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NASCAR safety: work in progress

Earnhardt's death won't bring quick changes.

By PETE YOUNG

© St. Petersburg Times, published February 20, 2001

DAYTONA BEACH -- A day after its greatest star was killed on its greatest stage -- becoming the fourth NASCAR driver to die while racing in less than a year -- NASCAR said it won't change any safety regulations in the immediate future.

During a 30-minute news conference Monday, less than 24 hours after the death of Dale Earnhardt in a last-lap accident during the Daytona 500, questions about the HANS safety device, possible changes in concrete walls and the new aerodynamic regulations on superspeedways were addressed by NASCAR chairman Bill France, NASCAR president Mike Helton and Daytona 500 winner Michael Waltrip.

Earnhardt died of blunt force injuries to the head, according to an autopsy completed Monday. He had a skull fracture that ran from the front to the back of his head.

Known as a basal skull fracture, the injury also killed NASCAR drivers Tony Roper, Adam Petty and Kenny Irwin in the past nine months.

The HANS (Head and Neck Support) device is mandatory on the world's other major racing circuits, but NASCAR only recommends it to its drivers. Roper, Petty, Irwin and Earnhardt weren't using the device.

Dr. Steve Bohannon, who attended to Earnhardt after the accident, said: "With the impact of Dale's nature, even if he had the (HANS) device on, hitting the wall that fast, it may have resulted in the same injuries."

The autopsy showed that the impact also fractured Earnhardt's sternum, eight ribs on the left side and his left ankle. The report said the back of the head sustained a blow, but it did not indicate broken neck vertebrae.

The final autopsy report will not be available for several weeks, pending completion of routine blood and toxicology tests, Volusia County spokesman Dave Byron said. The Winston Cup circuit competes in Rockingham, N.C., this weekend, and Helton said HANS usage will continue to be up to the drivers. Seven of 43 used the device Sunday, and among those not using it was Waltrip. Like others, Waltrip is concerned it would impair his driving ability and isn't going to rush into using it.

"I'm not planning on running it at Rockingham. I had planned to test it at Atlanta (in two weeks) and see if I'm comfortable in it. I have a hard time getting in and out of the car without a helmet on because I'm so big," the 6-foot-5 Waltrip said.

On Monday morning, several NASCAR teams contacted Hubbard/Downing Inc. in suburban Atlanta to place orders for the brace, said Ken Adams, a plant manager. There was a call from Roger Penske's team, which has Rusty Wallace and Jeremy Mayfield as its drivers, and defending Busch Grand National series champion Jeff Green.

Adams said the plant was producing three devices a week a few months ago. The output has been increased to four or five a day, and the company had 35 orders hours after Earnhardt's death.

"It's unfortunate that it takes something like this to create such an interest in a device," Adams said.

Sunday's race was the first since NASCAR implemented rules designed to induce closer racing and more passing on superspeedways, i.e. create more exciting races. Horsepower was increased by increasing air flow through the restrictor plates, and drag was increased by adding a raised rail across the roof and altering the angle of the rear wing.

The race was considered one of the most exciting in NASCAR history. But many questioned whether the rules made it too dangerous.

After the race -- and before he knew of Earnhardt's death -- Wallace, who swept past Earnhardt's swerving car on the final turn to finish third, was uncertain if the rules made things too risky.

"We knew we were going to be tested. We knew we were doing it for the fans, to try and put a better race on," Wallace said. "I'm sure they saw one whale of an exciting race, but is this the type we want? I don't know."

Earnhardt's near head-on collision with the concrete retaining wall caused his death. Helton said NASCAR hasn't found something better than concrete for outside walls.

"It's a matter of understanding that technology -- what's available, how you can implement it correctly and how it can do some good," Helton said. "We've gone from tracks without any walls at all to wooden barriers to guard rails to concrete barriers.

"There very well may be a substance out there that replaces concrete. We have not found it yet."

Jim Hunter, president of the Darlington, S.C., track and a NASCAR official, said Styrofoam "soft" walls did not dissipate the blow for drivers hitting the wall:

"One of the things that has been discovered is that actually it does not do that. There's no noticeable lessening of the impact."

France and Helton seemed reluctant to tackle some of the safety-issue questions, and the news conference ended abruptly.

"We're not going to do something just because it's a reaction that we can take credit for," Helton said. "We will do it when it's the right thing to do."

- Information from the Associated Press was used in this report.

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