Inspection Detail

Inspection: 1428321.015 - Speedbowl Enterprises, Llc

Inspection Information - Office: Vt Department Of Labor - Vosha

Investigation Summary

At 2:08 p.m. on September 1, 2019, two employees were standing behind the turn 1 concrete barrier wall of a racetrack overseeing the "Tiger Model" class automobile race. Employee #1 was positioned to release race cars back onto the track after having come off the track for repairs during the race. Employee #2 was positioned to be able to see the race track to look for debris and notify the cleanup crew. Both employees were standing at the end of the barrier wall of turn 1, approximately 56-feet from the start of the turn. The race was coming to the concluding last laps, when the race cars approached turn 1. Three cars approached turn 1 side by side and began to collide just prior to entering the turn. The outside racecar was forced into the straight stretch barrier wall. The pressure from the two inside race cars on the outside racecar and the speed carried into the wall, forced the outside racecar to climb the straight stretch barrier wall. The outside racecar was climbing the barrier wall as it approached the barrier wall in turn 1. The wall in the turn was connected to the straight stretch wall and tapered up to the height of 4-feet, 5-inches and was 8-inches thick. The outside racecar traveled up the taper of the barrier wall and breached the top of the wall, exiting the track airborne. The airborne racecar then landed on the ground outside of the barrier wall along turn 1 and traveled approximately 102-feet, striking both employee #1 and #2. Employee #2 was pinned between the racecar and a second padded barrier wall in front of the observation tower adjacent to the pit area exit gate. Employee #1 was hospitalized to treat a fractured leg. Employee #2 was hospitalized to treat a fractured right leg, fractured vertebrae, dislocated hip, concussion.

Keywords: Automobile, Blunt force, Blunt force trauma, Concussion, Dislocated, Fracture, Hip, Leg, Racetrack, Struck By, Vertebra