NASCAR still in shock over loss of legendary Earnhardt
By Bruce Martin
SportsTicker Contributing Editor
DAYTONA BEACH, FLORIDA (TICKER) -- Groping with the loss of its greatest driver, NASCAR continued to mourn the death of Dale Earnhardt but promised Monday to move ahead and help fill the void.
NASCAR CEO Bill France Jr. said Earnhardt's death in the last turn of the final lap of Sunday's 43rd Daytona 500 was the most difficult period in the circuit's 53-year history.
"I can't think of any time that has been tougher," France said. "We are doing everything we can to help the families and with Richard Childress Racing. We are working with Dale Earnhardt's family and with Richard Childress Racing.
"This is one of the big events, if you want to call it that, in the history of NASCAR."
France, whose father founded NASCAR in 1947, spoke at a news conference that included Daytona 500 winner Michael Waltrip, NASCAR president Mike Helton and Dr. Steve Bohannon, an emergency physician who tended to Earnhardt after his fatal crash in the fourth turn in the Daytona 500.
France apologized to Waltrip, whose first Winston Cup win in 463 career starts was turned into an afterthought.
"I would like to offer my condolences to Michael Waltrip for winning his first race, which he has tried since like forever," France said. "He finally wins a points race and it's the Daytona 500 and in the last moments, he had a lot of water thrown on his win. Michael, I can't apologize enough. You will win some more and there won't be any problems associated with it."
France also admitted that a driver with the resume, skills and personality of Earnhardt is not replaced overnight. He had no definbitive idea who was going to fill the void of NASCAR's greatest hero, the definition of an American race car driver.
"It's going to take time," France said. "I'm sure we will fill it. Life has to go on. Somebody is going to come along. Curtis Turner was a hard-charging driver in his day, Fireball Roberts, Joe Weatherly. There were a number of drivers in their respective eras. They were the Dale Earnhardt of their day.
"Dale Earnhardt Jr., to me, looks like he has pretty good potential, too, to follow in his father's footsteps."
Helton also admitted that the boots that stood on Earnhardt's accelerator will be tough to fill.
"Dale Earnhardt was the driver for NASCAR," Helton said. "He played such an important role in all of our energy and enthusiasm that built NASCAR to what it is today. It is hard to comprehend the statistic sheet for Dale Earnhardt are now final. It's real easy to understand that Dale Earnhardt will be a part of this sport for many generations to come."
A four-paragraph statement issued by Richard Childress, Earnhardt's team owner, concluded with, "We will miss him always because he was the greatest."
Ironically, Waltrip's first win also was his first for Dale Earnhardt, Inc.
"I've talked to Teresa and I've talked to Dale Jr. and they have asked me to express the sincere thanks to all of the people that have offered their condolences to the family during this time," Waltrip said. "The outpouring has been overwhelming. They want you to keep the family in their thoughts and prayers."
Waltrip's victory always will be overshadowed by the death of NASCAR's greatest star. Waltrip touched on the death of his father, Leroy, who died last year after a lengthy illness.
"Dale and I would talk all the time about one day, I would drive for him," Waltrip said. "Yesterday was our day. In victory lane, I just couldn't wait until I got that big grab on the neck and that big hug. I just knew that Dale was going to come into victory lane and say, `That's what I was talking about, right there.'
"But that wasn't to be. My belief is that in a twinkle of an eye, you are in the presence of the Lord. That is where I think Dale is. Instead of patting me on the back and partying with me, he is up there hanging out with my dad. That's not so bad, either."
Dr. Bohannon recalled seeing Earnhardt's car hit the wall from his safety position in the fourth turn.
"It was mind-boggling," Bohannon said. "I was stationed on the backstretch in an ambulance. I saw the car sliding in turns 3 and 4. We were dispatched to the scene of the crash. There were medical personnel attending to him. There were firefighters working on the car with saws and the Jaws of Life. When I walked up and looked inside of the car, I looked at him and I could tell.
"It broke my heart what was happening."
Earnhardt was transported to Halifax Hospital, which is across the street from Daytona International Speedway. A full staff of neurosurgeons and emergency room personnel were there to try to resuscitate Earnhardt but were unsuccessful.
"The attempts were futile," Bohannon said. "After 22 minutes, the attending physicians agreed we should cease our efforts. At no point was he ever conscious. He had no breathing and no pulse from the first time the paramedics arrived. At 5:16 p.m., he was pronounced dead.
"It was a very trying experience on my part. Most of the time, when I'm dealing with patience, I try to distance myself. But this was someone, we knew who he was and we knew what we were dealing with. It was very hard."
Earnhardt died of blunt force injuries to his head. As the field charged to the checkered flag with two cars that he owned driven by Waltrip and his son ahead of him, Earnhardt was in a pack of cars battling for third place.
As he tried to hold off Sterling Marlin, Rusty Wallace and Ken Schrader, he was bumped slightly by Marlin's Dodge. That sent Earnhardt's Chevrolet veering sharply into the wall, where he had a direct impact.
Waltrip asked for Marlin to be remembered in prayers because the two-time Daytona 500 winner is emotionally devastated by Earnhardt's death.
"Sterling didn't do anything wrong," Waltrip said. "Sterling was simply racing. When the checkered flag is waving, nobody is going to let off. When they rubbed, Sterling didn't think Dale would wreck. It's the last lap, it's racing. It didn't look like to me anything other than four guys going to the checkered flag. It was hard racing on the last lap."
Earnhardt transcended NASCAR and his death transcends the sports world. Newspapers across the country ran pictures and accounts of Sunday's race on their front page.
With three laps left in Friday's International Race of Champions event, Eddie Cheever of the rival Indy Racing Northern Light Series drove Earnhardt into the grass entering the fourth turn.
Earnhardt was able to save the car and keep going and retaliated by spinning out Cheever on the cool-down lap. The two met on pit road and discussed the incident before Earnhardt smiled and gave him a slap on the back.
Cheever compared Earnhardt's loss to that of Ayrton Senna, the Formula One great who was killed in a race at Imola, Italy on May 1, 1994.
"I have known only two individuals whose very presence transcended the fact that they were extraordinary racing drivers: Dale Earnhardt and Ayrton Senna," Cheever said. "No one else could fill a room like they could. I met Dale just two years ago but I feel like I have lost a member of my family. There is truly nothing you can say -- it is an enormous loss.
"The last words that Dale said to me were: `I'll race you next time, and we'll have just as much fun.' I'm incredibly sad that that won't happen. My heart goes out to all of Dale's family, friends, and fans at this very difficult time."
