Funny Car Cage...Safe or not?

Wade Mahaffey · 08-21-2014, 11:08 AM

I have been preaching to folks for years. The Dragster/Funny Car cage is probably responsible for more head injuries and/or deaths than any other part of the race car. The reason is that it's proximity to the drivers head is just a few inches, and being strapped into that tight location keeps your head in between 6 bars to bounce off of! In NASCAR, there are no bars anywhere close to the drivers head. They contain the drivers head as part of the seat construction (which is heavily padded and will give or flex if impacted by the driver. Look at it like this...your head hitting that bar, is like someone with that bar hitting you in the head...NOT GOOD either way.

In my opinion, a horizontal 3-4 inch wide padded band should go from the front bar around behind the drivers head and back out to the front bar on the other side. Kinda like what you see in a NASCAR seat. It could be mounted as such to allow the drivers line of vision just over the top of the pad

Wade Mahaffey

SSDiv6 · 08-21-2014, 11:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wade Mahaffey

I have been preaching to folks for years. The Dragster/Funny Car cage is probably responsible for more head injuries and/or deaths than any other part of the race car. The reason is that it's proximity to the drivers head is just a few inches, and being strapped into that tight location keeps your head in between 6 bars to bounce off of! In NASCAR, there are no bars anywhere close to the drivers head. They contain the drivers head as part of the seat construction (which is heavily padded and will give or flex if impacted by the driver. Look at it like this...your head hitting that bar, is like someone with that bar hitting you in the head...NOT GOOD either way.

In my opinion, a horizontal 3-4 inch wide padded band should go from the front bar around behind the drivers head and back out to the front bar on the other side. Kinda like what you see in a NASCAR seat. It could be mounted as such to allow the drivers line of vision just over the top of the pad

Wade Mahaffey

Wade, perhaps a rule change should be required to add the additional padding as current the current Pro's do.

Jim Caughlin · 08-21-2014, 12:15 PM

Probably not the right section for this discussion as this is more of a dragster issue but as it's already started, all the padding in the world isn't going to help when the belts are loose. It is common for the dragster guys to intentionally leave their belts loose so they can get their head outside the cage to better judge the finish line. Go up to top end some time during eliminations and you will regularly see drivers leaned forward with their helmets way past the front hoop. If you put the big pad in place and restrict the driver view even more, I bet they will be leaving the belts looser yet. Not remotely saying it's OK, just good luck on policing this issue, no one thinks they are going to crash and everyone want an advantage when it comes to winning.

SSDiv6 · 08-21-2014, 12:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jim Caughlin

Probably not the right section for this discussion as this is more of a dragster issue but as it's already started, all the padding in the world isn't going to help when the belts are loose. It is common for the dragster guys to intentionally leave their belts loose so they can get their head outside the cage to better judge the finish line. Go up to top end some time during eliminations and you will regularly see drivers leaned forward with their helmets way past the front hoop. If you put the big pad in place and restrict the driver view even more, I bet they will be leaving the belts looser yet. Not remotely saying it's OK, just good luck on policing this issue, no one thinks they are going to crash and everyone want an advantage when it comes to winning.

I agree with Jim.
Seen it happen and I also wonder why they take such risk.

Another Friendly Racer · 08-21-2014, 02:07 PM

Incredible photo Wade. I hope people do not wait for a rule change to take action when needed.

FireSale · 08-21-2014, 02:31 PM

From the photo, the foreword section of the cage is keeping his head from kissing the wall. Not a good trade off in my opinion.

It's not just a dragster issue, either. Funny car cages show up in GT cars with front wheel drive conversions and the /SM cars, too. All the SG and ST cars have them.

Dale

FED 387 · 08-21-2014, 02:49 PM

looking at other pics of that car crash it appears for some reason the front wheels jerked upward and that caused the car to get out of shape---while moving around the WHOLE *** end of the car from the back of the trans rearward the frame broke apart--- not sure if welds broke or the crash caused that separation but it appears the driver might of had his belts too loose also--he definately looks to be ahead of the rollbar but definately not totally behind it--FED 387

SSDiv6 · 08-21-2014, 03:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FireSale

From the photo, the foreword section of the cage is keeping his head from kissing the wall. Not a good trade off in my opinion.

It's not just a dragster issue, either. Funny car cages show up in GT cars with front wheel drive conversions and the /SM cars, too. All the SG and ST cars have them.

Dale

Padding is a requirement in the rule book.

ROLL-CAGE PADDING
Roll-cage padding meeting SFI Spec 45.1 mandatory anywhere
driver’s helmet may come in contact with roll-cage components.
See General Regulations 4:11.

FED 387 · 08-21-2014, 03:23 PM

I dont think it is a padding issue here its more of the shape of the area that is padded-- a large flat/blunt surface or a small 2 inch round/sharp tubesurface--- the contact point on the round tube is probably 1/2 inch to maybe 5/8 inch whereas the flat padded area contact point is more likely many square inches(8-10)

Drew Olson · 08-21-2014, 04:40 PM

The problem with most new style dragsters is convenience. These guys are buying big cars for resale value. There is no need for a 24" wide dragster. Anyone who knows me knows I am a big ol boy and I fit well in a 23" wide car. There is no reason a 200# guy needs a 24" car. These 24"-26" cars are big even on me. My dad crashed his comp car in Memphis in 01 and it was a 20" cage and again he is not exactly a small guy with a 20 suit on he was in there pretty good. the car rolled several times hitting the cage directly on the track several times. Did he get his bell rung yes did he have injuries like the guy in the pic no. No accident is the same but I don't think that we would be getting the broken hips, legs, ribs ect if cars were built to fit like the old days. But the short answer to your original question I personally think fc cages are extremely effective if built properly.

08-21-2014, 11:08 AM	#1
Wade Mahaffey Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2007 Posts: 581 Likes: 0 Liked 17 Times in 7 Posts	Funny Car Cage...Safe or not? I have been preaching to folks for years. The Dragster/Funny Car cage is probably responsible for more head injuries and/or deaths than any other part of the race car. The reason is that it's proximity to the drivers head is just a few inches, and being strapped into that tight location keeps your head in between 6 bars to bounce off of! In NASCAR, there are no bars anywhere close to the drivers head. They contain the drivers head as part of the seat construction (which is heavily padded and will give or flex if impacted by the driver. Look at it like this...your head hitting that bar, is like someone with that bar hitting you in the head...NOT GOOD either way. In my opinion, a horizontal 3-4 inch wide padded band should go from the front bar around behind the drivers head and back out to the front bar on the other side. Kinda like what you see in a NASCAR seat. It could be mounted as such to allow the drivers line of vision just over the top of the pad Wade Mahaffey Last edited by Wade Mahaffey; 08-21-2014 at 11:32 AM.

08-21-2014, 12:15 PM	#3
Jim Caughlin Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Woodburn, Or Posts: 683 Likes: 80 Liked 800 Times in 244 Posts	Re: Funny Car Cage...Safe or not? Probably not the right section for this discussion as this is more of a dragster issue but as it's already started, all the padding in the world isn't going to help when the belts are loose. It is common for the dragster guys to intentionally leave their belts loose so they can get their head outside the cage to better judge the finish line. Go up to top end some time during eliminations and you will regularly see drivers leaned forward with their helmets way past the front hoop. If you put the big pad in place and restrict the driver view even more, I bet they will be leaving the belts looser yet. Not remotely saying it's OK, just good luck on policing this issue, no one thinks they are going to crash and everyone want an advantage when it comes to winning.

08-21-2014, 02:07 PM	#5
Another Friendly Racer Member Join Date: Feb 2002 Posts: 152 Likes: 0 Liked 19 Times in 6 Posts	Re: Funny Car Cage...Safe or not? Incredible photo Wade. I hope people do not wait for a rule change to take action when needed.

08-21-2014, 02:31 PM	#6
FireSale VIP Member Join Date: Feb 2014 Location: Lakewood Washington Posts: 1,407 Likes: 29 Liked 237 Times in 126 Posts	Re: Funny Car Cage...Safe or not? From the photo, the foreword section of the cage is keeping his head from kissing the wall. Not a good trade off in my opinion. It's not just a dragster issue, either. Funny car cages show up in GT cars with front wheel drive conversions and the /SM cars, too. All the SG and ST cars have them. Dale __________________ Dale Shearon 68 Mustang 6394

08-21-2014, 02:49 PM	#7
FED 387 VIP Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Posts: 3,416 Likes: 521 Liked 330 Times in 178 Posts	Re: Funny Car Cage...Safe or not? looking at other pics of that car crash it appears for some reason the front wheels jerked upward and that caused the car to get out of shape---while moving around the WHOLE *** end of the car from the back of the trans rearward the frame broke apart--- not sure if welds broke or the crash caused that separation but it appears the driver might of had his belts too loose also--he definately looks to be ahead of the rollbar but definately not totally behind it--FED 387

08-21-2014, 03:23 PM	#9
FED 387 VIP Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Posts: 3,416 Likes: 521 Liked 330 Times in 178 Posts	Re: Funny Car Cage...Safe or not? I dont think it is a padding issue here its more of the shape of the area that is padded-- a large flat/blunt surface or a small 2 inch round/sharp tubesurface--- the contact point on the round tube is probably 1/2 inch to maybe 5/8 inch whereas the flat padded area contact point is more likely many square inches(8-10)

08-21-2014, 04:40 PM	#10
Drew Olson Junior Member Join Date: May 2006 Location: Peru, IN Posts: 16 Likes: 0 Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Re: Funny Car Cage...Safe or not? The problem with most new style dragsters is convenience. These guys are buying big cars for resale value. There is no need for a 24" wide dragster. Anyone who knows me knows I am a big ol boy and I fit well in a 23" wide car. There is no reason a 200# guy needs a 24" car. These 24"-26" cars are big even on me. My dad crashed his comp car in Memphis in 01 and it was a 20" cage and again he is not exactly a small guy with a 20 suit on he was in there pretty good. the car rolled several times hitting the cage directly on the track several times. Did he get his bell rung yes did he have injuries like the guy in the pic no. No accident is the same but I don't think that we would be getting the broken hips, legs, ribs ect if cars were built to fit like the old days. But the short answer to your original question I personally think fc cages are extremely effective if built properly.