Two days after the Charlotte Observer examined ethical
issues concerning the actions taken by Speedway Motorsports
in efforts to console the families of the victims of the May
1 IRL accident at Lowe's Motor Speedway (See THE DAILY,
8/30), SMI President Humpy Wheeler writes an op-ed in
today's paper defending the corporation's efforts. Wheeler
states that "from the very start we tried to do the right
thing. ... We consulted no books, plans, programs or studies
involving corporate responsibility in the aftermath of
tragedy. We acted on this totally based on the morality of
what is right, knowing that our actions would be tested by
skepticism, disbelief, paranoia, anger and cynicism."
Wheeler: "In no instance did anyone employed by this
speedway give the insurance company any information that
wasn't necessary for the release of [settlement] funds. Did
we ever give intimate, personal knowledge to the adjuster
for the purpose of thwarting litigation? Absolutely not."
Wheeler writes to the victims' families: "The compassion we
have extended to you was genuine and from hearts filled with
God's love. If there is a sin from being overzealous in
compassion then perhaps we are guilty" (CH. OBSERVER, 8/31).
