Earnhardt is DEAD

[christo]

Tragic

Those cars are designed to absorb energy and then quickly dissipate it. That's why in that earlier crash you saw Tony Stewart's car disintigrating as it was bashed about. All the impacts caused the frame to shred, but most of the energy wasn't transfered to the driver. Earnhardt's car didn't have a chance to do that. He went into the wall almost at a 90 degree angle, and restrictor plates or no, he's still going 180 miles an hour. When I saw the wreck I had a bad, bad feeling, because that's how Irwin and Petty died, straight into a wall. And those two died only going about 120 MPH. The way Earnhardt was moving, I was afraid it would be bad, very bad.

His death is a tragedy, but there just isn't any way to make racing that much safer. Unless you take the speeds way down, and the racers & fans wouldn't go for it. If you step into a car like that you have to accept the very real possibility that you might not come out of it alive. Earnhardt was the ultimate competitor, the "Intimidator". Several times during the race today he banged up against other cars, even shot one driver the finger after they touched. He pushed the envelope to the edge more than any other driver. And today, in about 1 second, he lost his life in a situation where his skills meant nothing. He go some dirty air, slid up the track, and that was it. It just makes you sick. But there are risks involved, and today showed how very real, and very high, those risks are.

 

[Barbi]

Makes me think about what Earnhardt always said.."that's racing"

 

[Silverlily]

Siren was right, as horrifying as it is, he died as he lived.

My husband races straight track. I know first hand what it's like to watch and how long 10 seconds are when you're holding your breath. My heart breaks for his family.

 

[Wizard]

34 wins at that track.........that was his track and if you had to pick a track he would have wanted to go that way.......his track and he snaped his neck when he hitand felt nothing.............

I have watched Carey run at some local tracks and I don't think he is nearly as good as Jr. but we have to wait and see.
One thing about Jr is he is a ballsey son of a bitch and I can see him in his Dads car if he can get someone to drive his car....We have to remember that racing is a business and if he can take care of Budwiser he just might jump in Dads ride.........

 

[Nobody Special's wife]

The legend

Is gone...I think we all will miss his Bump and go Moves
I loved to watch him play hardcore...Lets just hope his son will be able to take his place


THE WIFE


Its a sad day in america when we have lost another legend

 

[Beebeeblue]

Damn. Just Damn.

 

[Vi]

I just flew in early this morning from Daytona. I spent the weekend with some members of Roush Racing, visited with many racing families and enjoyed their hospatality. Nascar, as other racing organizations, is a very close knit family. When not on the track, they are joking and hanging out together.
Dale, Dale Jr. and the rest of Earnhardt Inc., and Childress Racing are a great group of guys. I have had every comment made to me by them....Dale was always the first to "wolf whistle" and kept telling Jr. that I would make a great girl for him. Jr. would turn as red as his driving suit and everyone would laugh and jab one another.
I was at the track, watching the race, and knew of the racing conditions from hearing from drivers that had wrecked earlier,(thank God they were all OK). The last 10 laps were very exciting and it looked like a 1, 2, 3, finish for Earnhardt Inc. and Childress Racing. For the first time ever, it looked like Dale was protecting his driver and his son from the rest of the field, instead of pushing for the lead himself. The intire pit area and infield was talking about Dale's new role in this race.
We all saw the smoke in turn 4, but were watching the leader as he crossed the finish line. It was several minutes before attention was returned to the tangled cars in turn 4. It was not the usual walking around and vehicles coming and going. Instead it was very quiet and you knew something was wrong. As the ambulance left, it seemed to not be in a hurry and the Earnhardt's were quickly leaving the race track.
We heard rumors that Dale was hurt bad, but knew that he would be OK, as he always is. It was announced almost an hour later that he was gone....we had lost him.
The silence was only broken by the crying. Big strapping guys, crying like babies. Heroes of racing with tears running down their faces and clutching each other. Everything was still and we noticed the flags being lowered to half mast. An entire racing world was in shock.
I had a early morning flight back to California and as I left, Dale's number 3 racing rig was leaving the track under police escort. It was an erie sight.
I heard mention that Dale went as he would have wished, behind the wheel of his race car. I only know what I heard him say once. That when his time came, he would go hunting and fishing with his old friend, Neil Bonnet, again.
I would love to hear just one more whistle from Dale, but I won't. I only hope he is in a wonderful place, and is hunting and fishing with his old friends.
Nascar will not be the same with out him, but will continue as he would want it to.
We can only give our thoughts and prayers to Dale's 4 children and wife. They gave us Dale...and we will never forget him.
I personally hope that the number 3 be retired, because it will never mean again, what it has meant with Dale behind the wheel.
Vi

 

[Loco]

I wasn't going to say anything,but Vi's letter brought it all back.

I've been around racing all my life, as a wide eyed kid, a crewman, a crew chief and as a driver. I've seen my heroes die and wondered aloud how some fool managed to live.

I will simly say that Big E was the best driver I have ever seen. The man could do more with a bad car than any human should be able to do. I've watched him drive through pain and been amazed that he could walk afterwards.

Yesterday was really special though. I saw the Intimidator take a backseat for his two cars. I watched him be a rolling pick and I know he was cheering on Little E and Mikey, and so proud of them.

It sure wasn't Stirling's fault, hell it wasn't anybody's fault. It was racing, and next week, at Rockingham, the tour will go on. But there's a hole in the racing community that will never be filled. Drivers like Dale happen once in a lifetime.

They asked what should be done for a memorial to Big E, yesterday. My feeling is that Bill France should "retire" the number 3. It's never been done in the history of NASCAR, but it should be for this man.

Many of you are familiar with the joke about God thinking he's Dale Earnhardt on the super speedway in heaven. Well, yesterday God lost his ride. The Man in Black is there to drive it himself.

God Bless Teresa, the kids and the employees of DEI. Thank you Dale for all the memories and the thrills. You were one of a kind and our prayers are with you.

 

[Expertise]

3 forever.

 

[Sparky Kronkite]

I haven't had time to read the other threads...

But thought I'd pitch in - saw the whole race beginning to end - more from a broadcast fan view point (new TV contract and all) than a true race fan, I'm only a minor race fan.

But, if there's such a thing as a perfect way to die - to exit the living - that was about as perfect as it gets.

All the coinsidental circumstances? The last lap? No pain? In front of your fans? Perfect!

FIY - don't know if it was discussed yet but Dale insisted on wearing the old style open faced helmet - like all the old guys do. Might have been different if he had on a full face.

May he RIP.

 

[teresafannin]

Dale Earnhardt will be remembered as a great competitor, as well as an all around good man. My brother is a huge fan & for him, it is like losing family. From the news reports I saw, it looks like he was killed instantly & wasn't in pain. I hope that when it is my time to go, I am doing something that I love, as he was. My brother told me that a lot of the older drivers, not that he was old, wore open helmets & didn't use one of the newer pieces of safety gear. I don't know a lot about racing, but Earnhardt is a name that everyone knows. It is of small comfort, but I think that is how he would have wanted to go. I know that for my family, it gives us a bit of comfort knowing that my son died doing what he loved to do. I hope it gives some comfort to his family. My sympathies go to his family, friends & all the fans, NASCAR will never quite be the same.

[Edited by teresafannin on 02-19-2001 at 10:22 AM]

 

[eastcoastbaby]

although not a race fan...a tragic accident, my sorrow to those of you who are fans...a sad day for us all
ecb

 

[YankeeEagle]

We've lost an icon...

Ok, I like to watch racing...but I can't watch a complete race, way too long...And I don't have a clear cut favorite driver, BUT..Dale Earnhardt dead? It's so hard to believe, and so very sad...

 

[Chuckus]

Just my two cents worth...........

Last year I was at the race (Daytona 500) and COULD have been there this year, but I declined the invite. So I watched the race at home.
Now the wreck that happened where my particular favortie driver wrecked, I just flat out thought someone got hurt in for sure and might have been fatally hurt. But everyone escaped in relative ease.
The last lap wreck was like straight out of a movie, E Sr. blocking the field so his driver and son could finish First and Second. WOW. Then E Sr had an oopsy. At the onset it appeared as though it were no big deal, sure it was an accident but shouldn't be that bad. Then the replay was shown and you could just see that his car hit the wall at or near 160-180 MPH HEAD ON. My mind and heart just sank and I thought "Uh Oh, that is not good". I knew something was up when NO ONE said a WORD. It was too quiet.

What a shame..........now the interesting thing is I live in/around Charlotte NC (home of NASCAR teams and Big E and Little E race teams). The memorial service they had at the Church was just mind blowing how many people from so many different places showed up at. The area and church where it was held were just swamped with people. The church that it was held (the memorial service) is HUGE and can hold THOUSANDS of people and I was amazed.

I guess my point is this, I am not a HUGE Nascar fan but I do enjoy watching racing. Dale E was not my favorite but I respected him........and what a shame to see him go like that, but I think he would simply say "That's Racing" and he is right, "That's Racing".

 

[Svedish_Chef]

And we hear that the seatbelt broke?

 

[Cheyenne]

And we hear that the seatbelt broke?

http://www.nascar.com/2001/NEWS/cnnsi/02/23/earnhardt_lapbelt/index.html

Sad, isn't it?

 

[Chuckus]

I hate to sound cynical and all, but does it not seem reasonable that when your car hits the wall damn near perpendicular with a velocity of close to 160 MPH that your seatbelt might break? I mean it is terrible that it might have broken but I do not find that to so unusual given the circumstances.........it is just a shame what happened.

 

[Cheyenne]

I hate to sound cynical and all, but does it not seem reasonable that when your car hits the wall damn near perpendicular with a velocity of close to 160 MPH that your seatbelt might break?

Not according to the article I linked above. They've had these accidents before and have never seen a belt break like this one did. I think the quote is that "in 52 years, we've never seen anything like it."

 

[Chuckus]

Regardless of what they say about the "belt failure" it just seems logical to me that when a car that weighs what it does, going 160 +/- slams into a wall damn near perpendicular, releasing all that energy, that something has to break. It is just physics in motion. Something has to give, either the movable or immovable object and it is unfortunate that a belt gave, but that wall was not going to move. Shame just a shame. I am not trying to be cynical just realistic is all. Who knows if the "belt" had not "failed" if he would have even survived, we will never know. RIP Dale.

 

[Loco]

Chuckus, I won't say you're wrong. But I've put thousands of miles on race cars, and put a few of them upside down and end over end. Seatbelts simply don't break. You could tow a damn freight train with a Simpson belt, they're that strong.

It's tragic, but it's just a fluke accident.

 

[Chuckus]

Chuckus, I won't say you're wrong. But I've put thousands of miles on race cars, and put a few of them upside down and end over end. Seatbelts simply don't break. You could tow a damn freight train with a Simpson belt, they're that strong.

It's tragic, but it's just a fluke accident.

Loco, I respect your opinion and that might be true and I might be wrong. I was just thinking about things and all and possibilities and what could have happened and why is all. I agree with you about seatbelts not just breaking and all, like I said I might be wrong just my take on the possibilities is all. I am saddened by the events that took place and it is a shame that that happened to Dale, but I tend to look at possibilities (my engineering backround) and think of what seems like a reasonable answer is all.

 

[Rando]

last lap

In his own immortal words, THAT'S RACING.

 

[Vi]

I just thought that we may be missing a point. Chuckus said that a car weighing X pounds hitting the wall, something had to give, this time it was the belt.
The belt is not stopping the weight of the car (3700 pounds), but the drivers weight, multiplied by the G forces involved. As in any man made product, there may have been a fault. If in fact the belt was modified in some manner, which is being looked into,then you have a whole new perspective.
Dale is gone. If, in his death, racing can be made safer, then Dale is again a hero. Crashes will always happen. Injuries, and even death, are an ever present danger to this sport, and always will be.
Families of racers are very much like families of police and armed forces. The kiss you give them now, may very well be your last.
LOCO, roof racing? Remember, rubber side down...shiny side up.
Vi

 

[Wizard]

I have been quite about this for a few days but again I think we are missing the point here...........Let me try this........I don't matter how well you strap the body in......You can make it so your body can't move at all but if you hit a wall you will still bruise the internal organs .............they don't stop when you hit a wall...you can't strap them down.......

I enjoyed watching him race but I haven't hear this much since Garcia died...........I mean I know it has been siad before but if a firefighter dies in a fire ........well he knew the risk........A cop, same thing if he were to get shot in the line of duty a shame but a risk of the job.......As he climbed into the car each time he knew the risk..........

I agree....thats racing.........