dale was able to chime in he would call the wreck, and its outcome "just racin"......I feel all the legal actions that affected Mr. Simpson, were other people's "wants", not Dales......Just my opinion of course. Obviously there is no way to know for sure.

good info, thanx for chiming in.....interesting that a full face without HANS could have made it more probable.

 

Schrader said blood was coming out of every hole in his head.

 

I think I could have happily continued not knowing this. Jesus…

 

Sorry you could tell by Schraders reaction, it really shook him up.

 

Ken Scrader was an old school racer. He was working on his race car when someone hit the starter button, and one of his fingers got messed up pretty bad. Went to the hospital, doctor said he could save the finger with surgery, but he would miss 3-4 races, Schrader said fuckit, take the finger off, I have to race tomorrow.

 

Yeah, and HPPT....what I heard makes Razrs description pretty tame.

 

Yeah, that guy was the real deal!!!!.....drive ANYTHING!

I was (am) a big fan.

 

It was actually a week.
https://www.greensboro.com/schrader...cle_57cddec6-c78e-541c-8068-0474107b6a06.html

 

I have seen an internal decapitation and that
is exactly what happens. His reaction is understandable.

 

I also heard that the back of his head was where the front used to be. I assume he died instantly.

 

they did exist but the early models were a joke... massive in size compared to modern ones. When i worked for Jim Downing i saw the original mold. looked like a cheesy syfi space suit
Also when I worked there in 2011- 2012 Hans was being sold to Simpson racing.

 

Yep. Even before HANS there was straps that people had sewn to their suits or harnesses that went over the suit that attached to the helmets. Weren't as effective as the HANS and the other current ones but they were something.

Sr just refered to these things as "the noose". Unfortunately NASCAR would NOT force him to wear one since he was Dale Earnhart. 3 other Nascar drivers died the previous 18 months of the same injury and yet Nascar still didn't require these. Took the death of a star before they did a damn thing. I do think if he was required by Nascar to wear one, he would had retired in 5-7yrs after 2001 season with maybe 1-2 more championships and ended up on the Nascar BoD. I also don't think we'd see the new "ideas" from Nascar known as "The Chase" and the "stage racing" stuff.