Another Tragedy

[Crash Test]

from rec.auto.sport.info

CONCORD, N.C. -- Blaise Alexander, the 25-year-old ARCA driver who also
competed on NASCAR's Busch Series, was killed Thursday night in a wreck at
Lowe's Motor Speedway.

Alexander crashed head on into the turn four wall after talking the lead
from Dale Earnhardt Jr. Alexander's rear bumper caught on Earhardt's front,
and he cut down a tire.

His car then hit Earnhardt's again, flipping it and sending Earnhardt's
Chevrolet hurtling down the track on its roof with flames shooting out from
under the hood.

Alexander's car came to a rest on the infield grass. The 1996 ARCA rookie of
the year had to be cut out of the car, was placed on a stretcher and rushed
to the infield care center. He was pronounced dead from severe head injuries
at 10:20 p.m. ET.

"It is with great sadness that we must report that Blaise Alexander died as
a result of his injuries in tonight's accident," track spokesman Jerry
Gappens said.

"It was a severe head injury. Our emergency technicians went to the car and
found him unconscious, unresponsive and with no vital signs. They worked on
him for 25 minutes and got no response."

Earnhardt, Jr. was not injured in the crash.

[Joe Fan]

I am real sorry to hear this as I thought he had a bright future in NASCAR. However, it should be noted that he wasn't wearing a HANS-type device. In light of the most recent tragedies and information regarding Earnhardt's death as well as others in racing, this was a rather stupid decision. Sorry, this might sound callus but I cannot get all weepy eyed for someone who didn't care enough for their own safety to wear one of these devices. However, I do feel for all of his family and friends who are the real victims of this tragedy in my opinion.

[marcus]

OMG...This is terrible ..I used to watch Blaise in the Busch series and was a fan of his .

RIP Blaise

[marcus]

I must also add that it wasnt Dale Jnr who was involved ..it was Kerry Earnhardt..not sure how he fits into the family at all ..I believe he may be also a son or cousin of the late dale snr ?

anybody know ?

[marcus]

I really should read the whole articles before posting here..kerry Earnhardt is the oldest son of Dale Earnhardt snr..thank god he wasnt hurt in the crash.

[MGF]

This is really sad news.

We dont get to here or see much of the Busch series over here in the UK, but Nascar in general is quite popular with us Brit's.

It such a shame because Nascar as already suffered so heavily this year.

[KC]

My condolences go to his family, friends and the team.

[Joe Fan]

I really hope that other stock car drivers "get the message" as the ones in Winston Cup have. All, with possibly the exception of Jimmy Spencer, are wearing a HANS-type device. If your head hits with any kind of force against a roll bar or steering wheel, then you will more than likely suffer from and/or die from blunt force trauma to the head. To give you an idea how how little force it takes to kill you, locally this week we had an eleven year old kid die from helmet to helmet contact in a Pop Warner football game.

[Emfa]

This is really sad news. My condolences to the Alexander family.

I can't believe the way that the tragedies have been stacking up this year.

One of the reports of the accident noted that there have been 14 deaths at Charlotte (last one in 1995). This would help explain why Humpy Wheeler is such a safety advocate ("humpy bumper" & "soft walls", etc). I'm glad that he has been taking some intiative - I just hope that he can make some of those things work and get them adopted.

[floid2000]

It's been a tough couple of years in racing (not just Nascar).Too many deaths .I hope the tide turns soon.

[gomick]

that is very sad news.....such is motorsport

[paulzinho]

Fatalities in motor racing are always sad but we know the risks involved and the drivers face these dangers head on, it is a part of life, it is part of the rush, it is sad but it is motor racing.

My condolences go to his friends and family.

[Aysedasi]

I don't know the series at all really and didn't know of Blaise, but, like everyone else, I would like to offer my condolences. All the drivers know the risks of the sport we love so much, but it is always tremendously sad to lose another driver, and such a young talent at that.

[Lee]

I'll not debate this or that safety device, and whether or not Blaise would have survived, suffice it to say, that this is a tragedy. I'd watched him since his rookie year, and I think that he would have been a star, he definatly had the talent, and the potential. My condolances to his family and friends.

I would like to point out that, although he has driven in both the Busch Grand National and Craftsman Truck Series, this race was NOT a NASCAR sanctioned event, it was sanctioned by ARCA. It just seems that many are "bitting at the bit" to blame NASCAR, say it was NASCAR's fault, that NASCAR should do this or that, etc. NASCAR had nothing to do with this race.

[Emfa]

Originally posted by Lee
...
I would like to point out that, although he has driven in both the Busch Grand National and Craftsman Truck Series, this race was NOT a NASCAR sanctioned event, it was sanctioned by ARCA. It just seems that many are "bitting at the bit" to blame NASCAR, say it was NASCAR's fault, that NASCAR should do this or that, etc. NASCAR had nothing to do with this race.

I don't think you'd get any arguement about that around here. That must be coming from the uneducated to whom "stock cars are stock cars are stock cars."

I am curious though... I read somewhere that the ARCA teams use equipment that was previously used in WC - is that accurate? I guess some people are trying to use that to blame Nascar via association!

[Lee]

Emfa,

ARCA is just like any other series, there are the haves and the have nots. The better financed teams usually have new cars built at the start of each new year, while the teams that can't afford to, often purchase older cars from NASCAR teams. This will work for them because ARCA allows cars from the current and four most recent production years, this year, 2001 back through 1997 models are elegible for ARCA competition. NASCAR only allows the current, and two most previous production years.

[Joe Fan]

What Lee says above is true but that is just body work. The chassis themselves can be any age even in NASCAR. Dale Jarrett drove a chassis that Davey Allison used to race at Watkins Glen last year and this chassis was 7-8 years old. ARCA teams buy the leftovers from Winston Cup teams. Some of these chassis can be pretty good but those will likely cost more. I bet that there is some real junk in the ARCA series as they seem to always have more wrecks than BGN or NCTS.

At any rate, I read in an ESPN article that Blaise was wearing the ARCA mandated Simpson neck collar. And that wearing this device made it impossible to wear a HANS-device. If that is true, it is simply amazing that ARCA could be so stupid. Dale Jarrett's son drives in ARCA and since Dale is an outspoken advocate of the HANS device, I wonder what his son Jason wears?

[Emfa]

Thanks for the info guys.