The Indianapolis Motor Speedway (IMS) has "denied the
media credential request" of Sports Illustrated Senior Auto
Racing Writer Ed Hinton, citing the magazine's May 10 issue
that included a story on the Lowe's Motor Speedway (LMS)
tragedy along with a "graphic" AP photograph of a victim,
according to Curt Cavin of the INDIANAPOLIS STAR-NEWS. IMS
VP/PR Fred Nation "wouldn't specify why the credential won't
be issued, but said this wasn't the first objection to
Hinton's IRL work." Nation criticized SI's use of the AP
photo and said that, along with what the IRL considered an
"inappropriate headline" for the story, "Fatal Attractions,"
was "too much to discount." Nation: "It was very offensive
to the families of the deceased." Hinton said that he "did
not choose the AP photo or the headline," adding that he was
"one of six reporters who worked on the story." Nation said
that IMS "did not ban" SI, but rather withdrew Hinton's
credentials and "offered the option of assigning someone
else." The magazine "declined" and SI Senior Publicist Joe
Assad said that the magazine will "not cover the race unless
something 'major' happens," and in that case, it would rely
on "stringers." Assad: "By no means are we going to allow
them to dictate how we cover events" (STAR-NEWS, 5/19).
