AND LIFE WILL NEVER BE THE SAME……

Early on February 18, I made preparations for one of my annual holidays. I had hosted Daytona 500 parties for years, inviting friends to shake off the winter doldrums with food, drink, and betting on who would win. This year would be different, however, my recent divorce forcing me into an apartment too small for such festivities. It didn’t matter, it was still the holiday, it was still the sign of spring I waited for every year.The race was typical Daytona, large packs of resticted rush-hour traffic threatening to explode in a massive tangle. That threat was finally realised late when “The Big One” ruined many people’s day and sent one gladiator airborne and tumbling. As always, my tension level was raised while awaiting official word, then an audible “whew” when it was announced everyone involved was OK.The remaining contenders took the restart and began running the final laps out. Two team mates drafted each other away from the pack behind them, and it seemed it would be settled between those two. The white flag, and coming through turns 3 and 4 another incident, much less spectacular than the one 20 laps previous, allowed no challenge to the team mates who motored easily to a 1-2 finish.I turned the television off, pleased with the holiday event, and set to other chores. Minutes later, a friend who had been a veteran of my parties called. “Sorry about your dude, man” she said. The driver who I normally favored in the betting had been involved in the last lap incident. “That’s OK” I replied “He’ll be pissed off, but he’ll get over it”. “No!” she said “He’s dead!””Get outta Dodge!” I said “That crash wasn’t that bad!” I immediatly turned on the TV again, and sure enough, they were announcing the passing of The Intimidator.I was shocked and somewhat saddened, but having watched motorsport in all it’s forms for over 3 decades, I was not broken. Jimmy Clark, Ayrton Senna, Mark Donohue, I knew the greats were not immune to the risk. I also knew that racing would move on, just like it always had.But no. A 6- month investigation into the cause of his demise was launched. What is this? I wondered. They’ve never done this kind of thing for any other of the scores of fatals that I’ve seen over the years. More research, and massive changes that eventually resulted in today’s SAFER barriers and COT and HANS collars. The incident made the cover of Time magazine, taking it from the grandstands to the mainstream. Seemingly overnight, death became no longer an accepted risk of the territory, and changes are made quickly, as evidenced by the NHRA’s immediate decision to shorten their runs to 1000 feet after losing Scott Kalitta.Oh and one more thing. Six short months later, two airliners crashed into downtown New York.And life, like motorsport, will never be the same.

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