The difference between life and death, according to John Medlen, is what is done with the data.

The wheel which ripped free of sophomore Funny Car driver Bob Tasca's Motorcraft/Quick Lane Ford Mustang during a qualifying run at zMax Dragway in Concord, NC, could have caused a fatal outcome. It didn't because of what was done with the data from Eric Medlen's fatal practice run at Gainesville two years earlier. It didn't because of what was done with the data from John Force's wreck at Dallas.

The probability of fatality lessens each time data from previous incidents is collected, understood and acted upon. The chance of a death in drag racing will never be eliminated, it can however be lessened when data is acted upon in a positive manner.

The difference between life and death, according to John Medlen, is what is done with the data.

The wheel which ripped free of sophomore Funny Car driver Bob Tasca's Motorcraft/Quick Lane Ford Mustang during a qualifying run at zMax Dragway in Concord, NC, could have caused a fatal outcome. It didn't because of what was done with the data from Eric Medlen's fatal practice run at Gainesville two years earlier. It didn't because of what was done with the data from John Force's wreck at Dallas.

The probability of fatality lessens each time data from previous incidents is collected, understood and acted upon. The chance of a death in drag racing will never be eliminated, it can however be lessened when data is acted upon in a positive manner.

The same type of incident might never occur again, but the NHRA is going to take no chances. Like bellhousings and many other parts used in drag racing, wheels will soon come under a specification that will call for yearly inspection and certification.

The data collected from the inspection and testing of Tasca's wheel proves that wheels are not indestructible. They have a limited lifespan.

Sources close to the situation confirm the NHRA is in the process of formulating a policy by which all wheels used in competition will have to be certified each year. Expectations are that the policy will be announced in January of 2010 or February at the latest. A phased in approached is expected to be instituted because of the tremendous number of wheels that will need to be certified.

The need for certification arises partly from the fact that in the case of Tasca's wheel, it is not known which came first, the chicken or the egg. Clearly, studs failed, the weld holding the bead lock to the wheel failed and the nutserts cracked. Which came first, according to our sources, has not been exactly determined.

Did the studs failure cause the nutserts to crack? Did the weld fail causing the nutserts to crack and then the studs to fail? No one can be absolutely certain beyond a shadow of a doubt.

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