The Green Flag Driving Experience Tragedy



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The Green Flag Driving Experience is a place of fun thrills- the opportunity to get behind an unrestricted midget seems appetizing for many race fans across the nation. However, in August of 2014, for one woman, it was unfortunately quite the opposite of a fun thrill. Amanda Gambacorto was flying through the second turn of the sweeping 1/3rd of a mile track when tragedy struck. This was a wreck that would start a horrible string of 3 deaths in 12 months at racing experiences in the United States. This is the tragic story of Amanda Gambacorto.

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The Green Flag Driving Experience Tragedy

I do not own any of the footage in this video, all credit goes to the respective owners: NASCAR, NASCAR Media Group, Fox, NBC, NBC Sports, ESPN.

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39 thoughts on “The Green Flag Driving Experience Tragedy”

  1. If I died doing this, I wouldn't want my family to sue for a crash like that. Maybe if they let me burn alive or something then that'd be different. I went 150mph around Michigan(MIS) with Petty Driving Experience in 2005 & I knew I did NOT want to loop it out going that fast or I maybe seriously injured as the Hans wasn't even widely used yet. I had minimal safety gear with an open faced helmet. Pretty scary when I look back at the picture of me in the car.

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  2. This is only my personal opinion based on experiences from racing: HANS device is a huge development in safety on track, however you should have trained your body and neck muscles to be better prepared to withstand the physical punishment of an unexpected crash. Changing your office chair to a racing seat is a bigger step than you would think.

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  3. I'm glad they have apparently improved since the tragedy, though I'm wondering how much they'd say about safety over a phone call or email though. Given they are a smaller experience I can understand why they are saying bring your own safety gear though

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  4. Really appreciate you adding the context that it’s a well-received business with 4.9 stars. I’m unaffiliated but it’s great to see that you actually took the time not to discourage others from checking them out, even with the subject matter of the video

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  5. I'm would assume that a person has to sign a waiver of liability for any kind of sporting experience they may partake of. But it just seems to me like it would be common sense for any of these driving experiences to mandate a Hans Device. Even then there no guarantee you might not suffer a life altering injury.

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  6. I've done multiple driving experience type things at a Karting track and had to sign a waiver each time before driving. I'm guessing this place isn't any different, as a driver assumes some level of risk when they go out there. I'm guessing that's why no lawsuit was filed.

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  7. even though this is a tragedy, and very sad, somebody loved was lost, thank you for makin it clear that it was user error. the last thing this sport needs is anybody thinking otherwise, when you step into that car everything is on you.

    as somebody who has wrecked multiple times while wearing a neck restraint, i truly believe it would have saved her life, why the racing experience doesnt provide one is incredibly shocking.

    as far as lawsuits go, theres nothing lawyers or her family can do. she signed a wavier saying nobody will be at fault do to injury or death, thats how these events go. at least at my track (langley speedway) thats how it is.

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  8. Well, in the case of blunt-end crashes such as the instructor, this simply should never happen, for obvious reasons. Also, many tracks mimic crash devices as used by the DOT on our freeways because they have been designed, tested, and proven to save lives.
    However, the DOT crash protection applications also take into consideration the automobile design standards that must be met in order to legally drive on our highways. It takes into consideration the surrounding conditions (speed limit, side slopes, daily traffic count, clear area, structures, etc.) and risk/benefit analysis data.
    For example, the concrete J-barrier we see every day is designed (via the shape) to repel vehicles that strike it, prevent rollovers, and stop deadly head-on collisions in most freeway situations by using a solid wall. Now, take away the DOT requirements for crumple zones, fenders, bumper height, tire width, speed limit, weight restrictions, road width, etc., and the device is in unproven territory.
    In the case of plate beam guardrail, it is designed to absorb the energy from vehicles that have strayed from the road. It also repels most traffic, but in cases of extreme speed, angle of attack or weight of vehicle (tractor trailer), it slows the vehicle progressively while absorbing the vehicle's energy before failure occurs resulting in fewer casualties and less damage to property. The spacing of plates and posts also prevents the snagging of vehicle parts.
    Even the large yellow sand-filled barrels have different quantities and patterns of placement depending on the surrounding conditions.
    So, this said, a track that uses the same devises in entirely different applications than they were designed will have problems. A race car striking a three-plate beam guardrail with triple the number of posts will result in less repairs but more injuries.
    And, stating that a HANS device 'would have' or 'has' saved lives means nothing without supporting data. NASCAR implemented so many safety rules after Dale's death that there is really no way of knowing what actually works and what doesn't. Do the seat's side head restraints prevent injuries or cause them by weakening the driver's neck muscles and taking away the driver's vision? Does the HANS device channel more of the impact energy into the brain, causing debilitating concussions? Is a more rigid construction of the car really better protection or does it harm the drivers?

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  9. I'm surprised they don't offer head and neck restraint devices at these experiences. They may be expensive but it seems worth the cost considering the effectiveness.

    Also surprised they don't have foam cushions like Oswego.

    Either way it is something I'd love to do.

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  10. Nothing in this world is 100% safe. There is some risk of injury or death when doing such experiences (and why that is stated on the forms). Was the risk extreme? In my opinion, no. Basilar skull fractures are uncommon in head trauma cases, and it does depend on the speed of the crash, and the structure of the victim. Anything to prevent violent movement of the head should work (a head strap with a snug 5-point, or the HANS device). I just wonder if the HANS device is a one size fits all, and if it might preclude other situations… I know that was the bogus claim of drivers before Dale's crash, but with regular people.

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  11. as an ex-racer I would say these type of things should be regulated to a certain speed, if you have no experience, you should not be in a high horsepower full race ready car, I raced everything from street stock to late models and if you want to race you really need to start with something stock, I know that if I would have started in a full blown late model as my first car, it would have been in the wall in a few laps, I was also at a track when a guy brought out a brand new late model, no experience, and after a few laps in the first heat, he hit the wall so hard that they could only save one rim, it was amazing he wasn't killed in it, after words I talked to a guy that told me, that they had to cut the car up just to get it in the trailer, places like this need a lot more safety things in place before putting any inexperienced person in a race car

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  12. Every ticket to EVERY motor sport event that I have attended in my 70 years of spectating has had the following warning:
    MOTOR RACING IS DANGEROUS
    On ALL the entry forms that I have filled in as a competitor the SAME warning is to be found.
    In the case of this young woman, I personally feel that the organizers / promoters FAILED in that they DID NOT INSIST that ALL the drivers HAD TO WEAR A HANS DEVICE.
    Yes, they are expensive BUT what is the price to be put on this young woman's life?
    It was a failure to force the party driving to wear the appropriate safety equipment and that is inexcusable.
    My opinion – many may differ…

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  13. Wall township is located right near Asbury park (Were I originally grew up.) my great grandfather n his friends would go up their sometimes to see the late model races during the summer. I've been there once but I def wanna go back! It's a fun atmosphere 💯 R.I.P Amanda i heard about this years ago so sad…

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