IndyCar Is At A Crossroads And The Time For Change Is Now
One of the defining trademarks of IndyCar racing aside from the open wheelbase is the fact that every car has had an open cockpit. From the inception of IndyCar racing to today, viewers and fans are used to seeing a helmeted-head peering out from behind the steering wheel. Although the safety measures have been ramped up over the years, there have still been instance where drivers have suffered serious and often fatal head injuries.
Incidents like those of Gordon Smiley, Jeff Krosnoff, Greg Moore, and most recently Dan Wheldon have proven fatal due to massive head injuries. Now, following Sunday’s IndyCar race at Pocono, there is another driver in the hospital with a serious head injury as Justin Wilson is currently in a coma following an incident involving Sage Karam. As Karam spun into the wall, a large piece of of debris bounced up and struck Wilson directly in the head, knocking him unconscious. With yet another traumatic head injury in the ranks, it is time IndyCar started seriously considering closed cockpits for their drivers.
Of course there are arguments that it breaches tradition, that racing is a dangerous business, so on and so forth. There is no validation or no good reasoning for a driver’s safety to be in jeopardy. IndyCar drivers are constantly in danger from debris or other cars. Is this really necessary?
The NHRA (National Hot Rod Association) has gotten on board with closed cockpits as some of the Top Fuel dragsters have switched to closed cockpit vehicles. Entry and exit is much like a drag boat’s in that the roof of can be lifted open and closed. Normally fans and drivers are used to open cockpit dragsters. However, the sanctioning body was aware of the high possibility of injury and made a wise move allowing closed cockpit dragsters.
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Several IndyCar personalities discussed the possibility of closed cockpits following the death of Wheldon, however,nothing ever came of that. Why not? Dario Franchitti’s career-ending accident in Houston may have had a different outcome had there been an enclosed canopy. This incident between Mikhail Aleshin and Juan Pablo Montoya ended up with Montoya’s tire on Aleshin’s helmet. Both drivers were unharmed, but it could’ve been disastrous. Don’t forget Aleshin’s later accident at Fontana, where a concussion, chest injuries, and a broken shoulder befell the rookie driver.
All of those instances may have been avoided if the cars had closed cockpits. The argument that “they may be hard to open in a crash” isn’t a valid one here. There are ways around that such as making the lid to a closed cockpit lighter, easy to remove/demolish if the need arises. That’s only speculation, but there are a million possibilities to be examined.
The point is that for too long IndyCar has remained idle on a closed cockpit concept. They design and design and say they’re working on something but those involved never see it or a variation of some concept. It’s an idea that’s been discussed long enough, and the longer they take the longer drivers are faced with unnecessary risks. How much longer are they going to go on without acting?
Weigh in below on your take of the possibility of a closed-canopy IndyCar.