Punish tracks and companies for jackass drivers?

The car that killed my daughter was a brand new Honda Civic that could not “push to pass” at 100 mph. No “punishment” but the racing teams are failing to educate the kids who are young drivers around their paddocks- (Don’t expect too much from “professionals” who think a nine year old driving an ATV with rollerblades and crashes AND recovers in a full body cast is on his way to greatness in autoracing-)

No blame. Enough of that to go around. Just some active responsibility.
Formula-one is awesome! No kids on that track, AND they are all about engineering. Louis Hamilton agreed with me about translating safety onto the streets but it just isn’t happening in the USA.(Max Mosely missed the point-however- as he often does.) Formula one is the standard for auto-racing but we in America fall so very short-
The youngest driver in their history was 19.5 and teenagers who watch them know it is “professional” sports. American Open-WHeel is ALL about the sponsors and the bottom line, very little engineering AND so far, very little social responsibility. In fact they are marketing to the young teenage market as ifauto-racing is a “pretty” sport. Considering all of the serious injuries that are sustained and hidden from the public, wanting to be a racecar driver is a very long and extremely dangerous path.
You have to be at the very top of your game in Formula-one, where there is an actual “formula.”
NO BLAME…just want something more than rich auto-racers flashing “Fun, Easy, Fast, and More” to our young drivers becasue in real life- “SPEED KILLS,”
We are also car enthusiast-Love the gorgeous machines, some of them are works of art!

Florida has just updated its street racing laws. In 2007 a judge found that the law was unconstitutional as it was written, then the new “very minmal” fines have just been imposed. The co-instigator in my personal case just got away with nothing but a raise in his insurance rate and maybe a warning from his insurance agaent. The Police officers need help in enforcing the laws, the racing community knows all to well how dangerous their sport is. You can’t have it both ways; sell SPEED to kids then make a contribution to drivers ed., if its at the track or at school. 1% surcharge is just a drop in the bucket for the money mongering team owners who love to come into our state and set up the tracks. Festivals of Speed, with all of the gorgeous cars and the flaunt of the extravagant lifestyle can also afford a 1% surcharge, since they like to bring in their “Charity” and 501-3c’s. (Supposedly they “love” children.)1% surcharge for real drivers ed! Charities are great but they don’t help out with the epidemic of tragic deaths due to the love for fast living.

Some people just minimize the dangers of auto racing and try to claim that they are a “special class” that is exempt from child protection and of course the pro-racers aren’t driving “Ricers” on the street. The pro’s drive cars like Laborghini, BMW, Mercedes, Ferrari..they just pimp the Hondas out to family and friends.
Becominhg a pro-racer is along process, lets hear the stories of broken backs, broken legs, parapalegic trauma, and also, realize that ALL of those kids in the ladder systems of “pro-racing” all have very young friends who Also LEARN to want “Respect” on the roadways. We are talking about kids just learning how to maneuver around…Graduated Drivers Licensing is for ALL kids…even amateur race car drivers. The adults in this sport know very well what the dangers are so STOP trying to make it a “pretty” sport because crashes and road trauma are NOT pretty!
Sell SPEED to kids-then pay the 1%. Plain and simple.

Talk about how “staring down death” is a part of the job. Talk about the many sustained injuries, and don’t forget the “Martyrs” for your sport.
Nevermind the pretty clothes and catch phrases to sell extreme Sports wear, remember “Speed Kills” on and off the track. And don’t forget that kids are listening to these catch-phrases and subliminal messages, like “Race to the Party” and “If you are in control,you are driving too slow.”
Horse Racing in Florida has MORE regulations in Florida than Auto Racing! The professional racers who have kids around NEED HELP in educating the kids regarding illegal street racing AND reckless driving and Speeding beacause for the most part these “professionals are limited in their education. Most pro-racers started out very young and only have graduated from High School or have a GED. They are not specialists in children 18-23 driving behaviour.
Racecar drivers and Speed fanatics are not exempt from child protection laws.
http://www.teamsheriffracing.com/

Doug Herbert of B.R.A.K.E.S also lost his 2 boys “Reckless driving”. He has developed an aggresive/defensive driving program…not that his model is the best but it is something. Racecar drivers all know ro well that death and injury come with the job.

The police in Orlando use the racing rules when they prosecute cases AND because 12 jurors are needed to convict a co-instigator (the guy who gets away), there is no justice.
Had the young man lived through this ordeal 5 years ago-he would have faced some jail-time. Also he was NOT a “jerk or a moron”-He was just a young boy 18 years old, who had worked at Karting Parks and was around very high speeds his whole life..overconfidant on the road. He was someones child-who was loved in his community! Interesting how people in the racing world just want to disown their children, if they screw-up.

The co-instigator, was driving at High Speeds- way ahead of him when the car crashed and killed 2 teenagers, almost demolished a family of 4, another Blow-by in Orlando, The racing Capital of the World. If the professionals want to target the market for teenagers cash-they better be prepared to contribute for some real drivers ed. Our state has crappy drivers-ed, AND everybody knows it. The adults who love the Speed Channel are enticed by racing every holiday,SPring Break and Week-end. So are the kids, but they are not educated about racing, or reckless driving because it is glorified in this fast culture. The kids love “FAST, EASY,FUN, AND MORE” and the professionals know it and they capitalize on it every Spring Break, here in Florida.
Just like “Legalizing marijuana” would not work well for kids 18-23, Legalizing Auto racing is not that great of a model. The Police in Orlando have sooo much crime that can be prosecuted,it is too expensive to try and prosecute crimes that are not witnessed and then of course the “NO touching” racing rule is the great excuse. (In CA the cars are crushed on the first time around and they have a special day EVERY month for car crushing…no matter who owns the car. Florida is very lenient with racers and the Police (who also like the SPEED channel on the weekend) have ALOT of crime to chase after. In the mean time our kids are dying all over the roadsides-just take a look at the many memorials on the sides of the streets and highways. These young people need to understand that professional racecar drivers have the specialized equipment: RACING FIRESUITS, HELMETS, ROLL-BARS on a closed track with no pedestrians-or passengers,etc. An Indy-car that is all about Honda Motors cannot hold he road at 95mph. Young guys under 22 have alot of learning to do and the racing world should want to contribute 1% (1$/100) for real drivers education. Why wouldn’t they-they have no trouble setting up Non-profits for their special causes-TO get their feet in the door of our cities in Florida. Philanthropy aside- REAL DRIVERS ED PLEASE. Racecar driving is something that has to be started when the kids are very young-they stare down death every time they get in the car to race-common knowledge. Let the kids hear the stories of broken backs, lost friends, burned bodies and parapalegics, that EVERY RACE CAR driver knows all to well. Illegal street racing is everyones problem BTW so if you love Speed-contribute to the education of our young kids, who also love speed. `1% for education is not alot for the racing communities who are now targeting our Native kids. “Sorry for your loss” is a very shallow expression in the racing community and it is just a part of the job when you race professionally. Lets not candy-coat the facts when the kids are around.
Cigarettes, Alcohol, and Gasoline are already taxed…
1% on a racing ticket is a small contribution for SPEED education in Florida, from the experts-for their kids in their circles. SPEED KILLS… Enjoy Motorsports responsibly.