P&G’s Tide helps save Daytona 500
02/28/12 at 10:46pm Written by kkelly
Tony Morgan was watching the Daytona 500 on Monday when Juan Pablo Montoya’s car slammed into a jet dryer, sparking a massive fire while the race was already under caution.
Morgan is Kentucky Speedway’s manager of fire and safety and empathized with those who responded to the dangerous incident at Daytona International Speedway.
“From what I saw, I think they did a great job,†Morgan said. “To the everyday guy watching it might have seemed like it took a little long. But that was something unexpected and they had to call in all the resources before they could make a real good progressive attack on that fire.â€
Montoya and the driver of the jet dryer truck escaped serious injury. But the bizarre incident stopped Monday’s race for two hours with 40 laps remaining as crews worked to clean up the mess and repair the track.
Part of the process involved spreading boxes of Tide laundry detergent on the track surface, scrubbing it and then hosing it clean. On Tuesday, Procter & Gamble’s Tide Facebook page was buzzing over the detergent’s role in saving the race.
“Tide consumers associate Tide with great cleaning power – be it oil, grease or dirt. We are obviously happy it could also help at the racetrack,†Procter & Gamble spokeswoman Petra Stovickova said. “And actually I don’t think we’ve been aware that Tide is being used in such situations, but it’s great news for us.â€
Morgan said Kentucky Speedway uses Tide – and only Tide - to clean up spilled fluids.
“They were putting it on in powdered form (at Daytona). I’ve done that but with the winds and such on the track, we found it best to make a slurry where we’ll mix maybe a half a pound or pound of Tide to a five-gallon bucket of water,†Morgan said. “We’ll pour it on the track where the car’s wrecked and it’s dropped oil or transmission fluid on the track that will clean that up out of the track. Like washing your clothes, it’ll get down between the cracks and crevices and helps that oil and stuff out that they just put down. We’ll broom it in and then we’ll rinse it off. Very similar to what they did last night.â€
Morgan said Kentucky Speeedway’s fire and safety team has a three-day training session planned in May at the Gallatin County track. NASCAR also offers a certification program each year in Charlotte, N.C., he said.
“I’m sure this will develop a lot of training, and some different procedures,†Morgan said. “In the back of my mind I’ve sort of been evaluating our procedures on that. You can’t be ready for everything, it seems like. “