I think Nascar stuff is amazingly safe.
Considering they go 200+ mph, can only hit rigid conrete walls, typically cover
500 and more miles a
weekend (dont know how much they do quaifyingf), race a lot (I am guessing 30
races a year, not
including testing) are wrapped in a rigid cage, with no engineered crush zones,
are surrounded by
drivers who's only wish is to beat them to the finish at almost all cost, its
amazing there are as
few fatalities as there are.
That said, Earnhart was a victim of bad luck, not helped by a closed mind.
Whether the belt failed,
or whether a full face helmet or HANS device would have prevented death, bad
luck is always present.
He and many others had survived mind bogglingly horrendous wrecks time and time
again.
The one that did him in didnt look that out of the ordinary.
And please can someone tell the TV commentators that he didnt hit the wall at
190 mph, his speed
perpendicular to the wall (you know, the vector that counts) cant have been
half that.
At least now, my wife has (a bit) more tolerance for my taking the car to itsy
bitsy pieces every
year, just to be sure.
"Yes I know dear, its only 3 weeks to go and engine is still in bits, but I
still have to mag the
starter motor!"
In sometime paranoia
Malcolm
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