Earnhardt Understood Risks Before DrivingTo the editors:
As a longtime fan of both Dale Earnhardt and NASCAR, I was confused by Cathy H. Tran's column in last Wednesday's sports section (Sports, "When Will Nascar Learn?," Feb. 21). The restrictor plates that Tran alludes to are already used on superspeedways, and they actually increase the threat of accident by bunching cars tightly together. The safety improvements she suggests, such as soft-wall technology or the Hans device, are impractical for stock car racing; stock cars are heavier and require more in-cockpit freedom of movement than Formula One cars.
The bottom line is that stock car racing is inherently dangerous. Earnhardt accepted the risks when he climbed into the car. I will sorely miss seeing the Number 3 race around the track. But let's remember Earnhardt as he should be remembered--as a great champion, not as a martyr for stock car safety.
Chris E. Wolfe '01
Feb. 21, 2001
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