NASCAR’s investigation was thorough, satisfying

By Dave Rodman, Turner Sports Interactive
August 22, 2001
5:05 PM EDT (2105 GMT)

COMMENTARY

For anyone who was disappointed at the “lack of news” coming out of the Dale Earnhardt investigation report held at the downtown Hyatt Regency Tuesday afternoon, I’ve got news for you.

Dave Rodman

Go back into your Elvis shrine and contemplate when you might see him next on earth.

For anyone who expected the news that Dale Earnhardt was alive and living in the Bahamas, NASCAR was sorry to disappoint you.

But for those who wanted a data-supported scientific analysis of the stunning event of Feb. 18 in Turn 4 at Daytona International Speedway that took the seven-time NASCAR Winston Cup champion off the face of this earth, you had to be satisfied.

NASCAR and its vastly credentialed investigators offered a presentation that was visually detailed, concise and technical, but easily understood by the non-technoids in the audience at the news conference.

The purpose of the report was never to propose technical or operative changes in NASCAR procedure, or in its racing vehicles. This, despite what a number of over-zealous media outlets would have led the public to believe.

Dr. James Raddin

What it did intend to do was to provide an understanding into the chain of events that led to fatal injuries for the man that for a long period had defined Winston Cup racing. And it did that.

For about one hour, Dr. James H. Raddin Jr., M.D., the director of Biodynamic Research Corporation in San Antonio, and Dr. Dean L. Sicking, Ph.D., P.E., a professor of civil engineering at the University of Nebraska and the director of the Midwest Roadside Safety Facility there, presented select segments of the report.

Their presentation gave a comprehensive overview of the document, which encompasses two volumes, 1 3/4 inches thick and containing more than 320 pages.

The investigation involved no less than a four-part process that included analysis of available evidence and data; actual vehicle crash testing; biodynamic, occupant kinematics and vehicle dynamic analysis; computer modeling and photogrammetric reconstruction.

Photographs, graphs, charts, tables and a plethora of text are all there in the report.

Dr. Dean Sicking

But after all that, the final conclusion only dealt with the high probability that Earnhardt’s death was caused by a combination of factors that added up to a worst- case scenario of impact angles, velocity, seat belt dumping and separation and the resulting occupant kinematics when they were taken as a unit.

What did the report not have? For one thing, the entire report and presentation made no mention -- by name -- of any of the drivers who had preceded Earnhardt in death over the nine months prior to Feb. 18, 2001.

Perhaps that speaks to the difficulty of saying too much at any given time, as at one point there was an indication that circumstances involved in the deaths of Adam Petty, Kenny Irwin and Tony Roper might enter into Earnhardt’s investigation.

And while the document itself did not specifically address any issues regarding car construction or safety equipment in terms of a future direction, NASCAR president Mike Helton did not miss the opportunity to convey what NASCAR is doing in terms of safety.

Materials distributed in conjunction with the report stated NASCAR’s research and development center in Conover, N.C., is moving ahead and has hired a unnamed director to put together a team that will focus on “safety enhancements, cost management and developing a vision for cars of the future.”

NASCAR President Mike Helton

NASCAR has commissioned studies and is involved in educational efforts regarding head and neck restraints, better seats, soft wall technology, restraint systems; cockpit padding and “energy management as it relates to cars and barriers,” which translates to potentially more “crushable” chassis designs.

The three biggest news items revealed at the session?

A revelation that cockpit data recorders, similar to the “black box” data recorders used on airplanes or Ford Motor Company’s “blue box” system used in Indy cars would be in place by Speedweeks 2002 at Daytona.

A medical liaison between the local doctors and hospitals that NASCAR depends on would be hired in the same time frame.

An official responsible for accident analysis would also be in place by next February.

Will NASCAR talk about those measures? In due time, certainly.

It has learned lessons through the past six months, and has already begun taking steps to ease its way into the future. But by and large, NASCAR no doubt will continue to operate as it has operated.

But for anyone who has been around for dozens and dozens of years -- or even a decade or two -- what has occurred in the last six months is somewhat refreshing.

What is done will not be trumpeted throughout the media, and why should it be? By doing that you run the risk of exposing the public to a raft of malarkey akin to what was propounded by an overzealous and impatient media.

That serves no one.

If the competitors, who after all are the ones laying their lives on the line on a weekly basis to provide entertainment for the masses, are satisfied -- who are we to question them, or for that matter, NASCAR?

NOTE: Dave Rodman is a staff writer for NASCAR.com. The opinions listed here are those solely of the writer. To provide feedback to Dave, email him at dave.rodman@turner.com.