Yes, he was one of racing legends, I am sorry to learn of the news.
After fatal injuries in their series, other racing sanctioning bodies, such as Formula One and Championship Auto Racing Teams mandated use of a head-and-neck support device designed to protect the head at sudden impact. However, NASCAR did not require its use, and only a few drivers in Sunday's race were wearing one. Earnhardt was not one of them.
latimes.com
While the head restrain is helpful, unfortunately the speeds at which the cars are capable and the fact that most NASCAR tracks have those walls so close, makes it almost irrelevant.
Is it time for NASCAR to adopt some of Formula 1 governing body's steps to make tracks a tad safer ? It is true that Formula One has Monte Carlo (and recently other tracks), where walls are as close as NASCAR tracks, in most tracks there are rows of tires, or "sand traps" and/or wire catching fences before the cars would hit the hard steel ARMCO retaining rails (or earth embankments).
Hard to say. Motor Sports is a dangerous sport and everyone driving accepts it.
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Feb. 18, 2001, Dale Earnhardt Sr. died as the result of a crash in the Daytona 500.
He was the best at what he did, and passed away doing what he loved to do.
Our condolences to the Earnhardt family, Dale will be dearly missed by his fans and all of NASCAR.
Thanks for the great ride #3.
members.tripod.com
Dale Ernhardt was often compared to Ayrton Senna (One of the most talented Formula One racers ever). Ernhardt said this is at the time of Ayrton Senna's death:
"We want to send our thoughts and prayers to the family of Ayrton Senna and all his fans. He was a great racer and a great champion. It's a shame."
-Dale Earnhardt
Ayrton Senna's thoughts on death:
"The day it arrives, it will arrive. It could be today or 50 years later. The only sure thing is that it will arrive."
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Somewhere, if you believe in the afterlife, is a circuit. On that circuit, certainly, Ayrton Senna is on the pole. Somewhere in the middle of the pack is one, Dale Earnhardt. As the race starts, Senna is off, stretching his race legs. As the race leads on, Senna opens up a comfortable lead. As the race hits the two-thirds mark, Senna looks into his mirrors. All clear and......wait, there's a black car appearing in the distance. Except the distance rapidly begins to diminish. As the black car gets larger in Senna's mirrors, Senna can clearly see a driver with a half-helmet, and black goggles. Who the hell?? Senna is pushing hard now; harder than if Mansell, Prost, or Schumacher were close in tail. He swears he sees a wide grin amid a wide moustache. Who is this guy? Senna figures he will scratch his wheels with this guy when he pulls even, but when he pulls even, the wide grin is wider, looking eye to eye with the Brazilian master. Just where he ought to be. Here's to you, Dale, may there be nary a restrictor plate on your plate, and may you give Jimmy Clark and Ayrton Senna a friendly "nudge" to remind them that the Intimidator has arrived..
autoracing1.com |
