I know of at least two written off karts from immediate racing friends and another very bad accident from another immediate racing friend / family. The latter involved the driver being thrown from the kart and another kart hitting him full chat whilst he lay unconscious on the track. He's OK now and recoverd quickly (tyre mark across his helmet etc!), but at the time for his family and friends seeing him thrown around like a limp rag doll was very alarming. That particular family haven't done much racing since - another one bites the dust in a failing numbers sport (at MSA anyway). Most of the issue was / is it's the fastest part of the circuit, usually with the highest concentration of karts, under the bridge, if something happens there is no where to go / avoid incidents. Maybe standing starts have helped reduce risk there and grasscrete run off areas. So they are making efforts in the right direction. PFI with a bridge were limited by the layout they could build, hence it is a compromise layout, compromises are just that - never ideal. Maybe the bridge span could have been much wider with track to the centre of the span, giving run off either side?? Dunno there's no easy answer. But PF & MSA should not just turn blind eye's perhaps because they know they are working with a compromise. It will turn people away and god forbid a very very serious accident happens, the following consequences could force their hand!!
Finally no racing environment should promote racing along the lines of those that take safety risks win more so than those that don't - solely because the circuit layout is not ideal. So Chris tkm has the right attitude - especially when it involves children racing - because that is what they are - children - adults have a duty to look after them and make sure they are safe whilst still being wholly involved in life experiences.
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