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NASCAR says little in release

By KEVIN KELLY

© St. Petersburg Times, published April 10, 2001

If you're waiting for results from NASCAR's investigation into Dale Earnhardt's fatal crash seven weeks ago, be patient.

During a conference call Monday in which no questions were allowed, NASCAR spokesman John Griffin read a two-page statement to announce NASCAR has commissioned an accident-reconstruction review into the driver's death.

Results are not expected before August, weeks after the Winston Cup series returns to Daytona July 7 for the Pepsi 400.

"Everyone involved in this process is committed to a sense of urgency, but we must also move forward in a thorough, careful and complete manner," NASCAR president Mike Helton said in the release. "We feel that only through a complete review ... can we have a comprehensive understanding based on solid, factual information and data, even if it takes longer to obtain than we would like."

The announcement was significant in that it was NASCAR's first public acknowledgement of safety efforts since it revealed five days after the crash that Earnhardt's left lap belt broke.

"If things go slower than some people want, well, that's the way it goes," driver Kyle Petty said. "As somebody who climbs in these cars, I'd much rather they get everything they need and get things right."

But there was little, if any, new information in the announcement.

NASCAR said experts assisting in the review are, "an internationally-respected occupant-safety restraint analysis and research corporation, independent experts in crash investigation and data analysis from a nationally-recognized automobile crash analysis and research facility, and medical/biomechanical engineering specialists."

The review will include crash model development and testing, crash model simulation, sled and real crash tests, impact barrier testing, data analysis and cross checking and biomechanical/medical analysis.

"NASCAR remains open to any legitimate resource to assist us in any investigative or ongoing safety process when deemed appropriate," Helton said. "This accident-reconstruction review does just that."

By combining Monday's information with what's already known, one can deduce who's helping NASCAR.

The sanctioning body sent seat belts from Earnhardt's car to Autoliv, an automotive safety and technology company, for testing, according to CNNSI.com. The company also is an associate sponsor on the No. 92 Dodge driven by Stacy Compton.

The Midwest Roadside Safety Facility outside Lincoln, Neb., has conducted numerous tests on energy dissipating walls through crash tests. NASCAR joined the Indy Racing League's efforts to test soft walls.

Dr. John Melvin, a professor at Wayne State, is one of the country's reknowned biomechanical engineering researchers.

"I'm glad NASCAR has been looking at these different safety angles, and that they are continuing to test and look at different things," said Andy Petree, who owns cars driven by Joe Nemechek and Bobby Hamilton. "But it still boils down to that seat belt. If it doesn't break, for whatever reason, then he walks away.

"Plain and simple: if the seat belt doesn't break, he is probably leading the points standings this week."

ON TARGET: One day after the IRL's debut at Homestead-Miami Speedway, track president Curtis Gray deemed the Grand Prix of Miami a success.

"We were really extremely happy," he said. "It was a great event. The crowd was really into it, more so than any open-wheel race that has ever been here. They were on their feet for the last 30 laps and everybody we talked to was really pleased with everything that happened here."

The speedway had played host to CART for six seasons but attendance lagged before the sanctioning body pulled out. The season opener in March 2000 drew between 30,000 and 40,000.

Sunday's crowd was estimated at 30,000 as two of the IRL's youngest drivers, Sam Hornish Jr. and Sarah Fisher, finish first and second.

"The crowd looked good," Gray said. "I think we were real close to (last year)."

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