Grand Junction Motor Speedway - SUED!

[brennahm]

I cannot understand the gall of some people to feel the need to place blame and attempt to ruin something they used to love without regard for others.

We're sad so you should pay us money...ridiculous logic in America today.

Idiot central. (http://www.thedenverchannel.com/news/27937516/detail.html)

[drago52]

It's hard to say without knowing the facts, but the report does seem to indicate that the ambulance and paramedics on-site were not legitimate and could not provide the care that was guaranteed. I'd be pretty freakin' pissed if I crashed at HPR, got injured, and the ambulance that I knew my fee for the track day was going towards came over and it was Joe-Schmoe with his personal car.

[MetaLord 9]

"Never crossed my mind that she would be killed racing a go-kart,” Taybor's mother told CALL7 Investigator Tony Kovaleski
Gee...I never thought that putting my 9 year old child in a machine that goes 50 mph+ and telling her to compete with others for who's the fastest would ever result in her injury or death. How fucking naive are you people????

In a world of rubbermaid EVERYTHING, at least RACING should stand out as one of the things that is NOT made idiot proof and that carries SUBSTANTIAL risk.

Apparently not.

Here's where the failings were according to the report:
- No communications with the driver of the four wheeler. What would you have said? "Hey, dumbass, there are more vehicles coming, maybe you shouldn't park the thing in the middle of the track?"
- No race director to keep parents away from the edges of race track, thus causing possible distractions - If your kid is so ADD that they can't focus on the road while passing a car in the final stretch of a competitive race at 50+mph then maybe you shouldn't put them in charge of a vehicle and encourage them to go faster.
- The flag tower caused a dangerous blind spot. What the HELL does that have to do with someone trucking a 4 wheeler onto the track?? It's a race track. If you could see the entire track at once and have a heads up display it wouldn't be racing, it'd be Mario Kart.


RIP driver, you were taken too soon. It sounds like the poor girl passed doing something she loved.

Parents: GET BENT. If you think that putting your child on a racetrack couldn't result in their injury or death then who knows what other jaw dropping feats of stupidity you're capable of. Did ya leave loaded firearms around the house in the kids bedrooms? Did you put the bleach bottle in the fridge next to the milk? Does every electrical outlet in your house somehow have a fork lying next to it?

COMMON. FUCKING. SENSE.

/rant.

[Sarge]

I'm kind of iffy on this myself. As much as I agree with you and can't stand the American perception that you can sue anything, from what I read, she crashed into a maintenence vehicle that had entered the raceway during a race. That should NEVER have been allowed to happen.

The ambulace deal is a little different. They didn't state specifically that fees were paid for a legitimate ambulace, etc. If they were mislead to believe that a legitimate ambulace was provided and on site, and it turned out not to be true, then that's one thing. But if they just made the assumption that this was the case, then they have nothing to stand on. Plus, who's to say that her injuries weren't absolutely fatal from the get go and she wouldn't have survived even if they were 30 seconds away from a trauma center?

The one thing they might have to stand on though, and I fully agree with this, is that if she hit a TRACK OWNED maintenence vehicle that had entered the raceway DURING A RACE, then hell yeah the raceway is liable. But, I don't have all the facts and I'm just drawing assumptions on the information I collected.

[Bueller]

It is a tragedy that she died. But she was participating in a sport that is inherently dangerous and had plans to continue in motor racing. At some point you will crash and likely get injured or in worst case die.
The promoter is the one responsible for the way the race day is staffed, if they need to sue some one, that is who they need to take it out on.

Like many sporting events, both amateur and professional, Taybor's parents told Kovaleski that the Colorado Junior Karting Club had a deal with an ambulance company to be on-site and provide emergency services if needed.
If there was no ambulance they are the reason.
It appears from what I saw on the report on TV that the parents were the ones at fault for signaling the crash cart onto the track. They were in the area right off the track at the start/finish where they were not supposed to be.

That track has already been battling to stay open due to stupidity from the city of GJ, this will probably sink them if it goes against them.

[Sarge]

Wow, I take back everything I said then, if the PARENTS signaled the crash cart that is ABSOLUTELY on them. This is a tragedy through and through. RIP racer.

[mastap07]

recoculus... RIP driver.

yes it is a dangerous sport so with that said- the parents signed and gave consent- they are liable and responsible for everything that happends after that. yes its a sad situation but you can not honestly sleep at night placing the blame on someone else for YOUR actions and doing...

[Snowman]

I have raced at that track and know Stacy the owner. He is a stand up guy and the events seems to indicate this was just a set of unfortunate events ending in a child's death.

1. Children racing Comers. These carts have basically chainsaw motors geared to pull a 45lb child around a track at 50+mph. They have no seat belts because its better to be thrown from a kart than rolling with it. The gear (rib protector, helmet) is typically too big for the child and this is the only required hard protection. The rest of the suit is fabric.

2. The track at Grand Junction has elevation changes. Down the front straight you have to climb a small grade to get to turn one. A child in a Comer is about 20" tall at best. I can see where a corner worker would have a hard time judging what was coming. However this person should have known of the blind spot and tried to cross further down the track or should have been told what was coming.

I believe in this case Stacy and Grand Junction Raceway are liable for not having better communications between corner workers on a track day. The racing origination for not having a real ambulance present.

These parents know the danger these vehicles can pose. For the most part they are as safe or safer than say a child skiing. And when a child dies it's a much more horrible thing than most parents can imagine. They need to ask why and blame those responsible. Which they should to force changes that will prevent the next child from dieing the same way.

However, this litigation sociality we live in, forces everyone at every level to become responsible for everything thing that we can or can not see to do. We can't expect everyone to solve everything up front, we just don't think that way.

Stacy for one I know would have done everything he could have thought of and I know he would have fixed whatever caused this immediately before he reopened the track. Trust me this guy feels horrible this happened on his track and will never forgive himself for not thinking of what he could have done better sooner.

[Sean]

It's hard to say without knowing the facts
:imwithstupid:

I just kind of wonder if it was like the test/tune days that Pueblo used to have? It's very sad indeed for a little girl to lose her life.

I just keep wondering why that guy was crossing the track with the 4 wheeler? :banghead:

[Bueller]

Randal, they are saying it was practice, but likely more like our MRA practice and not open track. It was tied to the karting clubs race event.


Welch and other experts explained three critical areas which they believe contributed to Taybor's death, specifically a lack of control over the August 15, 2010 event by race officials including little or no communication with the driver of the four-wheeler.
"It didn't have a race director whose total task was to control what goes on at the track," said Welch.
Second, experts and witnesses told 7NEWS they believe those who were supposed to oversee the race allowed some spectators, families and friends too close to the action where they may have been a distraction or obstructed views.
"The parents should not have been on the edge of the track," said Welch. "There's a fence. The parents should have been standing back, behind the fence, but they were not."

[Snowman]

Yes I looked up the date and it was a Sunday, and official race day practice. They are typically used for qualifying. So I modified my post. Thanks.

[asp_125]

I just hope any monetary results of the litigation goes back towards the safety of the sport.

[FZRguy]

Sad deal. Sounds like it would not have happened with proper track control.

[Wrider]

Hmmm from reading the article (granted I don't know the facts any more than anyone else) it seems this could have been easily preventable.

No idea what a crash cart was doing entering a track during a qualifying.

And yes the parents should have thought about a 9 year old doing 50 MPH around a track and the dangers involved.

[CaptGoodvibes]

Sad deal. Sounds like it would not have happened with proper track control.

I agree. This could have been prevented by the track organization.

[Bueller]

I think the parents should be charged with child abuse for putting their kid in a situation where she could be injured or killed.

[rybo]

I think the parents should be charged with child abuse for putting their kid in a situation where she could be injured or killed.

I'm in trouble.

[Kim-n-Dean]

Just don't have kids, like us!! Snip, snip!!

[cptschlongenheimer]

I think the parents should be charged with child abuse for putting their kid in a situation where she could be injured or killed.

Sorry gotta disagree, Bueller
By that logic any parent who transports their kid in a car, truck, bus, van or stroller is guilty of child abuse. Hell, just having a kid means you are risking something happening to them. It's about managing risk.

The track (seemingly) did not conduct enough training & communication and definitely needs to reexamine their safety procedures.

I just don't accept that the parents didn't know there were risks involved.
I couldn't watch one of my kids racing carts without at least a little apprehension.

I think they did a disservice to their own daughter by allowing her to race at a track that was (seemingly) not doing everything it could to manage the risk but was it outright abuse? If I allow my kids to participate in any activity, it's only after I've reviewed the facilities, equipment, personnel and overall environment and have been thoroughly convinced there are no abnormal risks. But god forbid I made a mistake in judgement that ended badly I hope people would not accuse me of being abusive for trying to let my kid have fun and experience life.

[Bueller]

Sorry gotta disagree, Bueller
By that logic any parent who transports their kid in a car, truck, bus, van or stroller is guilty of child abuse. Hell, just having a kid means you are risking something happening to them. It's about managing risk.



Sorry I forgot to add the /sarcasim tag to my post.

[cptschlongenheimer]

:banghead:
ok, i get it now...
guess I got carried away there, sorry.

[Zach929rr]

I think the parents should be charged with child abuse for putting their kid in a situation where she could be injured or killed.

I reckon you posted that just to get a rise out of somebody.

Deplorable.

[Bueller]

I reckon you posted that just to get a rise out of somebody.

Deplorable.

:siesta:

[Finklestein87]

I think the parents should be charged with child abuse for putting their kid in a situation where she could be injured or killed.

Sometimes i feel bad for masterbating too.

[VFR]

Facts lacking:

If a crash cart pulled out onto an active qualifying race-fault, track management
If there was an ambulance there that did not have qualified techs-fault, track owner

Anyone blaming the parents must not have kids! We teach our kids to compete to be the best and this kid was no amateur at this sport. It was no fluke, it was bad track management on that day!

[brennahm]

The gentleman driving the cart had a very rough time following the accident. A very nice man who along with the track owner was very broken up.

I just don't know how money can make up for their daughter. If they truly wanted to make the sport safer, that is not accomplished by putting a venue out of business. Nor leaving some very nice people without jobs. There are other ways of improving the sport that their daughter loved.

[FZRguy]

Well, the lawsuit is a civil matter to be decided by a jury. No matter what happens, no win all around.

[spideyrdr]

I feel for the parents losing their girl. Their pain has to be immense. I have a 1 year old girl and cannot imagine losing her. I wouldn't put her on a racetrack without realizing that something totally unexpected could happen. Hiring a lawyer means they think someone else is to blame for their consent.

The grand jury decided against criminal charges. Not sure how a civil suit will possibly prevail (all OJ comments can go to hell): http://www.9news.com/news/article/200344/188/Grand-jury-issues-no-charges-in-go-kart-death-

[FZRguy]

Vid at http://www.thedenverchannel.com/news/28038680/detail.html