heheh
I can't imagine anyone shouting that in a Kalitta pit, Connie? Yes. Not so much Hillary.

Dude you need to chill till there is more info

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Bellemeur bounces back from scary ride

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Sean Bellemeur, new driver of the Renegade Racing TAFC, had a scary ride during the second qualifier in Edmonton. Somehow, his belts released when the chutes hit, throwing him into the steering wheel pretty hard.

First off, I'm glad to hear you're ok, second off, just a tip of the hat for getting back in the car, I know you had to be pretty sore.
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Quote Sean Bellemeur

Before I go into the nuts and bolts of what happened I wanted to say this...
The belts in the Renegade Racing/Synoil TAFC are built by Dennis Taylor who is a manufacturer, competitor and friend. I FULLY trust any part that he makes to keeps the drivers safe, and he proves his work by trusting his own life with his equipment in his funny car. That being said, Dennis has been in contact with me a lot about what could have happened and things to look for to prevent a potential problem in the future. I also want to say that I fully trust the equipment in the car that I drive, and I know that my team owner Geoff Goodwin put me in the car the same way that he has done hundreds of times for his drivers. I don't want to speculate on anything until Dennis has looked at the locking mechanism and belts himself, and we are working together to come up with an answer. I used the same belts and locking mechanism again the very next run just a couple hours later and the belts did their job as they are supposed to. This is the first time in my 9 year driving career that anything like this has happened, and I really appreciate Dennis' concern and the help that everyone at Taylor Motorsports Products has given to ensure that this never happens to myself or any other driver out there.
As Russ said, because of my background with working safety, and SFI, I take every precaution availible to keep us safe, and I completely trust Dennis and his equipment. I would never think twice about putting ANY of his equipment on a car that I drive.
I thank everyone for their concern. Race safe everyone!

At the Gators this year, one of the Nitro cars came to the line and after startup they rolled forward then shut it off. Someone had fogot to put oil in it. Later that day, a crew chief from another team told me that the person responsible for that would be looking for another job. Sometimes things happen. Next time you go a race bring good binoculars, and watch closely the crew and the crew chief do their thing at the starting line. They have it down pat. Everyone has a job and does the same thing every time. It would be a surprise that the person who did the belt check missed it. Unless it was someone new, or something else caused a change in the procedure.

As a driver, I must say that I cannot imagine Hillary would leave the line without the shoulder harnesses tightened. The belts are one of the most crucial factors in making a driver feel safe and comfortable when on the line. Many drivers, including myself, subscribe to the mantra "the tighter, the better" when it comes to safety harnesses. I would just feel "wrong" if I was on the line without being tightly strapped in.

Also, as a female driver, it's important to know that the shoulder straps are the most uncomfortable part of the harnesses. There is no way she wouldn't have noticed their absence. In my dragster, I know that I have to leave my right harness slightly looser than the left so that I can lean forward to reach the gears. Any driver would say something, or even shut off if their harnesses were not tightened. Especially one that just watch her mentor die doing exactly what she was doing. I'm sure it was a malfunction.

Same ? can be asked of you!!!!! This is supposed to be a message board where people can post their opinions and I hate it when someone jumps on someone else for what they post. I have held back on posting on here several times just for that reason. CHILL OUT!!!!!!!

There wasa recent interview with a driver who stated they try very hard to do the exact same thing every time. From start up to shut off. To the point thats its automatic. Roll forward to the same spot, do burnout to the same point, back up, roll forward under the crew chiefs command , pull on the fuel pumps, set brake and everything in between, etc. I agree she would have prob. noticed the belts not being on. If someone messed up, it won't happen again, it just becomes a learning experiance, that luckily did not cause any one to get hurt, just shaken up.

Emily is 100% correct,and basing on my own experience,Emily is right spot on.I drive a door car,and my harness is as tight as it can be,I would notice them NOT being on,or loose.

Since I missed all the action last night. Can anyone give a detailed story about what happened with Hillary?

The video shows her helmet going forward out of the roll cage as she is shutting off and the parachutes are just coming out. Her harness was either loose or not on. Could not tell if she hit the sterring wheel, but did come very far forward. She was a bit shaken up , as would anyone.

I'm no professional driver by any means, but I notice even the slightest change in my car. I understand that top fuel drivers have a lot more going on, but they are professionals and should have a lot more focus on what needs to happen. All I'm sayin is, I sure hope it was a mid-run failure. Otherwise, somebody needs to be talked to.

I have absolutely no knowledge of anything except for what I know from my limited local experience. If my shoulder straps are not on, I would not launch the car. Even at 100 or 150mph too much can go wrong.

I find it difficult to believe that any professional fuel driver would launch without being strapped in. Therefore I will await actual information which I would expect to reveal something along the lines of being strapped in at the launch and something happening down track that compromised the integrity of the belt system.

Here is the "official" answer from Comp-Plus:

Drag Racing Internet Magazine - Competition Plus.com - WILL BELT INCIDENT "ONE OF THOSE FREAK THINGS"

Just as scary!

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David Gerard

Samuel,

I suggest that you read the article and maybe not jump to conclusions so fast.

Drag Racing Internet Magazine - Competition Plus.com - WILL BELT INCIDENT "ONE OF THOSE FREAK THINGS"

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It is double pleasure to deceive the deceiver.
Niccolo Machiavelli

Bet they changed the harness, and checked the ones in the other cars too.
Also bet every other driver that weekend rechecked their harness before launch.

That official comment appears to be what she said word for word after the run. I'm not sure when the video of her simulating shooting herself in the head was shot.