Williams Grove Speedway sued by injured Sprintcar Driver

Williams Grove Speedway, Mechanicsburh Pennsylvania has been the home for American Sprintcar racing since 1939. The I/2 Mile banked oval has challenged drivers for the past 75 years. A favorite race track for many of the Country most important races including the World of Outlaws Summer Nationals.

The best of the Outlaws and the Pennsylvania Posse will fight this weekend in the first of two races for the Summer National Title. While the drivers have a challenge ahead the bigger Challenge is for the Williams Grove Speedway as they face a court battle with injured Sprintcar driver John Westbrook

John Westbrook before his accident
pic credit John Westbr

.Westbrook suffered serve injuries that left him a quadriplegic in 2008 during a race when a car crashed into him sending him flipping over in turn 1 and down the very steep embankment that leads into an access road.

The prosecution is seeking medical care expenses, and they are also suing Williams Grove Speedway for pain and suffering. The case in being heard at the Cumberland Courthouse in Carlisle County. The case is based on Westbrook’s belief that the Speedway was negligent; highlighting the lack of a catch fence in turn 1 .The claim being that this was a major factor in the extent of the injuries.
David Inchon, Westbrook’s attorney is seeking $6 million to cover his medical expenses and for pain and suffering and the loss of enjoyment of life

.The attorney for Williams Grove Brigid Alford defense is that Westbrook knew the risks involved with sprintcar racing and had signed a release absolving the Speedway of any liability on September 5, 2008 on the night before the racing commenced .The release document he signed before racing on that night was the same document he had signed many times before he had raced at Williams Grove.

This is a tragic case and one that race promoters everywhere will be watching closely .The tragedy is that no matter whom wins in the court case there will no winner. No amount of money will make up for the suffering that John Westbrook has endured since the accident , The change to his life and that of his family is unimaginable for those of us who have the full use of our limbs.

There is no way of knowing just how the jury will decide the outcome. There have been cases in the past where release documents absolving promote from liabilities have been supported by court precedents but the sport and the industry will wait with anticipation.
Motor racing is dangerous and all competitors across the sport strap into their racecars in the knowledge that the chance of serious injury or death is just the roll of the dice away. The safety at race track is and always should be the first concern of race track owners and promoter.
The Sport has a great reputation of helping those who suffer injury and the family of those tragically killed during racing. It is a fact that the higher the profile the greater the support and this is clear to see across sport world wide
The problem of looking after injured racecar drivers is no different to those injured in any high impact sport and the bodies that sanction motor racing should provide a facility that is supported by, promoters, competitors and race fans. Speedway across the world run 50/50 raffles at most shows with half the funds going to various funds to support

competitors injured at their tracks .While this is admirable it is nowhere near enough and lack controls in many cases to the detriment of those it is meant to help.
These funds should be on a Sanctioning Body level and the funds should be invested and administered by a disability Committee based on need.

The fragmented efforts while well meaning fall short of achieving the required result .Looking at the many comments on various forums it seem clear to me that most believe that you enter the race track in the full and complete knowledge that it is dangerous and that the Speedway in this case Williams grove should not be responsible .

One can’t blame the injured driver for taking the claim to court for judgment particularly given his concern for his family’s future and with lawyers pushing the barrow I guess it looks like the only available option.

An interesting aside to the case is that Mr Westbrook still owns a race team and still enters the car and expects his driver to sign the waver at Williams Grove
The trial continues in the Cumberland Courthouse in Carlisle County.