Bill Elliott Says NASCAR Needs To Do More To Ensure Safety

Bill Elliott Discusses NASCAR Safety In Book

In his new autobiography, “Awesome Bill From Dawsonville,” driver Bill Elliott writes that NASCAR is “‘sticking (its head) in the sand’ by refusing to have a traveling medical/rescue team to attend to drivers who crash,” according to David Poole of the CHARLOTTE OBSERVER. Elliott: “We could be the safest, most medically advanced outfit in sports. NASCAR should not delegate safety to track owners, when health care and technology companies would be lining up around the block to pay for the privilege of providing that care.” Poole cites a NASCAR source as saying that NASCAR has “rejected several offers for ‘turn key’ traveling safety/medical operations out of fear of issues such as getting doctors certified to work at tracks in various states and dealing with the politics of coming in and taking over from local hospitals.” But NASCAR VP/Corporate Communications Jim Hunter said, “NASCAR has been widely recognized for the sweeping safety changes it has made over the years and continues to make today. Safety is a never-ending process to which NASCAR is completely dedicated.” Poole notes that since the ’01 death of Dale Earnhardt, “no drivers on NASCAR’s top three circuits –-Nextel Cup, Busch and Truck series — have been killed or seriously injured,” while “six –- including Earnhardt — died the previous five years” (CHARLOTTE OBSERVER, 10/12).