BajaNomad - Robby Gordon hits spectator

Robby Gordon hits spectator

TMW - 6-7-2015 at 02:36 PM

I understand the guy only had a broken leg from it. Hard to believe he didn't have internal injuries. I also heard that Robby stopped to check on him.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u82uc-S7vOU&sns=fb

Ateo - 6-7-2015 at 02:57 PM

Damn that was hard to watch. That could've been a lot worse. Glad it wasn't.

ehall - 6-7-2015 at 03:34 PM

I heard only a broken leg and RG's helicopter stopped to check on him. He zigged when he should of zagged.

norte - 6-7-2015 at 06:58 PM

seems to be part of the sport any more. do they get extra points for a "hit"?

mtgoat666 - 6-7-2015 at 07:06 PM

If you run vid slowly you can see that the car leaves road and is traveling in sparse vegetation area to cross to a parallel road closer to the cameraman, and it appears the unlucky guy saw car traveling out of lane so sprinted in direction car was turning... Seems understandable, makes one wonder why the driver was attempting a pass in the middle of a clot of spectators...

The promoters really should barricade the course so stuff like this doesn't happen.

Root cause, irresponsible driver plus spectator too close.

[Edited on 6-8-2015 by mtgoat666]

AKgringo - 6-7-2015 at 07:18 PM

With no evidence to support my theory, I would guess that the spectator tried to cross the track right behind a passing racer, not realizing that there was a second car on his tail.
If Gordon left the main track, it might have been an attempt to avoid him.

[Edited on 6-8-2015 by AKgringo]

ehall - 6-8-2015 at 08:59 AM

If you look closely between 10 and 13 seconds on video you will see that the road splits into 2 roads. The group of guys was standing in the middle of the 2 roads.

az1liner - 6-8-2015 at 11:15 PM

i believe from my many years competing in baja score races its actually an honor to have been HnL ("hit and live") if your a local....you get to park in the driveway and control the remote at xmas.....just sayin...

David K - 6-9-2015 at 08:33 AM

Quote: Originally posted by az1liner

i believe from my many years competing in baja score races its actually an honor to have been HnL ("hit and live") if your a local....you get to park in the driveway and control the remote at xmas.....just sayin...

In the 'old days' have a piece of Parnelli Jones' Bronco (or other racers) was turned into a sort-of religious altar. A rumor was that race stickers could be used to hire hookers in La Paz!

:lol:

Pompano - 6-9-2015 at 09:26 AM

Quote: Originally posted by az1liner

I also have a Baja race 'hit' to report. Many years ago, my neighbor, Jake, told me he was once sideswiped by Parnelli Jones. Of course, Jake was as fond of rum as I was back then, making us prone to 'unusual' events. :rolleyes:

[Edited on 6-10-2015 by Pompano]

durrelllrobert - 6-9-2015 at 09:50 AM

Perhaps sometime in the future each car will be hooked up to a dynamometer and each drivers statistics will be entered in a computer. The the races will procede as a video game with each driver watching a screen showing his progress on the track while he controls his vehicle remotely.NO SPECTATORS HIT and DAMAGE TO THE ENVIRONMENT THAT WAY :biggrin:

LancairDriver - 6-9-2015 at 09:59 AM

I believe old Parnelli has killed at least one spectator in Baja that I remember from some years back. He's a veteran of the old brass knuckles bull ring racing in the San Juaquin valley in the 50's and 60's so his aggressive driving style is not surprising.

mtgoat666 - 6-9-2015 at 10:27 AM

Quote: Originally posted by durrelllrobert

Perhaps sometime in the future each car will be hooked up to a dynamometer and each drivers statistics will be entered in a computer. The the races will procede as a video game with each driver watching a screen showing his progress on the track while he controls his vehicle remotely.NO SPECTATORS HIT and DAMAGE TO THE ENVIRONMENT THAT WAY :biggrin:

there is no real need to run the races in remote areas, where environmental damage is a concern. racers can experience same obstacles in a loop course at an abandoned quarry. there is little point in racing in remote areas as there are few spectators there.

video games can be programmed to be more challenging hand-eye coordination than real-world conditions. video games probably require more skill of drivers relative to driving a car. actually, with video games, all the spectators can race too!

durrelllrobert - 6-9-2015 at 10:52 AM

Good point Goat. I would highly recommend the abandoned Berkley open pit mine in Butte, MT. Their economy could use a boost and the spectators would all be safe up on the rim. It is one mile long by half a mile wide with an approximate depth of 1,780 feet (540 m). Ooops, after some checking it turns out that it now has about 900 feet of toxic water in it.

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Berkeley_Pit

mtgoat666 - 6-9-2015 at 11:40 AM

Quote: Originally posted by durrelllrobert

Good point Goat. I would highly recommend the abandoned Berkley open pit mine in Butte, MT. Their economy could use a boost and the spectators would all be safe up on the rim. It is one mile long by half a mile wide with an approximate depth of 1,780 feet (540 m). Ooops, after some checking it turns out that it now has about 900 feet of toxic water in it.

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Berkeley_Pit

they only need a couple hundred acres to make a race course - the tailing piles next to the water-filled pit will suffice. just need a dozer to make a few obstacles. plenty of abandoned industrial properties and abandoned mines in the western USA to make a bunch of courses. it would be patriotic for gringo racers to spend the money at home, eh?

David K - 6-9-2015 at 02:37 PM

Quote: Originally posted by LancairDriver

I believe old Parnelli has killed at least one spectator in Baja that I remember from some years back. He's a veteran of the old brass knuckles bull ring racing in the San Juaquin valley in the 50's and 60's so his aggressive driving style is not surprising.

In the July 1974 Score Baja Internacional (Score's first Baja race), Parnelli and Bill Stroppe slammed into a motorcycle riding tourist, going the wrong way on the race course, it was unavoidable as they didn't have time to avoid each other. The man on the bike knew the race was that day, but figured he would just move off the road if he saw a racer approach (per his companion following him on another bike). The accident happened near El Rayo/ Laguna Hanson area... the fuel tank of the bike exploded inside the Bronco, burning both PJ and Stroppe. Parnelli never raced his Big Oly Bronco in Baja again! Parnelli Jones was an Indy car racer, winning the 1963 Indy 500. Bill Stroppe introduced him to Off Road Racing, daring him to try the new sport. Parnelli was the overall winner of the 1971 and 1972 Baja (Mexican) 1000 and the 1970 and 1973 Baja 500. Parnelli returned to Baja racing in 1975 with a Chevy Blazier 2WD racer.