rec.autos.simulators

It's about 12:30am right now, and I've spent the last 6 hours watching
just about every network on TV trying to find the answer.

I was not an Earnhardt fan. I'm a Ford fanboy. Hell, I'm a Ford
service technician, so it's almost by default that my heros for years
have been Davey Allison (who my daughter was named after), Kulwicki,
Martin, Jarrett, etc. Earnhardt was usually the guy I cursed at for
beating my favorite drivers. But the last few years I grew to admire
him for what he had done for the sport. Hell, I even rooted for him
and Jr. occasionally. I actually cried a little when ALL the crew
members shook his hand on pit road after his Daytona 500 win.

Is this just the nature of the beast? Does every driver have to face
this realization before every race? Are they and NASCAR just willing
to accept the fact that death in a race car can and will happen to
anyone at any time? Are they not willing to do anything about it? What
about softer walls in the corners? What about lower bankings in the
corners to lower speeds? I don't know what the answer is..........Is
there an answer? Or do we just sit back, and watch, and hope every
week that this won't happen again? My favorite driver for years has
been Mark Martin. Is this going to happen to him next week? Or the
next time they go to Daytona or Talladega?

Well, it's been a very emotional day. I leave you with what I thought
was some good reading from Matt McLaughlin at speedworld.net. May God
be with everyone associated with NASCAR and every fan.

http://www.racesimcentral.net/

Todd

What is kind of ironic, is that I heard on ESPN that Dale earlier this year said he didn't like some new device that some drivers are using to help absorb the blow on the front bumper.... to protect the head or something like that.

I forget what its called, but who knows, maybe it would have saved his life.

(it wasn't a required device, but some drivers are choosing to use it on their own)

  Why? How many of you have asked yourselves that simple question today?

  It's about 12:30am right now, and I've spent the last 6 hours watching
  just about every network on TV trying to find the answer.

  I was not an Earnhardt fan. I'm a Ford fanboy. Hell, I'm a Ford
  service technician, so it's almost by default that my heros for years
  have been Davey Allison (who my daughter was named after), Kulwicki,
  Martin, Jarrett, etc. Earnhardt was usually the guy I cursed at for
  beating my favorite drivers. But the last few years I grew to admire
  him for what he had done for the sport. Hell, I even rooted for him
  and Jr. occasionally. I actually cried a little when ALL the crew
  members shook his hand on pit road after his Daytona 500 win.

  Is this just the nature of the beast? Does every driver have to face
  this realization before every race? Are they and NASCAR just willing
  to accept the fact that death in a race car can and will happen to
  anyone at any time? Are they not willing to do anything about it? What
  about softer walls in the corners? What about lower bankings in the
  corners to lower speeds? I don't know what the answer is..........Is
  there an answer? Or do we just sit back, and watch, and hope every
  week that this won't happen again? My favorite driver for years has
  been Mark Martin. Is this going to happen to him next week? Or the
  next time they go to Daytona or Talladega?

  Well, it's been a very emotional day. I leave you with what I thought
  was some good reading from Matt McLaughlin at speedworld.net. May God
  be with everyone associated with NASCAR and every fan.

  http://www.speedworld.net/viewpoint/matt/vmm021801.shtml

  Todd

It's sad, it sux, and it doesn't seem fair. But in a way, it makes my
respect for real racers go up a little more - seeing that each time
they go out for a lap, it might be their last. And that applies to
even the very best.

DG

I also suspect that all the people I know at work that hated
him will now call me to tell me how great he was. I guess I
kind of see that as 2 faced. But that is also the nature of
being a race fan I guess. My best friend also was a Prost
lover and Senna hater. Senna was by far my favorite driver
(even more than Earnhardt). I quit watching F1 for 2 years
after he died, and my best friend all of a sudden was telling
me how great Senna was. I wonder why the great ones
have to die before everyone realizes how good they were.

Racing is life & death, but being a fan shouldn't be.

--

I never was much into Nascar, but from all the info I was presented it
was easy to create an image of Dale Sr. as being a fierce and successful
fighter, and it is no wonder that he was criticized so much, especially
by the fans of other drivers. However, I believe this only showed the
high respect from all the fans, regardless of their choice of favourite
driver, that they had and still have for him. I just think most will
only happen to realize thwir respect now that their 'enemy' is no longer
around.

R.I.P. Dale Sr.

-Gregor

Sadly yes.

Racing drivers have been dying in racing cars ever since cars started being
raced at the turn of the last century. It's a dangerous occupation and we
must ultimately accept that racing drivers will continue to die in races.
Any participant, pursuing a dangerous occupation risks life and limb. Racing
drivers die in walls and construction workers fall off buildings. There is
always a feeling that one's racing heroes are larger than life and somehow
invincible. This is even more evident when we have an extended period of
time where there are no major incidents, such as the 8 years in F1, (12 in
actual races) prior to Ratzenberger's and Senna's death seeing no
mortalities.

 >Does every driver have to face

That is why they are paid big bucks my friend. They lay their life on the
line in return for a pay packet.
 >Are they and NASCAR just willing

It's easy at a time like this to blame tracks, circuit owners, promoters etc
and apportion blame. We need to learn from tragedies like this but not react
in a knee-jerk manner.

In over a century of racing, many safety issues have been resolved to a
large degree. Rest assured, however, that drivers will continue to die. It's
impossible to legislate for every possible eventuality. We can continue to
strive to lower the level of risk but don't be fool enough to believe that
motorsport will ever be anything other than a professional ***sport. I
have personally never bought that stupid line that people write in tributes
to dead drivers..... "He died doing what he loved doing". No driver is happy
at the prospect of having his body smashed or burnt any more than a  lead
guitarist is willing to die on stage after recieving electric shocks from
faulty earthing systems, but in both cases it happens quite regularly! No
team manager would ever consider signing a driver who was willing, or happy
to die for the sake of winning a motor race. These highly motivated and
intelligent people are taking a calculated gamble every time they enter a
race car. The odds are stacked in their favour but they have to accept the
one in 1000 chance that something will go wrong as an occupational hazzard.

As I said, we can work to minimise the risks but ultimately, fate decides
who gets to draw their pensions. This is true for all walks of life and is
not restricted to racing drivers.

Who knows? I sincerely hope not.
I convey my sympathies to the family and friends of the deceased.

MS

"Behind these doors is a disease no doctor can cure"

To me, there is no better description of what racers and fans alike feel for
their sport.  Anyone who has raced, in any kind of car, from top level to
weekend warrior take their lives in their hands everytime they step into their
vehicle.  And it is a known factor.  But this sport is a drug, a monkey on the
back that can't be shook, that no one wants to shake and that makes it all the
more ***ing.  As Ernest Hemmingway once wrote -

"There are only three true sports, Bullfighting, Mountain Climbing and Auto
Racing - All others are simply games"

How true.

Mike

Very very true.

Dave