Daytona 500 tragedy

The ClubHouse: General Discussions - Jan -Apr. 2001: February: Daytona 500 tragedy

Glass

Sunday, February 18, 2001 - 11:37 pm Click here to edit this post

What an emotional rollercoaster of a day. My husband and I were watching the race live this afternoon.

All of the lead cars were neck and neck the entire time. It made for an exciting race. First came the major wreck with about 17 cars involved with one car even flipping end over end on top of another car. The cars were totaled, but everyone was ok.

Then there was the excitement and joy of Waltrip winning his first ever Winston cup race out of something like 462 starts (with Dale Earnhardt Jr. helping guard his rear end). Waltrip was driving a car owned by Dale Earnhardt Sr.

We saw the wreck on the last lap where the two cars were involved - one hitting the wall hard. They showed Dale Jr. running to the medical facility. It was only later that we heard that Dale Sr. had died instantly from head injuries.

The news came as a total shock. It is such a tragedy for his family and the fans. The racing world has truly lost a legend and a great man. I also feel sorry for Waltrip. He will not be able to enjoy his hard earned victory. Dale Sr.'s death will overshadow everything else connected with this race for a long time to come.

Misslibra

Monday, February 19, 2001 - 12:43 am Click here to edit this post

Glass it is a tragedy. I heard about it on the news, didn't see the race.

Bearcatuc

Monday, February 19, 2001 - 06:11 am Click here to edit this post

Glass, I also watched the race, cheering the last 10 laps while Dale Earnhardt, Sr. held off the others drivers so Michael Waltrip could win his first Winston Cup race. I lived in Charlotte(where 90% of race teams are based) for 6 years before moving last summer, so can't help but follow Nascar. What a shock and tragedy to see that final lap wreck. What a HUGE loss for the Nascar world.

Soeur

Saturday, February 24, 2001 - 12:01 pm Click here to edit this post

The Intimidator" they called him, a man who could freeze the heart of any man who looked in the mirror to see the black Number 3 Chevy threatening to run up his tailpipe. Dale Earnhardt won seven championships and $41 million on the Nascar racing circuit to become, arguably, the greatest stock-car driver there ever was.

The public outpouring of grief after the crash that killed him last Sunday at Daytona International Speedway has been one thing; privately, though, the men who work at this deadly business know that he was the last of a breed dating back 60 years....


One Last Lap Around the Speedway

Soeur

Saturday, February 24, 2001 - 01:02 pm Click here to edit this post

His well-marketed nickname was the Intimidator, but other stock car drivers just called called him Ironhead. They would be fighting the wheel of their car at 150, 160, 180 miles an hour, and feel a hard bump from behind. They would glance in their rear-view mirror and see a big mustache and two squinty eyes, and the only thing between their rear bumper and his front bumper was one coat of paint, because Ironhead had already rubbed most of his paint off, bumping someone else...

Racer's Death Leaves Hole in Heart of His Hometown

Lancecrossfire

Saturday, February 24, 2001 - 01:04 pm Click here to edit this post

This was sent to me Thursday. I thought I'd just provide it as it stands. If anyone wishes to comment, feel free.

NASCAR & Perspective
19 February 2001
On 18 February 2001, while racing for fame and fortune, Dale Earnhardt died in the last lap of the Daytona 500. It was surely a tragedy for his family, friends and fans. He was 49 years old with grown children, one, which was in the race. I am new to the NASCAR culture so much of what I know has come from the newspaper and TV. He was a winner and earned everything he had. This included more than "$41 million in winnings and ten times that from endorsements and souvenir sales". He had a beautiful home and a private jet. He drove the most sophisticated cars allowed and every part was inspected and replaced as soon as there was any evidence of wear.
This is normally fully funded by the car and team sponsors. Today, there is no TV station that does not constantly remind us of his tragic end and the radio already has a song of tribute to this winning driver. Nothing should be taken away from this man, he was a professional and the best in his profession. He was in a very dangerous business but the rewards were great.
Two weeks ago seven U.S. Army soldiers died in a training accident when two UH-60 Blackhawk helicopters collided during night maneuvers in Hawaii. The soldiers were all in their twenties, pilots, crew chiefs and infantrymen. Most of them lived in sub-standard housing. If you add their actual duty hours (in the field, deployed) they probably earn something close to minimum wage. The aircraft they were in were between 15 and 20 years old. Many times parts were not available to keep them in good shape due to funding. They were involved in the extremely dangerous business of flying in the Kuhuku mountains at night. It only gets worse when the weather moves in as it did that night. Most times no one is there with a yellow or red flag to slow things down when it gets critical. Their children were mostly toddlers who will lose all memory of who "Daddy" was as they grow up. They died training to defend our freedom. I take nothing away from Dale Earnhardt but ask you to perform this simple test. Ask any of your friends if they know who was the NASCAR driver killed on 18 February 2001. Then ask them if they can name one of the seven soldiers who died in Hawaii two weeks ago. 18 February 2001, Dale Earnhardt died driving for fame and glory at the Daytona 500. The nation mourns. Seven soldiers died training to protect our freedom. No one can remember their names.
James V. Torney
CW4, US Army, Retired

Soeur

Saturday, February 24, 2001 - 01:40 pm Click here to edit this post

That is the nature of fame. It is not a value judgement but the reality. Until their tragic deaths no one outside of their world knew those helicopter pilots. Millions knew Dale Earnhardt. I did not watch the race and only read the articles because they were in a different section of the paper that I regularly read - don't usually follow sports. It was a terrible tragedy and horrible for viewers to witness. Reading about it was touching and I felt sorry for those who mourn.

James Torney's description of the helicopter accident and the young soldiers who died is very sad. Whether they were millionaires or economically struggling does not really touch on the most important aspect of what happened. Out of the blue these people in the midst of their lives had them abruptly ended. We can never accept that reality. It always comes as a shock. It is a tearing of the cosmic cloth and will leave big holes in the lives of their survivors.

Remember the huge outpouring at the death of Princess Diana? That was because almost everyone felt that they 'knew' her (I got up at 4:00am in 1981 to watch her wedding before heading off to work, was saddened by the disintigration of her marriage and very taken aback at the depth of my own reaction to her traumatic death). Mother Teresa died the same week and at the time comments were made comparing the public reactions to (and media coverage of) the two deaths. Why should we compare things like that?