Drag Racing Message Board Members Purchase R3 Safety Device for Racer

By John Bockelman

Randy Baker gives his new R3 Series Safety Harness the thumbs up.

 

The Nitro Madness AA/Fuel Altered team stepped up their program for the 2005 racing season by acquiring a Hemi engine to replace the supercharged Olds they had been using with good success for the last few seasons. This upgrade resulted in a series of chained-together adjustments, additions, and expenses that brought the car up to proper specs for racing this powerful combination. “Rapid” Randy Baker, the pilot of the car, is a member of the Computer Magic/Draglist.com internet message board, and one of the most colorful and likeable personalities in that cast of characters.

Baker’s weekly reports from the dragstrip, describing the work, the people, and the racing from a driver’s perspective were so vivid and accurately detailed that they became feature stories on Draglist.com. The car’s performance increased by at least one-third with the addition of the Hemi engine. “Rapid 1,” as Baker is known online, broke through the 200mph barrier and ran six second elapsed times in 2005.  Data gathered during those races showed much potential for improvement.

The message board members were excited about this news, but also began to talk about the Rapid 1’s safety with the added power and speed of the unruly machine. Although Baker is fully strapped-in, wears a good helmet and thick tube neck collar, and is protected by a roll cage, he was not wearing a state of the art head-and-neck stabilization device. Board members believed that even with all those safety features, at some time or another, Baker might not be fully protected in the event of a mishap.

A Fuel Altered is the biggest handful to drive of any of the Drag Racing’s hot rods. It is unpredictable, temperamental, powerful, and fast. As good a driver as the Rapid 1 is, Fuel Altereds have shown that in a split second, they can develop a mind of their own and careen off in an unintended trajectory, sometimes with catastrophic results. In 50 years of drag racing, history records that these unpredictable machines have gotten away from some of the very best drivers in the sport.

With that in mind, board members felt that a state of the art head and neck protector would improve Baker’s chances of coming through a similar situation with minimal harm. Members began to urge Baker to purchase a device. Baker understood the concerns and assured his friends that he would purchase a device just as soon as he could afford it.

That was enough for Robbie Grangrade, alias “Robbie Racer.” The Arizona bracket racer stepped up and posted that he was buying a HANS device for the Rapid 1. Within two minutes, two more board members jumped in and joined the deal. Baker was overwhelmed, and he warned members of the expense involved. Nonplussed, the group went on. Photographer Pete Gemar, alias “Morebetter 99,” and Rocky Ausec, alias “Solid Rock” (himself a Funny Car and Fuel Altered pilot), directed board members to the LFT Technologies website, which describes the device endorsed and used by John Force.

After a few hours to study which device best suited Baker’s ride, comfort, and safety, Grangrade pulled out his credit card.  The purchase was completed and the device was shipped to Baker’s shop within a few days. The Rapid 1 is now protected by a fully fitted, state-of-the-art R3 Series B device.

Thanks to Robbie Grangrade, alias “Robbie Racer,” Mike Casella, alias “Pro60Chevy,” John Bockelman, alias “WildcatOne,” Pete Gemar, alias “Morebetter 99,” Rocky Ausec, alias “Solid Rock,” Team <G> Racing, Wally Bell, alias “Mr. Gator,” and Annette Mach, alias “BeeGator,” who provided advice and encouragement to Grangrade and the team to accomplish this task for the Rapid 1. A special thanks to “Rapid” Randy Baker and the Nitro Madness team for their excellent car and for being a part of the Computer Magic/Draglist.com family.

More information on LFT Technologies Safety Devices can be found at http://www.lfttech.com
More information on the Nitro Madness Fuel Altered team can be found at http://www.nitromadness.com/
Read the Computer Magic/Draglist.com message board at http://www.computermagiconline.com/yabbse/index.php