| NASCAR racing is all about speed, adrenaline, | | | | zones, etc... Can't these same devices be |
| checkered flags, and, unfortunatley, accidents and | | | | reconfigured for NASCAR specs. Air bags have been |
| injuries. Its in the news almost on a daily basis | | | | proven in tests to be highly effective at speeds well |
| nowadays. "Dale Earnhardt Jr. briefly lost | | | | over 100 mph. NASCAR drivers deserve more |
| consciousness and he hid a significant head injury | | | | protection than we are currently giving them. The |
| from his team and NASCAR last year", "Winston Cup | | | | problem is that more attention has been given to |
| driver Jerry Nadeau, critically injured during a crash | | | | advertising, advertisers, and speed. Placement of |
| during practice at Richmond International Raceway", | | | | advertisers stickers on the car were and still are |
| etc... We will discuss what causes these crashes and | | | | more important than the driver. More money is spent |
| injuries and what is currently being done to prevent | | | | to make sure the different advertisers have their |
| them and why more needs to be done. | | | | brands clearly displayed on the driver and car than on |
| The worst injuries result in death and lately their | | | | any safety measures. Some safety measures are |
| have been numerous basal skull fractures received by | | | | thought of as increasing too much weight and are |
| drivers like Dale Earnhardt and Adam Petty. Doctors | | | | therefor discarded (thicker firewalls, absorbant |
| have determined that a helmet harness is a good | | | | Take any other sport - Football, Baseball, basketball - |
| protective measure to stop some of these injuries. A | | | | the athletes don't have stickers, or patches with 50 |
| basal skull fracture can result fro a severe whipping | | | | different sponsors all over them. They are actually |
| forward motion and/or a sudden abrupt stop - as in | | | | more concerned about athlete safety over |
| Dale Earnhardt's case. A basal skull fracture almost | | | | advertising revenue in these sports, not in NASCAR, |
| always results in immediate death. Another highly | | | | though. Yes, NASCAR is experiencing a huge winfall in |
| effective measure is shock or crash absorbing walls | | | | earnings lately, but that cannot bring back the great |
| instead of steel reinforced concrete walls that have | | | | legends like Dale Earnhardt. There is no problem with |
| zero give - These could have spared Jerry Nadeau | | | | sport profits, but lets focus a little more on safety of |
| from his severe injuries or at least limited them. | | | | our athletes. With all the money NASCAR has they |
| These walls are now being introduced and installed at | | | | should already be installing safety walls at all tracks, |
| several tracks. | | | | not just a few. Lets focus on safety rather than just |
| NASCAR is over 50 years old. Why does it take a | | | | on advertising dollars. That way we won't be left |
| famous death or several to begin safety measures | | | | praying for our drivers outcome after a crash |
| or to take them more seriously? Why is it that our | | | | anymore. |
| own automobiles have air bags, side airbags, crumple | | | | |