Disaster at the track Saturday night

Wayne Roberts, the track manager/owner of Wichita Int'l Raceway was severely burned on his arms and face while cleaning up an oil down. From what I have heard he was using alcohol and a torch to burn off the oil when the container of alcohol he was holding caught fire and exploded. I guess he has 2nd degree and possibly 3rd degree on his arms and face. When the container exploded, it sent flames up into the stands and caught some spectators clothes on fire. A bad deal all the way around.

Race track manager receives serious burns


A 50-year-old man was seriously injured Saturday when he was burned while cleaning a drag strip track with alcohol.

Wayne Roberts remained in serious condition today at Via Christi Regional Medical Center-St. Francis campus with burns to his arms, face and upper body.

Roberts was using alcohol to clean the track at Wichita International Raceway, near 61st Street North and Ridge Road at about 11:30 p.m. Saturday when the container he was using was ignited, the Sedgwick County Sheriff's Department said.

Roberts is the track manager.

Hope he recovers. Sounds like a bad deal. I've had second & third degree scald burns so he's in a LOT of pain. Can't figure why he was using methanol to clean the oil down, it's so volatile[img]/phpBB/images/smiles/icon_confused.gif[/img]
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Burns have to be one of the most painful of injuries. Just a tiny one will hurt for a long time! Hope he gets healed up soon. [img]/phpBB/images/smiles/icon_frown.gif[/img]