Sportsdrome Speedway, Inc. v. Jason Clark (mem. dec.)

49 N.E.3d 653, 2016 Ind. App. Unpub. LEXIS 363, 2016 Ind. App. LEXIS 314, 2016 WL 1211857
CourtIndiana Court of Appeals
DecidedMarch 29, 2016
Docket10A01-1505-CT-341
StatusPublished
Cited by3 cases

This text of 49 N.E.3d 653 (Sportsdrome Speedway, Inc. v. Jason Clark (mem. dec.)) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Indiana Court of Appeals primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Sportsdrome Speedway, Inc. v. Jason Clark (mem. dec.), 49 N.E.3d 653, 2016 Ind. App. Unpub. LEXIS 363, 2016 Ind. App. LEXIS 314, 2016 WL 1211857 (Ind. Ct. App. 2016).

Opinion

KIRSCH, Judge.

[1] In this interlocutory appeal, Sports-drome Speedway, Inc. (“Sportsdrome”) appeals the trial court’s denial of its motion for summary judgment, in a case, brought by Jason Clark (“Clark”) for injuries he sustained when a racecar hit him as he volunteered 1 on the track for one of *655 Sportsdrome’s races, held on June 18, 2011. On appeal, we address the following consolidated and restated issue: whether the trial court erred in denying Sports-drome’s motion for summary judgment on Clark’s claim that Sportsdrome and its employees were grossly negligent and acted in a willful and wanton manner with regard to Clark’s safety.

[2] We reverse and remand;

Facts and Procedural History 2

[3] Between June 2009 through June 18, 2011, Clark volunteered at least sixty times at Sportsdrome’s racetrack. Sports-drome provided Clark with free admission when he helped out during races. Clark was familiar with Sportsdrome’s racing events and the layout of the track, which was surrounded by a crash barrier and catch fence and could be used either as an oval track to run races clockwise.or counter-clockwise, or iñ a figure-eight configuration. Some of Clark’s -duties included helping Sportsdrome employees to monitor races, break up fights, keep spectators clear from the pit road entrance/exit gate (“pit gate”), and clean up accidents that occurred during races. This work required Clark to enter dangerous areas of the track that were off-limits to the general public. Therefore, at the start of each evening-that Clark worked, Sportsdrome required him to sign a “Release and Waiver of Liability and Indemnity Agreement” (“the Release”). It- was only after Clark executed the Release that Sportsdrome allowed him to work in restricted areas of the racetrack.

[4] The Release was created to indemnify Sportsdrome and waive any liability it might incur due to injuries or damages related to Sportsdrome’s own negligence or gross negligence. 3 The Release provided:

*656 IN CONSIDERATION of being permitted to-enter for any purpose any RESTRICTED -AREA (herein defined as including but not limited-to the racing surface, pit areas, infield, burn out area, approach area, shut down area, and all walkways, concessions and other' areas appurtenant to any area where any activity related to- the event shall take place), or being permitted to compete, officiate, observe, .work for, or for any purpose participate in any way in the event, - EACH OF THE UNDERSIGNED, for himself ..., acknowledges, agrees and represents that he has, or will immediately upon entering any of such restricted areas, and will continúously thereafter, inspect such restricted areas and all portions thereof which he enters and with which he comes in contact, and he does further warrant that his entry upon such restricted area or areas and his participation, if any, in the event constitutes an acknowledgement that he has inspected such restricted area and that he finds and accepts the same as being safe and reasonably suited for the purposes of his use, and he further, agrees and warrants that if, at any time, he is in or about restricted areas and he feels anything to be unsafe, he will immediately advise the officials of such and will leave the restricted areas:
1. HEREBY RELEASES, WAIVES, DISCHARGES AND COVENANTS NOT TO SUE THE ... TRACK OPERATOR, TRACK OWNER,- ... OWNERS AND LESSEES OF PREMISES USED TO CONDUCT THE EVENT(S), ... AND THE DIRECTORS, OFFICERS, AGENTS AND EMPLOYERS, OF-EACH . OF ■THEM, ALL FOR THE PURPOSES HEREIN REFERRED TO AS THE “RELEASEES”, FROM ALL LIABILITY to the undersigned .... for any and all loss or damage, and any claim or demands therefore on account of injury to the person or property or resulting in death of the undersigned, whether caused by the negligence or gross negligence of the “RELEASEES” or otherwise while the undersigned is in or upon the restricted area, and/or competing, officiating in, , observing, working for, or for ' any purposes' participating in the EVENT(S).
2. HEREBY AGREES TO INDEMNIFY AND SAVE AND HOLD HARMLESS THE “RELEASEES” and their insurance carriers and each of them from any loss, liability, damage, or cost they may incur due to the presence of the undersigned in or upon' the restricted area or in any -way ... observing, or working for, or for any purpose participating at any time in the EVENT(S) and whether caused by the negligence or gross negligence of the “RELEASEES” or otherwise. ■
8. HEREBY1 ASSUMES FULL RESPONSIBILITY FOR AND RISK OF BODILY INJURY, DEATH OR PROPERTY DAMAGE DUE TO THE NEGLIGENCE ()R GROSS 'NEGLIGE NCE OF “RELEASEES” OR OTHERWISE while in or upon the restricted areas and/or while ... observing, or working for, or fhr any purpose participating in the EVENT(S).... EACH OF THE UNDERSIGNED expressly acknowl *657 edges and agrees that the activities of the event are very dangerous and involve the risk of serious - injury and/or death and/or property damage.. - EACH OF THE UNDERSIGNED further expressly agrees that the foregoing release, waiver, and indemnity agreement is intended to be as broad and inclusive ■as is permitted by the law of the Province or State in which the event ⅛ conducted and that if any portion thereof is held invalid, it is agreed that the balance shall, notwithstanding, continue in full legal force and effect.
THE UNDERSIGNED HAS' READ AND VOLUNTARILY SIGNS. THE RELEASE AND WAIVER OF LIABILITY AND INDEMNITY AGREEMENT. ...

Appellant’s App. at 156.

[5] Prior to June 18, 2011, Clark was usually stationed with Leondal Vincent (“Vincent”), a friend at the track who mostly worked in the pit at Turn 1. Clark acted as an extra set of hands under Vincent’s specific direction ■ and primarily helped clean the track after wrecks. The bulk of the remaining responsibilities fell to Vincent. On a few occasions, Clark was positioned at the Turn 4 pit gate, once with a track employee and a few other times with Vincent. Clark’s experiences working in Turn 4 were substantially similar to his experiences working in Turn 1; Clark was supervised by an employee who would instruct him when things needed to be done, but most of the time, Clark could just sit, watch the race, and. chat with others in the pit area.

[6] On the evening of June 18, 2011, Clark was running late and arrived at the track just as the races for the evening were about to hegin. He signed the Release and was assigned to. work at the Turn 4 pit gate as- a stand-in for an employee who had not shown up,for work. Clark retrieved a radio headset 4 and proceeded to Turn 4. Prior to that evening, Clark had never been stationed alone or unsupervised at Turn 4, but that night Clark was working alone at the Turn 4 pit gate. On the night of the accident, the races at the track were being-filmed and monitored by Sportsdrome employee Greg Gibson from the position of an elevated scissor lift positioned in the main stretch of the racetrack.

[7] -Although the track was almost entirely.

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49 N.E.3d 653, 2016 Ind. App. Unpub. LEXIS 363, 2016 Ind. App. LEXIS 314, 2016 WL 1211857, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/sportsdrome-speedway-inc-v-jason-clark-mem-dec-indctapp-2016.