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There Has been so much
news. Press releases and links on the untimely loss of Kenny Irwin,
Jr., I moved all the info on to one page ...
Kenny
Irwin, Jr. 1969 - 2000
Thank you Kimmarie for
this beautiful Tribute image, Kimmarie said for any and all fans to
take it and use it Please
My Previous Veiw's
The Greatest Risk in life ...
Unsung Heroes
My Hero Taught me ...
Grateful
for rainbows!
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The Greatest Risk in life ...
People have contacted me to protest NASCAR or New Hampshire
International Speedway. I have refused these protests and here I will
explain why.
As I said in my previous View Grateful
for rainbows! I do not care how NASCAR handled anything. But I
do agree with the fact that they waited to contact Kenny's family before
they made anything public.
I also stated that I was at the Daytona track when Neil Bonnett lost his
life on Friday, and just that following Monday, while Neil was being
laid to rest, Rodney Orr died at the same track. Nothing during those
Speedweeks skipped a beat. The show went on as planned. But soon to
follow was the addition of hood flaps to the cars. Those particular days
were VERY windy and as a spectator I felt the conditions attributed to
these wrecks.
NASCAR did do something, and they will again as a result of what has
happened this season at New Hampshire. But I also have to keep in mind
that these changes cannot and will not happen over night. NASCAR looked
into soft walls prior to these horrible incidences and it has been
reported they have continue to investigate the use of these "soft
walls." But some of the questions behind these "soft
walls" are which ones to use.
If
they use the foam, for example, and I know this will happen, fans will
gripe to the hilt about the length of clean up time. And the TV networks
will not be able to hang around for hours due to the clean up time for
every scrape into a wall. So again the fans will complain about the TV
coverage. Seems some can't be pleased no matter what. The same people I
have seen complain about Kenny, TV coverage and such, are SOME of the
same that head these "protests."
For a select few,
that I feel I know, I would call them ambulance chasers and I find this
a very sad way to get hits to web sites.
I agree that something
should be done, but I feel attacking NASCAR or the track is the wrong
approach. I think NASCAR will have something done and soon. But, let's
look at restrictor plates. They are placed on the cars to slow them down
... show me one person that is happy with them? If they remove them,
cars will be in excess of 212 miles per hour. And if a driver hits the
wall and dies after the removal of these plates,
would you again find fault with NASCAR?
Why find fault at all? It will not bring back Kenny or Adam. I
understand the 5 stages of death:
1) Denial: A temporary state of shock during which a
person denies that it happened.
We all were in the first phase immediately upon hearing the sad news.
2) Anger: Lashing out at others, blaming them for the
situation; a normal response to the loss over one's life.
This is where some still are, protesting NASCAR or posting things that,
in my opinion, really have no research behind it.
3) Bargaining: Makes comments or promises to God and/or
others to reform in some manner of exchange of the situation.
We do this though venting, we feel NASCAR has these answers and some
demand the results to be done immediately.
4) Depression: Acceptance of the loss, but is depressed
and grieves about it. People should be allowed to vent their despair to
those who care for and support them.
Venting pain, I feel, is a necessity. Do it publicly or privately, but
do it. But please think of others when venting. Words can hurt;
especially when a loss, a big as this, affects so many.
5) Acceptance: The person accepts the death and is
willing to move on. He/She acknowledges a sense of powerlessness over
the loss.
Some of the words said at Kenny's service were:
The greatest Risk in life is to take risks, for without doing so we have
nothing.
Early in my upbringing, I learned that acceptance should come with the
services. When I see a loved one resting at peace, sure I still hurt
that they are gone, but, in a sense, I feel this is a selfish emotion at
this point. I feel the person lost is in a MUCH better place. This place
is where, in my belief, we work daily to get to.
I could be angry at the doctor that did not diagnosis my Dad correctly
12 years ago, but that will not bring Dad back. I miss him daily, but he
is where he had always dreamed of being. If Dad feels even the smallest
bit of painful emotion as he stands above us in heaven, and his pain, I
am sure is for me and all his loved ones. That we have yet to be called
to this better place. But he knows that we will be reunited one day.
I do not feel that any protests or derogatory remarks towards anyone are
warranted. We have always praised NASCAR and the drivers for their work
in the safety area and I am very confident we will this time too.
I do question some of these fans that are so very verbal and active
against NASCAR or the track right now. Where were you after Adams death?
Why didn't you bring up soft walls then? Or even before the loss of
Adam? If you feel so educated in the Research and Development (R&D)
area of NASCAR and where the funds for this R&D Department come
from, why was this not brought up by some of you sooner?
Will you complain if TV Stops covering full events because they did have
time to cover track clean up? Will you complain if the cost of tickets
for events go up because of these soft walls? Will you complain when the
public has to pay more for practice and testing because of the cost of
these soft walls? Do you complain now about restrictor plate racing?
Have you complained before about concrete walls or are you just mad
right now and not sure where to direct your anger? Will anything make
everyone happy? NO Never ....
...But the above is just MY VIEW.
You asked for my View, you
got it ... Thanks for reading!
Sue
Feel free to discuss this article or racing in General in our Forum
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