[RaceGirl]

Originally Posted by Donno

Well... Dale Jr I think will enjoy the need for argressive driving, the bump and draft... Jeff Gordon, the whimp, will have to stay outta the kitchen if he cant stand the heat!!

Yeah... its about safety and money. A boring race drops the TV ratings, and thats gotta hurt the sport! The rating figures for Kansas were down 6% versus Dover.

Hey... my wife and I are Brits... its all new to us, but luvin' it!

Discussion is fertile ground!

It will just give Gordon an excuse to whine more!

[Bob Tanner]

Originally Posted by Quality88

Bob once again, you've posted another blockbuster. I would only add that Elliot Sadler mentioned something about the need for a traveling medical unit. It was after one of his flips I believe. He has a high dislike for needles, and freaked out a little when the track staff brought one out.

I don't know about the "Blockbuster" part, but it's a matter I believe in, wholeheartedly, from a fan's perspective.
Sadler's incident happened at Daytona after his horrific end-over-end, flipping crash. Elliott, who has a phobia of needles saw a strange face and a guy trying to put an (later found to be unneeded) IV in his arm and he became so aggitated that they had to slam a sedative in him.

Rusty, I believe it was, also has related a story in which, while in an amount of pain, and strapped to a gurney on the way to the infield med center, an EMT asked him for an autograph!?

This may seem a trifle unfair but I believe it, down to the bottom of my cynical little heart; IF it had been Derick Cope, Dave Blaney, or Casey Atwood who died that day, NASCAR would still be racing without mandated belt inspections, safe walls and HANS devices.

[WVGrandma4Kasey]

Originally Posted by Bob Tanner

I don't know about the "Blockbuster" part, but it's a matter I believe in, wholeheartedly, from a fan's perspective.
Sadler's incident happened at Daytona after his horrific end-over-end, flipping crash. Elliott, who has a phobia of needles saw a strange face and a guy trying to put an (later found to be unneeded) IV in his arm and he became so aggitated that they had to slam a sedative in him.

Rusty, I believe it was, also has related a story in which, while in an amount of pain, and strapped to a gurney on the way to the infield med center, an EMT asked him for an autograph!?

This may seem a trifle unfair but I believe it, down to the bottom of my cynical little heart; IF it had been Derick Cope, Dave Blaney, or Casey Atwood who died that day, NASCAR would still be racing without mandated belt inspections, safe walls and HANS devices.

I'm going to have to step up here a little, having been trained as an EMT and knowing the extent of training a paramedic goes though. It's very unfair to believe they are not trained or qualified to care for the injures on the race track. I think most people would be very surprised to know the knowledge processed by the(sometimes volunteer) rescuer. Kind of remember they are the ones scraping the person off the concrete after and accident in a vehicle without the protections as on a race track. The driver are getting every bit as good care as they would get with a traveling crew. In fact I would even say better, because the people you see at the track are saving lives every day. There skills are not stale.

[Quality88]

Originally Posted by WVGrandma4Kasey

I'm going to have to step up here a little, having been trained as an EMT and knowing the extent of training a paramedic goes though. It's very unfair to believe they are not trained or qualified to care for the injures on the race track. I think most people would be very surprised to know the knowledge processed by (the sometimes volunteer) rescuer. Kind of remember they are the ones scraping the person off the concrete after and accident in a vehicle without the protections as on a race track. The driver are getting every bit as good care as they would get with a traveling crew.

It's not neccasarily that they don't know what they are doing Grandma. In Sadler's case if they had a traveling crew that knew each driver, they would know that he has a phobia of needles and would take care in treating him.

[WVGrandma4Kasey]

Would the cost justify having a crew, just cause someone is afraid of needles. Emergency personnel deal with phobia everyday. And I don't think anyone thinks its pleasant to have to be treated in the field after an accident. I probably would be worse then most I've treated.

[Quality88]

Originally Posted by WVGrandma4Kasey

Would the cost justify having a crew, just cause someone is afraid of needles. Emergency personnel deal with phobia everyday. And I don't think anyone thinks its pleasant to have to be treated in the field after an accident. I probably would be worse then most I've treated.

I see your point Grandma. I'm just stating what some of the drivers were talking about, where the traveling crew would have all records of the drivers and know such things as the needles, or possible medicine reactions(if they had to use them). I understand you though

[Bob Tanner]

Originally Posted by WVGrandma4Kasey

I'm going to have to step up here a little, having been trained as an EMT and knowing the extent of training a paramedic goes though. It's very unfair to believe they are not trained or qualified to care for the injures on the race track. I think most people would be very surprised to know the knowledge processed by the( sometimes volunteer) rescuer. Kind of remember they are the ones scraping the person off the concrete after and accident in a vehicle without the protections as on a race track. The driver are getting every bit as good care as they would get with a traveling crew.

Grandma... Please, I mean no disrespect for the EMT community. As a whole they definately aren't a bunch of adle-brained wantabe doctors, but rather a special group of dedicate people who take a lot of courses and undergoing constant training to keep their professional abilities.

But I have two concerns, and I believe, as someone with EMT experience, you might agree with me.

One: As in every profession, no all participants are equal. I want to see the drivers get the very best each and every week and I question NA$CAR's dedication to the matter. I believe that NA$CAR goes with the lowest biddeer for ambulance service and medical care and anyone who has ever worked for the government can tell you where THAT philosphy leads. I am sure that almost all of the medical personel at a race are very good, but... all it takes is one so-so med tech who big-dealed his way onto the staff, and an injured driver who needs the correct thing to be done right now, and <poof> tragedy.

Two: I believe there is value in having someone one scene who the driver knows and trusts, not a stranger. You know, someone who is familiar with each driver and who knows, off the top of his/her head that one driver is allergic to sulfa drug, another driver becomes manic when faced with a syringe, anmd another has AB- blood. You know, the same reason why you return to the same doctor, dentist, etc., etc. It's a person you have come to know and trust, and feel more or less comfortable with.

No, my feelings are NOT to malign med techs and EMT and local-hire doctors. I'm absolutely sure they do a very good job. But, I also believe that the system could be improved. So do, Bill Elliott, Ryan newman, Rusty Wallace, Robby Gordon, Tony Stewart and a couple others. They know a lot more about the situation than I do.

[LSC9901]

The issue of medical personel is most certainly an interesting discussion. You both make very valid points that I'd like to respond to. My responses are not for or against responses, merely re-validation of what you guys are saying and why I feel the way I do.

First off I agree with Bob and the drivers that it would be great to be able to have the same personel from track to track. That way they would most certainly be familiar with each driver ... just as my Dr. is with me. My opposing view to this is that (as Grandma noted) when I go to the emergency room or into emergency surgery I may not and probably will not see my own Dr. I do have faith that the people caring for me will do their best. I also see the point Bob is making when he says that possibly someone will be on the team (at the track) who got there because he knows someone who knows someone. I'm not specifically saying that person isn't qualified but that person may not have the proper qualifications. All hypothetical at any rate.

I have no idea or knowledge that NA$CAR takes the lowest bidder for medical care but itwouldn't surprise me at all. Not because of who they are but because big corporations have been known to be that way.

All in all I would hope that the best trained medical personel available are there but I would agree that it would be wonderful to have familiarity with the people treating you in an emergency situation.

Now you two kiss and make up. There'll be no fighting in the NASCAR forum !!!

[Bob Tanner]

Originally Posted by LSC9901

The issue of medical personel is most certainly an interesting discussion. You both make very valid points that I'd like to respond to. My responses are not for or against responses, merely re-validation of what you guys are saying and why I feel the way I do.
==============================================
Now you two kiss and make up. There'll be no fighting in the NASCAR forum !!!

Absolutely no ill feelings, on my part anyway. I can understand completely why anyone with a personal knowledge of the emergency medical field would construe my post as taking a cheap shot at that field. Obviously, such wasn't the case. My feeling was that EMT's, like the pigs in Orwell's Animal Farm, some are more equal than others.

All lives are precious and God knows, EMT's have saves countless lives. BUT, when dealing with high-profile celebrities, often in from of TV cameras, possibly NASCAR could have a dedicated team responsible with dealing with this situation?

No fear. I think Grandma and I are basically on the same page.

[WVGrandma4Kasey]

I post as a EMT, because thats the training I had and it was on going. I don't know of any ambulance service that do not have at lease one Paramedic. You combind the team and with all that is available, thay save lives. Yes some are better then other, just as some emergncy rooms are well staffed with talent people and some are not. But on the whole The emergency services take an unbelieveable pride in being able to do their job and do it well. Sometimes better then those over them. I'm sorry to say our local hospital and ER sucks, but our paramedic are well trained. And as for having a familiarity with the drivers that may not be true. Plus I would not like the idea of complacency that may set in with the responsers. They would have to spend a lot of time working on skills or become rusty. Its not offen they really would be need.

[LSC9901]

Once again discussion proves to be valuable. I think again that more valid and important points are brough forth. An EMT who only occasionally gets to use his/her abilities can become rusty (not Wallace). No easy answer to this and I suspect you both can and do respect one anothers points of view.

[nascarfan24]

Originally Posted by RaceGirl

It will just give Gordon an excuse to whine more!

yeah right he will probably complain less!

[Quality88]

Well it seems not all is well amongst the garage about the Car of Tomorrow or as Bob calls it best the "Na$carmobile"

NASCAR.COM - COT's critics growing louder, larger in garage - Oct 21, 2006

[Bob Tanner]

Originally Posted by Quality88

Well it seems not all is well amongst the garage about the Car of Tomorrow or as Bob calls it best the "Na$carmobile"

NASCAR.COM - COT's critics growing louder, larger in garage - Oct 21, 2006

Jeffie-Pooh had some less than happy thoughts about it on Wind Tunnel last night. Basically he indicated that it was "an ugly box with a wing on the back, a wind splitter in front, and it doesn't do much to change racing."

He went on to say that "NASCAR had a chance to design a really cool car, but..."

OK, folks, when did NASCAR expand from promoting its racing series' to getting into the automobile design business? What is Brian France's ultimate desire, to get Rick Hendrick to sell these things to the public. Open up a NA$CARmobile dealership?

Agggggggggghhhhhhhhh!!!!!!

[Nevadastars]

I just wonder when they will change the "S" in NASCAR to stand for Spec instead of Stock.