Big FB Crash at Firebird

[marshall9]

Keep Paul Marciano in your thoughts. He was alert and moving hands and feet, but complaining of a lot of lower back pain, after a violent crash at Firebird yesterday. I was there and witnessed it, and here's what happened from my point of view. I was about 40 feet away from the incident when it occured. It was about lap 4 or 5 of the qualifying session , and Paul had come out on stickers. The cars were just getting up to speed, and Paul was chasing down Selznick's Atlantic, followed by a FM. Entering the right hander before the Tower turn, normally top of third or low fourth gear in a FC, The left front tire of a FM (Standard) made contact with the right rear tire of the Phoenix F1000. It appeared that the rear suspension compromised immediately on that side sending the car sideways into the tire barrier. Just as the tires expanded back, the FM hit Paul's car hard right side center straight on. The FM sustained significant damage in the front, but was nearly repaired prior to the next session, no reported injuries from that driver. Paul was removed from the F1000 by medical personnel, placed on a brace board and transported to the local hospital for observation, accompanied by his father in the ambulance. The car suffered SEVERE damage, three corners and frame on right side mangled. It did it's job, as the cockpit area was in tact and didn't appear to be intruded in any way. I have many photos, but will send them over to Paul when he gets home, and let him post ones if he so chooses.

[CSHAW]

Words are not enough, but my heart weighs heavy whenever a driver is injured in a race car.

Paul, I have not had the honor to meet you but my thoughts are with you.

Be Well,
C Shaw

[billwald]

Best wishes Paul.

[Wright D]

Paul’s condition this morning is good!

He is being released from the hospital and going home this morning. He dose have a cracked rib, a sore ankle, and some neck pain. He stayed overnight because the doctors were concerned about the contact that his helmet made with both sides of the "horse collar" and wanted to ensure there were no lingering head and neck injuries. He was thrown from side to side violently, twice.

From what I've heard from the people who were at the corner...it was definitely contact with a FM that sent Paul into the tire barrier and the FM that hit him then t-boned the center of the right side of the car after it was in the tire barrier. The car did sustain heavy damage, but it appears to have broken where it should have broken and remained rigid where it should have.

He was in a good mod when I saw him in the ER room yesterday. He is a little more sore now that it is the day after, but still in a good mood. Everyone at Phoenix is glad to hear that Paul is fine, and on his way home.

[ghickman]

Paul
Glad you are feeling better and there appears to be no serious injuries. Godspeed for a quick and full recovery.

For those of you that have never driven Firebird this turn combo is fast and can be a car eater. Very bad place to be sticking a wheel into the back of another car.

I witnessed from behind Danny Hill back in the FF hayday stuff his car under the guard rail here...almost decapitated him.

This is a good testimony of how solid of a car design the Phoenix is. Hopefully Dustin has all the bits Paul needs to get back on the track soon.

Regards
Gary Hickman

[aspenripper]

I wish you a speedy recovery.. Looks like some still don't get the qual thing. Some like to use qual as a test session or race. To take a guy out in qual is something that really should be looked at by somebody. Of course that wont help you now.
Hoping you feel better soon.

[SteveLevin]

Best wishes on a speedy recovery!

It's too bad that some folks still think there's a National Qualifying Championship to be won

Steve

[Matt Conrad]

I did have a very long phone conversation with Paul on Monday and I just wanted to share a few thoughts on this whole deal. First off, Paul is doing well and is in really good spirits. His injuries are pretty minor (cracked ribs, sore ankle, and some nausea from the knock on his head). The doctors want him to sit out for a few months….time will tell.

From all descriptions this was truly a “racing deal”. Paul was following the very fast Atlantic of Dan Selznick (FA track record holder) during qualifying….actually Paul said the car was so good that he was trying to find a way by the FA. Dan came up on a slower FM and that driver pointed Dan by but didn’t see Paul right on the FA gearbox. When Paul also went to go by, the FM pulled back in line and his front left tire contacted Paul’s right rear tire, sending him into the tire barrier. The FM then hit Paul full speed in the center of the right side of the car. I checked the data from my record-setting lap from March and I was running at 95 mph through that corner….and I would guess Paul was a bit faster.

We’re not going to get into details yet as to all the damage and how the car performed, but I will tell you that many, many safety devices were tested in this crash (some track, some car, and some personal) and each one of them performed a vital role in helping to save Paul from much more serious injuries…or worse.


My advice to anyone driving any race car is to use every safety device that you can...mandatory or not.....particularly the Hans device.

Matt Conrad
Phoenix Race Works, LLC

[Daryl DeArman]

Count me as another one happy that everyone is relatively "okay".

Be safe.

on edit--I removed some of my post because even though many probably knew what I was alluding to, some may not have.

It didn't have anything to do with the car, the track, the FM driver, or the safety crew. Someone said the "H" word. When that happens I have a hard time trying not to lead a horse to water, so to speak. I knew it wasn't the time nor place for another one of those threads. So, I thought I'd be funny....like more often than not, it didn't work.

[CSHAW]

I did have a very long phone conversation with Paul on Monday and I just wanted to share a few thoughts on this whole deal. First off, Paul is doing well and is in really good spirits. His injuries are pretty minor (cracked ribs, sore ankle, and some nausea from the knock on his head). The doctors want him to sit out for a few months….time will tell.

From all descriptions this was truly a “racing deal”. Paul was following the very fast Atlantic of Dan Selznick (FA track record holder) during qualifying….actually Paul said the car was so good that he was trying to find a way by the FA. Dan came up on a slower FM and that driver pointed Dan by but didn’t see Paul right on the FA gearbox. When Paul also went to go by, the FM pulled back in line and his front left tire contacted Paul’s right rear tire, sending him into the tire barrier. The FM then hit Paul full speed in the center of the right side of the car. I checked the data from my record-setting lap from March and I was running at 95 mph through that corner….and I would guess Paul was a bit faster.

We’re not going to get into details yet as to all the damage and how the car performed, but I will tell you that many, many safety devices were tested in this crash (some track, some car, and some personal) and each one of them performed a vital role in helping to save Paul from much more serious injuries…or worse.


My advice to anyone driving any race car is to use every safety device that you can...mandatory or not.....particularly the Hans device.

Matt Conrad
Phoenix Race Works, LLC

Matt,

Your genuine conviction to creatively implement, a "safety in design", philosophy is a credit to your craft. From our long conversation, I am convinced of the dedication to implement safety features above and beyond the minimums set for in the regulations. That type of dedication will be instrumental in attracting new racers to this venue of racing.

C Shaw