A tragic lost on the track.

[SPTNSX]

My friend that I've known for many years was badly injured on Sunday the 21st of April. He was with his beloved girlfriend when tragedy struck, and her life was sadly taken from this world. Just another day for my friend Duc on Chuckwalla track, but this time he didn't drive the car home, instead he got airlifted to the hospital. He lost control at one turn and hit straight into a watch tower. His girlfriend (Chelsea Vu) was pronounced dead on impacted, Duc on the other hand, fractured his entire face and in need of a face reconstruction. As of right now his is in a medically-induced coma stage. Prayers are out to the families and close friends that love them both. There's a website for donations to help the families to set up the funeral for Chelsea and have Duc's facial reconstruction. Any donations will help enormously. One day a close friend you know, adore, living life to its fullest, the next he's in a coma and lost his best friend. Life can end in a blink of an eye, it maybe cliche, but it's true.

Donations:
http://www.youcaring.com/medical-fun...yden-lam/55575

Article:
http://www.mydesert.com/article/2013...-Raceway-crash

Please spread the word to help out. Thank you so much in advance for your generosity.

 

[Hapa88]

Very sorry to hear this news. Chuckwalla is a great track and these types of events are some of my few passions. It's painful to hear about things like this happening. Thoughts go out to the familys and a quick recovery to the driver.

 

[SPTNSX]

Much appreciated, thank you.

 

[clr1024]

Sorry for your loss, that's very tragic! Always hurts to lose someone prematurely. My condolences to their friends and family.

 

[TURBO2GO]

Why did the girl die? What was the injury? Found this out on the track thread. Very sad.

 

[RSO 34]

Why did the girl die? What was the injury? Found this out on the track thread. Very sad.

From what I read it sounds like it was head on into a concrete flagging station so I wouldn't be surprised it was a basilar skull fracture. What is more puzzling is his facial injuries and references to his helmet not being on after the impact. Hopefully the full story will come out so that others may become better educated to try to avoid similar tragedies.

 

[SPTNSX]

Why did the girl die? What was the injury? Found this out on the track thread. Very sad.

Not sure on her cause of death, but she died on the scene.

- - - Updated - - -

From what I read it sounds like it was head on into a concrete flagging station so I wouldn't be surprised it was a basilar skull fracture. What is more puzzling is his facial injuries and references to his helmet not being on after the impact. Hopefully the full story will come out so that others may become better educated to try to avoid similar tragedies.

From what I heard from friends, he was indeed wearing a helmet and so was his girlfriend, but the helmet was strapless. This wasn't his first time tracking. Knowing my friend Duc, he's not dumb enough to track without a helmet on. It could possibly that his helmet slipped off.

 

[docjohn]

I have never heard of an organization that would tech a strapless helmet

 

[RSO 34]

From what I heard from friends, he was indeed wearing a helmet and so was his girlfriend, but the helmet was strapless. This wasn't his first time tracking. Knowing my friend Duc, he's not dumb enough to track without a helmet on. It could possibly that his helmet slipped off.

Tragedies often may be avoided by better safety enforcement. If any organization allowed a strapless helmet on track they ought to be shut down. And unless a driver is an instructor or "equivalent", passengers should never be allowed. It is sounding like this was way too "casual" of an event and the policies way too lax.

Any idea as to how many track days he had before this?

 

[DocL]

It's such a shame for someone to die and another person to sustain serious injuries at an event which is just for fun.

I stopped going to HPDE's because I was starting to get too comfortable pushing my car beyond the limit, and I saw the dangers of not being in a track prepped car. Is it possible the occupants were wearing open face helmets? I never understood the reason behind wearing one over a full face helmet.

 

[MexiRicer]

Wow Steven, sorry to hear bro my condolences to your your friends and the victims families.

 

[Dhalsim]

My condolences. That is a tragedy. I have driven at this track and am planning to go soon and this will definitely be on my mind.

Like others, I too would like more info especially about the helmet. Open faced should not be allowed and i know some organizers don't allow it.

What kind of car was it and were there airbags?

 

[RSO 34]

It was an Integra. Don't know about airbags.

 

[phryxis]

I read about this yesterday and it really shook me. As a frequenter of track events, it really hit close to home.

My thoughts are with those whose lives were affected by this tragic event.

 

[Dhalsim]

OK I saw the update that she was wearing a 4 point harness. That must have been one hell of a high speed crash.

 

[nsxot1c]

Very sorry for your loss... so sad. Such a shame :frown:

 

[itrsteve]

OK I saw the update that she was wearing a 4 point harness. That must have been one hell of a high speed crash.

Its called submarininng. Safety stuff is only safer when you have the correct items and all of them together.

The families of both have been in my thoughts all week, hopefully the driver finds the strength to rebuild his life and his spirits... Couldn't imagine to be in his shoes right now.

 

[kookoo4nsx]

This is just a shot in the dark but perhaps the driver had some type of event like heart palpitations, shortness of breath, double vision that took his eyes off the track for a split second.
Sooooooo sorry to hear about this. Devastating........

 

[SPTNSX]

thank you for all of your warm prayers and blessings. He owns an Integra, and as for the airbag I'm pretty sure he had aftermarket steering wheel.

 

[itrsteve]

This is just a shot in the dark but perhaps the driver had some type of event like heart palpitations, shortness of breath, double vision that took his eyes off the track for a split second.
Sooooooo sorry to hear about this. Devastating........

They were running the track in reverse, not always optimal and it placed the corner worker station (which didn't have a lot of tires in front because it typically wouldn't be a risk) in the cars path unfortunately.

 

[docjohn]

They were running the track in reverse, not always optimal and it placed the corner worker station (which didn't have a lot of tires in front because it typically wouldn't be a risk) in the cars path unfortunately.

oh boy,if true that is a huge liability to have an unprotected cement wall.....I hope for the families involved there will be some resolution to the why and how.

 

[itrsteve]

oh boy,if true that is a huge liability to have an unprotected cement wall.....I hope for the families involved there will be some resolution to the why and how.

It was protected, but wasn't in the ideal position nor had the proper amount of tires in front of it when in a lesser-ran reverse config.

 

[Dhalsim]

They were running the track in reverse, not always optimal and it placed the corner worker station (which didn't have a lot of tires in front because it typically wouldn't be a risk) in the cars path unfortunately.

Do you know the family personally or were there? I see you're on the east coast but seem to know a lot about what happened.

 

[itrsteve]

Do you know the family personally or were there? I see you're on the east coast but seem to know a lot about what happened.

Word passed through friends and mutual friends pretty quick. The ITR community is really small, and the amount of people that track them is even smaller so word gets out quick.

But no, I don't personally know either family.

 

[TURBO2GO]

So bob you are assuming she did by have a HNR. I wonder if he did.