Death of a fellow rider..

[bex]

I received this email today regarding the impending death of a fellow rider and friend, Glen McComb. It's very unclear according to the email how it happened; nevertheless, I would like to take a moment to commemorate the life of an exceptional individual who was passionate about motorcycles. If anyone has any additional information on the nature of the injury, please share! I will more than likely be attending the funeral; if anyone else is going, post up and maybe we can all go together.

Check out Glenn's website.. http://www.mccomb.com/

The email follows:

"I regret to inform you that our fellow rider, Glenn McComb, had a
critical accident while at Buttonwillow Raceway on Friday. Glenn was
attending a track day event with friends and had a mishap while in the
pits, suffering a critical head injury. He was immediately flown to a
trauma center in Fresno for emergency surgery.

Surrounded by family and friends, the doctors have done all they can.
In accordance with Glenn's living will, he will be taken off life
support and is expected to expire shortly.

Our prayers and condolences go to his family, friends and his adopted
son.

I will keep you posted on the details of his funeral."

[TreAdidas]

RIP :errf:

[RadPajita]

I'm sure there will be more details on this but from what I understand (and please correct me if i'm wrong), Glenn had just finished teching a newer bike (liter bike i think) as it was equipped with Racing Slicks. It was 40 degrees out and still very cold when he rode off back to his pit. Unfortunately, he gave it to much throttle and high sided landing directly on his head w/o a helmet and the bike tumbling onto him. The day had not started yet.

[wanderer]

the details will come out but i'm not hearing good things about what happened in the pits

that's all i'm saying for now. it was VERY preventable


very sad and a tragic loss to the community

[mieff]

R.i.p. :(

[Dapittbull69]

i've heard the story second hand after it happened, but i'll let someone with a first hand account of it tell it to avoid any rumors! R.I.P.

[TreAdidas]

I mean no disrespect as a man has died, but obviously everyone wants to know what happened and this is not G-14 classified information. We all are in this sport together. So for the sake of someone perhaps learning a life saving lesson as well as quelling human curiosity, would someone who knows what happened be so kind as to tell us?

[Shady]

I mean no disrespect as a man has died, but obviously everyone wants to know what happened and this is not G-14 classified information. We all are in this sport together. So for the sake of someone perhaps learning a life saving lesson as well as quelling human curiosity, would someone who knows what happened be so kind as to tell us?

I called my buddy who was working tech and was the first person on the scene after it happened. After hearing the story I think its best to not go too much into the details. Bottom line is he had just come out of tech, he was not wearing his helmet, on an ex pro's VERY fast bike in 31 degree weather and brand new tires. He highsided in the pits and hit his head in the fall...then the bike hit him.

Please make sure to be careful when its cold and when you have new tires...even in the pits.

R.I.P.

[SilverRider]

Glen was a very nice and friendly guy. He was a regular face at Mother's. I rode Palomar a couple of weeks ago with him and that was the last time I saw him. Such a nice guy. This is so sad. Accidents happen and sometimes are very ironic. In just a short time people were about to be hitting 140+ on the straights and this tragic freak accident happen when everyone least expected it. My thoughts go out to Glen and his family. You will be dearly missed brother. R.I.P. :(

Please post up details of funeral dates when they are made available.

Denton

[cbrsmurf]

very sad, RIP

[spewmonkey]

R.I.P.:errf:

[Robert]

Tragic R.I.P

[veejay]

RIP... if what some are speculating so far is true I expect that there will be new rules about riding bikes without a helmet in the pit area.

[Termin8r]

I'm saddened by this tremendously.

[techne]

This is terrible news. My prayers go out to him and to his family.

[mtex22]

RIP - this is horrible!!

[Arnold_R1]

RIP... if what some are speculating so far is true I expect that there will be new rules about riding bikes without a helmet in the pit area.

That truely is sad news to hear. My thoughts and prayers go out to him and his family.

VJ, the crew @ Trackdaz always emphasize the speed in the pit area. Based on Brian's version of it, there was a host of bad things that lead up to the accident. Once you sign that waiver upon entry, you're on your own.

[HenryF]

Very sad to hear . RIP and condolences to family.

[CjrJAM]

May he rest in peace.

[Lost]

Trackdaz hold the most professional event i know. I'm sure this was beyond their control.

RIP - to the rider...

[itr835]

Rest In Peace Bro.

[chrissafari]

Rip....

[veejay]

That truely is sad news to hear. My thoughts and prayers go out to him and his family.

VJ, the crew @ Trackdaz always emphasize the speed in the pit area. Based on Brian's version of it, there was a host of bad things that lead up to the accident. Once you sign that waiver upon entry, you're on your own.

I think other orgs will also use this to emphasize being safe in the pits...

hopefully we can all learn from this as well.

who here hasn't ridden a bike in the pit area without a helmet or other gear? i'm guilty of it... and I won't be surprised if different orgs now make it mandatory to wear a helmet even if you're in the pit going 5mph.

this is sad... and sounds like a freak accident. I was also witness to another pit incident where someone broke their foot pretty bad (again no gear riding around in the pit)

[gixxerkt]

As someone who was with Glenn's family after the tragedy, I can tell you his family appreciates the thoughts and prayers you all send out. Let me say as someone who witnessed this first hand, it was a tragic accident and anyone who eludes otherwise is ill-informed.

Yes Glenn was in the pits, coming out of tech, without a helmet. But honestly, how many of us wear a helmet to tech? There are people all over in the pits without a helmet on....this was just a freakish accident that resulted in a tragic death.

As Glenn was driving away from tech, for whatever reason the throttle revved, the back wheel spun out sideways, the peg caught on the ground and threw Glenn. Tragically Glenn landed on his head. Due to the fact that we were in a remote area, it did take some time for medical assistance to arrive. Those on-hand did whatever we could to offer any kind of first aid possible. Unfortunately it was not enough. Due to the severity and nature of the injury, no amount of medical assistance could have changed the outcome. Glenn passed late last night, never having regained consciousness.

The only one who truly knows what happened or why is Glenn. There is no need or purpose to place blame on anyone...an accident is just that - an accident. So please, let's respect the rider we have lost and keep it in our own minds to ride safe - always.

Glenn is giving life from his own as he chose to be an organ donor. There will be a memorial service for Glenn this Sunday at 11:00 am in San Diego. Details will be posted through the SocalRider group on yahoo that Glenn moderated.

Rest in Peace & may God Bless his soul.

[sandogn]

At the trackday we just had at Pahrump a guy highsided in the pits on a motard while on his way to the tech line. The track temp was 22 degress and he had just put new slicks on and I watched him highside while only traveling about 10 MPH. The crash was very violent and the bike somehow seemed to go end over end. He had no equipment on whatsoever but was pretty much okay. After hearing about this tradegdy I now know just how lucky that guy was at Pahrump. It could have easily happened to anyone. I even think that Pulse had his rear spin up nearly tossing him in the pits.

Always be careful.

[Melbell]

After the guy who high sided at Pahrump, we were talking about the accident that happend the same day at Buttonwillow. I didn't have my phone on me all weekend, and didn't find out the news that it was actually him until this morning. I was shocked and had a loss for words when I found out. His passion for riding was amazing. I don't think I know anyone else as passionate about riding as he was. He was always trying to get people to join him at track days and schools. He would help in any way possible to get them out there. It was just a few months ago that I had to join him and a few others at attending Cornel's funeral, and I can't believe that I now have to go through it all again.. over a freak accident.

RIP Glenn

[fratellobp]

I was one of 5 others that rode up to BW with Glenn. He was riding Jeremy Toye's CBR1000 Superbike. As has already been explained, he had just completed teching his bike and was not wearing a helmet. I was standing at the registration tent when I heard an engine rev, then the sound of a bike skidding on the ground. The engine revved for no more than 1 sec. I turned around just in time to see Glenn's head hit the concrete. I did not see the bike hit him. Glenn was no more than 25' from me. It was around 7:45am, and I would say closer to 35F...very cold. The tires were 209s. There were immediately 5-10 people on cell phones calling 911, and some smart and quick-thinking people there to provide some medical assistance (like keeping his airway clear and putting blankets on him). The ambulance was not there yet, though it may not be required until the track goes hot (I don't know the requirements). In this case, it is doubtful that immediate professional medical attention would have saved his life. Police, fire crews and paramedics arrived within 10-30min of the accident, and he was helo'd to the hospital about 45min after the accident.

The Trackdaz staff (and everyone there, for that matter) did all they could, including a very quick PA announcement/request for anyone with medical knowledge/experience to assist.

Only Glenn would know exactly what happened and why the throttle was jacked open like that with the clutch engaged (and maybe not even Glenn if there was a mechanical or FI malfunction). Some of you know Glenn better than me. I rode with him 4 times total in the past 2 months, exchanged emails, had phone conversations, and was at his house socializing the night before we drove up. He seemed like a mature guy and a mature rider. He did not seem like the showboating type (I have never even seen him do a wheelie) and from what I saw riding with him, he was a relatively accomplished rider. I know he attended Code's L1-4 and was planning on doing Code's race school in Feb or March. He was even considering doing his first few sessions in the Street group just to get a feel for the new bike. Exactly what happened or why, we will never know.

No doubt, it was cold and his tires were rock hard. A handful of throttle on a stock GSXR600 with stock tires would have spun the back tire. Only 3 days prior, while prepping my bike for this weekend (race plastic and new wheels), I took my bike down my street for a quick test ride (to make sure the wheels and brakes were operating properly) without a helmet. I gassed it just a little and unintentionally left a 20' burnout mark. Had the bike been leaned or turning just a little bit, I would have been on my ass or head. Be VERY careful, especially when it's cold.

There were no more than 10% of the riders wearing their helmets to tech (or in the parking lot at all unless they were coming on or off the track). I teched my bike later that day and Sunday without my helmet...right or wrong. Bottom line: a helmet would have almost surely saved his life.

This was without a doubt one of the freakiest accidents. I was talking to one of the Trackdaz guys who had just teched Glenn's bike, and he said he had never seen anything like this in his 10 years of track riding. Glenn or any of us could do this 99 more times and not have such a devastating result.

I apologize for the long-winded post, but wanted to share what I knew. I have met a few of you here and look forward to meeting and riding with many more of you. This is a great group. Glenn loved riding and loved riders. Though I only knew him for a short time, I considered him a friend. I think the best we can do is learn what little we can from this event (be ultra careful and respectful of your motorcycle when it's cold, and helmets do save lives) and for those that knew Glenn, think positive thoughts of him and for him. Remember the good times.

God bless you, Glenn.

[shaggy]

R.I.P. Glenn...

[Medside]

my condolences to his family and friends.

[brakstad]

Rest in peace....

[CaptainCR]

R.I.P. Glenn

[pulse]

terrible news, r.i.p glenn

[GPTECHMAN]

rest in peace glenn.