Cafeoutdoors.com: Well Suze....

There is nothing that I'm saying here, that I haven't said any other place.

Things happen tremendously fast in this sport, too fast at times, and I looked at all the footage.

If you're reading what 'popular opinion' from 'fans' think about what 'race fans' have told us here, about how to improve the sport and get 'more people in the stands to watch on a weekly basis'. "Make it more exciting!" they said. "These kids today, are spoiled, rich, pansies!" they said. "They're not athletes. It's just driving a car." As a matter of fact, it's been a running theme, for as long I've been around this and other 'dumps'.

First of all, it's tragic, that I didn't know of this young man, BEFORE last night. His family has a lot of dark days ahead of them, and because I'm from a racing family too, I understand that they might never forgive Stewart for this, but the essence of forgiveness it that they will need to forgive themselves first, for putting him in the car. You just don't strap someone into a racing harness, without making a conscience decision to do so. He had been racing since the age of four, and they, like we, know that there are real dangers here. I mean, it's not like any of us, sat down, drinks a gallon of Jack, then decides to go racing that day. In real life, you work on the car all week, to make it as competitive, as it can be, with the tools and money you have, and you sure as hell don't give it to any redneck to 'crash' to make it exciting for the fans, so that tracks bring in more fans.

What happens in these cases, as was the case last year too many times is a set of circumstances, designed to appease 'popular opinion' that says, "Racing isn't exciting any longer, so we have to force it to be, in order to get fans in the grandstands." And, tracks and promoters find that the simplest way to do this is, supply the equivalent of a horse racing mechanical bunny.

Enter Tony Stewart, Kasey Khane, or anyone who isn't contractually obligated singularly to run in a professional series.

Tracks and promoters hire them for their appearances, to bring in fans.

But, the chemistry of what actually happens is instead of these professional drivers becoming 'mechanical unknown bunnies', they are a moving human TARGET. There isn't a single driver, owner, crew member or car sponsor, in the ENTIRE field who isn't, gunning to beat them. Trust me, EVERYONE wants to be able to say they beat the best, or one of the best. Why? Because it's the fastest, most efficient way to advance your racing career. It's part of the racing ego, and it's not for the faint of heart, because you try at all costs, and by any means possible. It's about bragging rights, for a lifetime.

And, so the tracks and promoters set up an extremely dangerous situation, for all involved, just to put 'fans' in the grandstands now. To FORCE popularity. It's not working so well, is it? NO. He shouldn't have been there, but that IS part of the FREEDOM that he enjoys, being self-employed.

Out of court, and without a conviction, Stewart will always be know as "THAT guy, who killed that kid." And, by the looks of this, the family will next be gunning for a civil suit. I, on the other hand, don't know what Tony saw on the track. Remember, this young man was dressed in a black firesuit and black helmet. I've never been to this track, and so I can't vouch for their lighting system, I just know it wasn't Charlotte Motor Speedway, designed to light the track for televised night races. Stewart has some of the best eye/hand/foot coordination in all of motorsports, as witnessed by his wins in many differing series, on many differing tracks, under Chase and Non-Chase rules. Is there any doubt in my mind he did all he could to avoid this tragedy? NO. He wouldn't have intentionally done this. This is the very nature of open-wheel racing, where until 3 years ago and Dan Wheldon's death, I'd never seen an Indycar race stopped. Did you think I was kidding you when I said it was infinitely more dangerous than FENDERCAR? Those axles and tires extend beyond the bodywork, causing different kinds of dangers.

It is also my contention that Stewart SHOULD have raced today. This is part of the mindset that is racing. Tragically, we would never have known about this accident, or this young man's name, had Stewart not been involved in this accident. Should he have raced today, it would have brought MORE gravity to NASCAR fans, who think that, simply by their numbers, OWN this sport, and dictate through the media, the RIGHT way to run it. By racing today, and bringing the events of this accident to light, it would only bring more mechanical engineers, and safety rules to the Sprint Car Series, just as Stewart already has, following his accidents in previous years.

Lest 'ye not forget, that until Earnhardt's death, there were minimal advancements in NASCAR safety. Had this young man been my driver, or loved one, I'd want improvements, to ensure that others might be a little safer, in the future.

Tony will drive again. He's not a hero, he's not a villain, if you haven't seen just how incredibly quickly these tragic things happen, then you simply don't have any idea how little control you have in this big, old world.

But, then, as a firefighter, I suspect you might.....

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