With four racing deaths in the past year, "critics say NASCAR needs to be as vigilant with safety issues as it is with the competitive ones," according to Aaron Brown in the lead story of ABC's "World News Tonight" on Monday, who reported, "Now it is the sport's biggest name who has died and critics wonder if that will be what causes NASCAR to move safety up to the sport's front row" ("World News Tonight," ABC, 2/19). ESPN's Kenny Mayne: "What remains to be seen now is whether the death of a superstar such as Earnhardt will be explained as another case of bad racing luck or be the impetus to safety reforms." ESPN's Dave Revsine asked, "Will the loss of the sport's biggest star cause NASCAR to further reexamine its ongoing safety problems?" ("SportsCenter," ESPN, 2/19). In Ft. Worth, Gil LeBreton: "Does it seem impertinent to ask NASCAR to redirect some of its millions toward driver safety?" (FT. WORTH STAR-TELEGRAM, 2/19). In Chicago, Jay Mariotti: "Why do we keep letting auto racers kill themselves? ... On what was advertised as NASCAR's biggest day, with more mainstream media coverage than ever before, the so-called Great American Race only left us ill" (CHICAGO SUN-TIMES, 2/19).
A BALANCING ACT: After Sunday's race, driver Mark Martin said the backstretch crash was "an accident waiting for a place to happen" (DALLAS MORNING NEWS, 2/19). USA TODAY's Skip Wood writes that NASCAR execs are facing a "balancing act of entertainment (fast, tight racing with lots of passing) and safety (not too fast and not too tight)" (USA TODAY, 2/20). ESPN.com's David Fleming: "Make a decision, NASCAR. Speed or safety?" (ESPN.com, 2/19). In Orlando, Mike Bianchi: "How many more will die before NASCAR does something to protect those death-defying drivers from their own courage?" (ORLANDO SENTINEL, 2/19). In Pittsburgh, Sam Ross Jr. noted the changes made to racing after last year's outcry that races were boring: "[It] is hard not to think [of Earnhardt] as a sacrifice on the NASCAR altar" (Pittsburgh TRIBUNE-REVIEW, 2/19). Also in Pittsburgh, Lori Shontz writes that Earnhardt's very public death ... has a chance to revolutionize the sport" (PITTSBURGH POST-GAZETTE, 2/20). In St. Petersburg, Gary Shelton: "What in the world is NASCAR waiting for" (ST. PETERSBURG TIMES, 2/20). In San Jose, Tim Kawakami wrote that it "would not have taken much to prevent the death" of Earnhardt (SAN JOSE MERCURY NEWS, 2/19). In VA, Ed Hardin: "Shut this sport down until they can get it right. Because right now, it's wrong" (VIRGINIAN-PILOT, 2/19). On the WinStar Radio Network, Keith Olbermann said, "Until auto racing figures out how to keep its players alive, it too should be banned: no race, no tradition, is worth the death of one Dale Earnhardt" (WinStar Radio, 2/19). In Charlotte, Tom Sorensen: "If NASCAR can't find a way to make the sport safer, it needs to start over" (CHARLOTTE OBSERVER, 2/19). In Tampa, Martin Fennelly: "This is no time to sit still. ... You can't be America's game when autopsies add up. ... Let's appeal to NASCAR's basic instinct. You need your stars. You just lost your Jordan" (TAMPA TRIBUNE, 2/20). In NC, Lenox Rawlings: "Can NASCAR retain credibility unless it initiates an all-out, big-bucks campaign to research and develop safer walls?" (W-S JOURNAL, 2/20). In Richmond, Bob Lipper writes that NASCAR officials must do something to add "credibility to their game" (TIMES-DISPATCH, 2/20). CBS SportsLine's Richard Biebrich: "NASCAR should forget the hand-wringing and announce something, anything. Remove the veil of secrecy and release what steps they are taking to protect the most precious commodity its series has. Its drivers" (CBS SportsLine, 2/19). In DC, Dan Daly: "If you're going to be a big-time sport, you have to look out for the well-being of your athletes" (WASHINGTON TIMES, 2/20). In Houston, John Lopez: "NASCAR's pursuit of parity, close quarters and TV ratings needs to be rethought. Before another driver dies" (HOUSTON CHRONICLE, 2/20).
