Fallen TV cabling hurts NASCAR fans, scuttles race
June 7, 2013
A piece of broadcast TV cabling snapped across the arena's tri-oval onto the racetrack.
As reported last month by Fox Sports' Lee Spencer, in North Carolina, NASCAR red-flagged the Coca-Cola 600 race at Charlotte Motor Speedway on the afternoon of Sunday, May 26, after a piece of broadcast TV cabling snapped across the arena's tri-oval onto the racetrack on Lap 121, resulting in injuries to some fans and damage to race cars.
Driver Kyle Busch, who was leading the race at the time of the accident, said, “Something fell apart and of course it fell apart on us.” Crew chief Dave Rogers added, “This is crazy if a TV camera just took us out.” The cabling literally sliced the right side of Busch's car behind the wheel, said the report.
Fox made an official statement following the incident: "At this time, we do not have a cause for the failure of the camera drive line that interrupted tonight’s Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway, and our immediate concern is with the injured fans."
The failed camera system in question reportedly consists of three ropes: a drive rope which moves the camera back and forth, and two guide ropes on either side. "The drive rope failed near the Turn 1 connection and fell to the track," reported Fox's Spencer. "The camera itself did not come down because guide ropes acted as designed. A full investigation is planned, and use of the camera is suspended indefinitely."
