Eric Medlen

[wheredwhogo?]

Has anybody heard how he died? I read he hit the wall head on, but after talking to a friend who knows somebody in the biz...the word he got was that there was severe wheel hopping and it rattled his brain loose.....just trying to get the scoop...

 

[avcts]

Yes,

It really saddens me when a kewl guy such as Eric lost his life.

He was testing after the gatornationals. One of the rear tires went eccentric and shook the car so violently that it smacked his head in the roll cage like a pin ball between two electric bumpers.

I honestly have not stopped thinking about it. It is SO SO sad.

I was shocked to see a short message at the end of Driving Force dedicating this show to Eric. Very, very sad. He will be missed.....

 

[Prof]

John Force has some of the most sophisticated safety equipment available, hell one of his daughters drives, and Eric was killed (for all practical purposes) at impact. He was kept alive for some time with technology, but he really died at impact.

Becareful friends, we have a potential disaster under our foot...even with all the best precautions...do what you can to be safe...because this truck can take you where there is no safe.

Roy

 

[avcts]

This accident, according to NHRA, was isolated. Supposedly, its being investigated by a team of engineers as to why that tire went eccentric. Goodyear is doing there thing. It was not the impact. It was the violent shake the car did at high speed.

Now, TF teams are talking about titanium support and extra padding in the roll cages. I can't image what Eric must have been thinking when that happened. Or, it just happened to fast for him to think.

He reminded me of Force when he did his interviews...a natural high.

Life can sure suck. My God, if I had to bury my kid. I cant even think of the proper words to say in such a dificult time for his father, John Medlen.

Team Force did not run last week in dedication and respect for the Medlen family.

 

[Begood]

His death was caused by extreme shaking of the brain, like what happens when a dumbass shakes a baby.

They don't know why yet, but for some reason his car went into case of tire shake so extreme that it has never happened that bad before.

Basically his brain rattled around inside his skull so bad, it severly damaged it.

Many people are trying to find out why, but as yet they don't know.

Damn sad news!


Bill.

 

[mauiSRT/10]

Do drag racers use the same head and neck retraints that Nascar uses.....ie Haans device?

Those guys make so many safe passes that its surprising when there is a accident.......but when you think about how much HP they are putting to the ground........its no wonder there are more explosions and accidents.

patrick

 

[Silverback]

Do drag racers use the same head and neck retraints that Nascar uses.....ie Haans device?

Those guys make so many safe passes that its surprising when there is a accident.......but when you think about how much HP they are putting to the ground........its no wonder there are more explosions and accidents.

patrick

Yep, they use Haans devices, but that will not help you in the case of severe tire shake.

Imagine being shaken so hard you cannot see. That's what happens in a case of normal tire shake. Also normal tire shake happens within the first 100 to 150 feet. From what I have heard, what happened in Eric's case was the tire shake happened down track at a much higher speed.

But needless to say, it's all speculation at this point. The vibration could have been caused by something else entirely.