What particular incident prompted Nascar to implement a speed limit on pit row?

Question

Who got hurt and when?

Answer 1

During the November 1990 running of the Atlanta Journal 500 at the Atlanta Motor Speedway, Ricky Rudd lost control of his Levi Garrett Chevy as he neared his pit stall and ended up slamming broadside into Bill Elliott's Coors Ford that was being serviced. Mike Rich, Elliott's rear tire changer, was caught in between the two cars and suffered fatal injuries. That eventually led to NASCAR being the first sanctioning body to implement speed limits when drivers are on pit road for the safety of the crews. The first way they implemented a pit road speed limit was having a series of thin tall pylons (like you see used in construction zones) forming an "esses" pattern (like the esses you see on road courses) at the entrance to the pits. They certainly have come a long way from that to the "commitment line", 4000 rpm in 2nd gear, and that new fangled pits open/closed light.

On a side note, some feel speed was not just the lone contributing factor to the pit road incident at Atlanta. For one thing, Rudd should not have been in the pits at the time because he was at least one lap down. They did have that rule of lead lap cars pitting first and then the lap or more down cars pitting the next time in place back then. In addition, some believe that the brakes on Rudd's car had been adjusted so that the front wheels took much of the tension.

Answer 2

you try jumping out on pit road when cars are going fast and see how you like it. they did it for the crew guys though some of them still do get hit once in awhile

Answer 3

Idiots couldn't get the hell out of the road of the cars,usually fat dumb lazy bastards that threatend to sue.

Answer 4

THEY DO IT FOR THE CREW,