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NTM: Cope resting at home, Bodine offers solution

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John Roberts

 
Updated Sep 7, 2002 12:31 PM ET
     
 
Bodine's throttle-hanging solution
Barry Dodson: As we saw last night, a horrendous crash from with the throttle hanging. We've seen too much of this in the past two or three years. A driver's instinct tells him to hit the brakes, not look down on a steering wheel to find a kill switch that he's not accustomed to hitting because you don't want to hit it and shut off the motor under a green condition. Take a little bit of time, and tell us about the component that you use. I think it's mandatory in the modified series, and (tell us) why this should probably be implemented (in Winston Cup)? : That's right Barry. I guess it just comes from my background, an old modified guy from the Northeast. It's really just a cellanoid switch that's in line between the gas pedal linkage and the carburetor linkage. You have to run a very stiff return spring on the carburetor, and you have to run a stop on the backside of the engine that keeps the gas pedal linkage extended. When you're working the throttle with your foot, the cellanoid is apart. It does not make contact. But if anything should happen from the carburetor or the linkage at the carburetor to make the throttle hang at any position, then the pedal will not release. It will come up and make contact, and that cellanoid will immediately cut the engine off. This happened to me at Phoenix last year. I had two throttle return springs break on the carburetor, and I didn't even know it. I let off the gas pedal to go in the corner. I thought everything was fine. When I stepped back on the gas pedal, the engine refired. I said, "Something's wrong." The throttle return springs had broken and shut the engine off, and I didn't even realize the throttle was hung so it really saved me there at Phoenix. I rode around, caught a yellow, came in and put two throttle return springs back on, didn't wreck a racecar and finished the race. I'm a firm believer in this, and I think I'm the only one in the garage area who runs it.
We wanted to update you on the condition of our good friend . Derrike was involved in a very serious Busch Series accident Friday night. It was a very scary moment for everybody watching that race. We are very happy to say that Derrike is back at home in Huntersville, N.C. resting. We talked to him this morning, and Derrike just wanted to say thanks to everybody who called and everybody who is out there wishing him the best after this scary wreck. Derrike is very bruised and beat up, but the fact is that is going to be O.K. That brings up the subject once again. You saw that car, Barry, take off from the bottom of the racetrack. It seemed like it didn't lose any speed before it hit the wall. It was just a really hard hit, and that brings up the question of the throttle. Barry Dodson: It's not going to slow down John. You're talking 650 horsepower. He's on the brakes, and all you've got to stop the car is what contact patch you've got on the racetrack from those four tires. He's not thinking about hitting the kill switch. That's the farthest thing from his mind. He's trying to brace himself for an impact. He knows it's going to be ugly. Steve Waid: We talked with earlier about the device that he uses. It might be a good idea for NASCAR to explore alternate means to see what can be done when throttles do stick. Over the last few seasons, I think we've seen enough of this. NASCAR This Morning moves to a new time: Starting Sept. 15 through the Winston Cup season finale at Homestead, can be seen live at 9 a.m. ET/6 a.m. PT. Next week, join John Roberts, Barry Dodson, Steve Waid and Winston Kelley as they look ahead to the fall race at New Hampshire International Speedway. had planned to drive the #37 Friendly's car in the Winston Cup race at Loudon on Sept. 15, but it is not known how long it will take him to recover from injuries sustained in Saturday night's crash. According to RacingOne.com, Cope suffered a broken right shoulder blade and left leg.

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