Mark D Burch

I have ruined more good race cars than I have fixed bad ones.

[Mark D Burch @mbmotorspt]

@ripjetson9 In fact, we pretty much ran the 33 gallon cell all season the work on the balance of our car.

[Mark D Burch @mbmotorspt]

@ripjetson9 Won the 2001 1200# Nationals with a 830hp engine and a 33 gallon cell. 🤷‍♂️

[Mark D Burch @mbmotorspt]

@HusetsHeckler The 4 redraw put us starting P6 in a stacked heat. Went out super late and qualified 35th with zero wheel spin. A six redraw would have put 1k on the front row of the heat.

Don’t like the format? Stay home. It’s the same for everyone. Same with mappers.

[Mark D Burch @mbmotorspt]

@Nonwing_King @levijones_1 @ChadBoat @EclipseClaims Chad, wife and adorable daughter were on my flight to Charlotte this morning.

[Mark D Burch @mbmotorspt]

@D_Elliott123 He is definitely a risk taker.

[Mark D Burch @mbmotorspt]

@MarshallRacing_ Low air pressure

[Mark D Burch @mbmotorspt]

@AlwaysRaceDay With A-Aron it’s usually all black and white. Now it’s all white and black. Either way, there is no gray area.

[Mark D Burch @mbmotorspt]

@ripjetson9 @TomGrahamSr @MyRacePass You probably feel better than my knees and feet after four days and nights @EldoraSpeedway

[Patrick Sullivan @PatSullivanIndy]

I am calling on my friends in the racing and music industry to Back the Buffs. Let's support some kids from rural America who are adding a dash of nostalgia at an iconic racetrack. Let's do this

Republic County Bands
2405 P Street
Belleville, KS 66935
attn. Amber Jensen

[Mark D Burch @mbmotorspt]

@TrevorKnuth1024 @FS1 @EldoraSpeedway Thanks for the shoutout @BlakeAnderson that was very kind.

[Mark D Burch @mbmotorspt]

@bk3pr great to catch up with in the ride into @EldoraSpeedway

Don’t be a stranger!

[Team Jack @TeamJack]

Glioblastoma is one of the most aggressive forms of brain cancer. Today, we honor everyone who has faced GBM including the loved ones we've lost. We're committed to funding impactful research for glioblastoma and all childhood brain tumors. #Glioblastoma #fundthecure

[Mark D Burch @mbmotorspt]

@CaseyShuman Well said.

[Mark D Burch @mbmotorspt]

Based on standard motorsports safety analytics and physics, concern #1 (the fuel cell staying attached and catching fire) carries a significantly higher risk of severe or fatal injury.

Here is the breakdown of why the risks shake out this way:

1. Probability of Occurrence (Likelihood)

Attached + Fire (High Probability): In a violent 100 mph crash, the car undergoes massive decelerations, flips, and impacts against walls or catch fencing. The fuel cell—even if it stays mounted—is subjected to extreme crushing forces. If the chassis deforms, sharp metal components (like the rear torsion tubes or bumper bars) can puncture the outer composite shell and tear the internal rubber bladder. Methanol has a very wide flammability limit and a low flashpoint. Combined with hot engine components, broken electrical wiring, or sparks from metal grinding on concrete, a fire is highly probable if the cell is breached.
Detached Projectile (Low Probability): Modern sprint car fuel cells are mounted using heavy-duty, high-tensile hardware specifically designed to shear the chassis before the tank breaks free. For a 150-lb tank to completely detach, all six mounting points or the structure holding them must fail simultaneously. While it happens, it is mathematically much rarer.

2. Severity of the Outcome (Impact)

The Fire Scenario: A methanol fire is uniquely terrifying because it burns with an invisible flame in daylight. If the tank stays attached and leaks, the driver is trapped in the immediate impact zone, surrounded by a highly volatile chemical. The driver faces immediate life-threatening thermal burns and toxic smoke/vapor inhalation before safety crews can extinguish the invisible flames.
The Projectile Scenario: If the tank breaks free, it becomes a 150-lb unguided missile traveling at a trajectory dictated by the crash.
If it hits the crowd, the catch fencing, grandstands, and track banking are designed to absorb or deflect debris, though the risk to spectators is catastrophic if it clears the fence.
If it hits another competitor, it is colliding with another heavily armored roll cage.
Crucially, once the tank detaches from the vehicle, it separates from the primary ignition sources (the hot engine and electrical system of the crashed car), reducing the likelihood of a massive fireball upon secondary impact.
Risk Matrix Comparison
Hazard ScenarioProbabilitySeverityUltimate Risk Level#1: Tank Attached + FireHigh (Chassis deformation breaches bladder + immediate ignition sources)Catastrophic (Driver trapped in an invisible, toxic thermal environment)CRITICAL#2: Tank Detaches (Projectile)Low (Requires total failure of 6 high-tensile mounting points)Catastrophic (Potential multi-casualty event if it clears catch fencing)MODERATE-HIGH
Motorsports engineers prioritize concern #1 by focusing heavily on bladder elasticity and puncture resistance (using materials like ballistic Kevlar-reinforced rubber) because keeping the fuel contained inside a deformed chassis is the baseline defense against driver fatality.

[Mark D Burch @mbmotorspt]

@Andrewbowman49

[Mark D Burch @mbmotorspt]

@Andrewbowman49

[Brandon Gill @realBrandonGill]

Everything the left wants to do to America suddenly makes sense when you realize they have zero respect, love, or appreciation for this country.

This explains everything.

Every American needs to read it.