Since the death of Dale Earnhardt, Sr. in 2001, NASCAR has been on the prowl to find the next "Intimidator". Fans of "Junior Nation" want Dale Earnhardt, Jr. to take on the role his father once held. However, many believe that no one, not even Junior, could take the place of the famous "Intimidator".
Dale Earnhardt, Sr.'s career as a NASCAR driver took off in the 1990's. He held rivalries with many now-famous drivers like Jeff Gordon. Gordon was quoted on yahoo.com that, "I wouldn't have been as popular today," as he spoke of the Earnhardt-Gordon rivalry.
After finally winning the Daytona 500 in 1998, Dale Earnhardt, Sr. became unstoppable until that tragic day in 2001. The fans went silent as the caution came out for a crash that would never be forgotten. The Intimidator and Kenny Shrader collided in a turn. The Intimidator's car was slammed into a wall crushing the entire front end of the car. Only an hour later, Dale Earnhardt, Sr. was pronounced dead after crashing into a wall of the Daytona 500 racetrack. He was killed instantly on site of the crash. The cause of his death was "a blow to the head".
NASCAR's response to the fatal accident was immediate and swift. Safety procautions were changed for not only drivers, but cars, pit crews, and the racetracks. By the end of 2001, NASCAR increased safety belt standards, added an engine cut-off switch to the vehicles, and introduced safety programs. New barriers were made for the racetracks. Helmets became required for the pit crews.
Ten years after "The Intimidators" death, NASCAR has become a much more safe sport. Safety is now no longer a small section to the rule book; it has gained many more pages and is now top priority.
I believe all these safety feature changes have been really good for NASCAR. It has made the sport so much safer for everyone involved. It is just sad it took the death of one of the most beloved drivers to instigate the changes.
ReplyDelete