Spokane7
65°
August 19, 2011 in Sports, City
Jet car driver crashes at Raceway
Oregon-based jet car driver Darin Bay rolled his car going 200 mph at the Spokane County Raceway on Friday night.
Raceway drag strip manager Cindy Gibbs said Bay was OK and talking after the 9:45 p.m. crash, and was being taken to Providence Sacred Heart Medical Center to be checked out.
Bay’s car, Devastator, was making a single pass on the drag strip and rolled at the end of the track. Jet cars are capable of hitting speeds of 300 mph, she said.
“It’s unbelievable the safety equipment these guys have,” Gibbs said.
Teams play odds 
adzam on August 19 at 11:49 p.m.
I was there and that was the most awesome sight I’ve ever seen! The flame out the exhaust was longer than the car! The noise generated by that car going down the track is going to make me addicted to that genre of racing…
sean96 on August 20 at 7:28 a.m.
I am so glad that the tax payers can shoulder the liability for this. The park in my neighborhood shut down but I can go watch cars run around in circles and my fellow spokanites get drunk in the process. Welcome to America under the Tea Party.
misjustice on August 20 at 7:41 a.m.
Sean, I’m certain that with all the revenue generated from beer sales at the race track that soon the park in your neighborhood will be reopened. Wasn’t that the deal? The commissioners used our money to buy a white elephant, errr race track, with the promise that all the money, that was going to pour in from their wise investment of OUR MONEY, would be given back to the community.
The_Seer on August 20 at 7:56 a.m.
Fish Lake park has been all but abandoned (again) but we have a top notch facility for wastrels to watch other wastrels drive cars.
Thanks, Nascar Dads, you’ve added sooooooooooooooo much to our culture.
hmschlpatriot on August 20 at 9:26 a.m.
sean96,
I’m curious as to what the Tea Party has to do with the racetrack. The two commissioners who decided to buy the track (Richard and Mielke) are Republicans but they are in no way, shape, or form conservatives. Tea Partiers believe it’s wrong to spend taxpayer money on things like racetracks. It would be nice if everyone would stop blaming everything on the Tea Party since most of our problems existed long before they did.
dgreene75 on August 20 at 9:42 a.m.
I think that it is sad that people take this opportunity to bash politics, while a man lies in the hospital. While I too do not agree with how spokane county handles its money, I can put that aside when a human life is concerned. I hope that the gentleman from that crash is ok. SHAME ON EVERYONE FOR USING THIS EVENT AS A SOAP BOX FOR YOUR OWN POLITICAL AGENDAS!!!!
sean96 on August 20 at 10:29 a.m.
The two (now three) blind mice are “no way….., conservative? LOL, the tea party is exactly about things like the race track. This was a gift to the Banks that held the notes, and the concessionaires that are running it while all the risk lies on the tax payers.
And while sad a man got hurt, what is even sadder is every resident of SPokane CO shares the liability thus making it a political issue.
misjustice on August 20 at 11:27 a.m.
Whatever happened to the mantra of the GOPers and the Tea Bag Party of “personal responsibility”? The driver that got hurt should take “personal responsibility” for his decision to race a “jet car”. It was his choice; choices have consequences.
And while I feel bad for him, on a certain level, I also believe that he chose to risk his neck for a thrill. Choices have consequences.
lewis8457 on August 20 at 12:12 p.m.
misjustice you hit it he got in a car with a rocket on it, if he didn’t know he might get hurt he was lying to himself, i feel bad he is hurt but such is life at least he isn’t dead while trying to buy a snickers bar.
well our commissioners have their own priorities and sadly it has nothing to do with the rest of our concerns, i am all for auto racing but on someones else’s dime not mine.
Squid on August 20 at 5:29 p.m.
First of all, this was a drag car and doesn’t go around in circles or have anything to do with NASCAR. It timed from a standing stop to whatever speed it reaches in a straight line.
Second, this guy signed a waiver and has little legal recourse to sue anyone, including the city, especially with the assumed risk, which is extreme in a jet car, or just about any racecar. (Did you know racecar spelled backwards spells racecar????)
Third, nearly anyone who would race, would never sue anyone for anything. They are stand up guys who take responsibility for whatever happens. They aren’t like democrats.
Fourth, I am sure this guy has a great deal of money and has the finest health care available. Just the jet engine alone is a couple million dollars, unless it is on loan from our Military. He can also afford to hire a pit crew for the entire racing season, and many thousands of dollars in fuel, lodging, and food.
Fifth, have you ever heard of anyone sueing an automotive racetrack for anything besides stock fraud or being hurt as a spectator? I can tell you that many people who race, get hurt at every race, but none ever sue. They take responsibility for their actions.