NASCAR Satisfied With Safety Measures

Saying they were "glad all the safety devices worked properly,'' NASCAR officials addressed the national media Monday to answer questions in the wake of Sunday's frightening final-lap crash at Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway that injured seven fans.

NASCAR Vice President Jim Hunter reiterated the sanctioning body's "number one priority" is the safety of its participants and spectators. And he sent the organization's thoughts to the fans who suffered minor injuries from debris when Carl Edwards' car went airborne and crashed into a fence along the front-stretch grandstands.

Hunter said the sanctioning body would take any steps necessary to ensure safe events. But at this point, there aren't any additional steps to take.

NASCAR Vice President of Competition Robin Pemberton said there are no plans to take restrictor plates off the motors at super-fast Talladega, nor get rid of the high banking, nor change the "yellow line" rule.

Basically, NASCAR has to balance the excitement of a good show with the safety of its performers and fans in an inherently dangerous sport. And typically, the fans love the close-quarter, high-speed excitement typical of the two restrictor plate tracks at Talladega and Daytona. Many feel Sunday's race -- with its 57 lead changes and dicey racing -- was the best event of the season.

But fans were injured, and some drivers, such as three-time reigning champ Jimmie Johnson and Edwards, were especially critical of this type of racing.

Johnson said, "It sucks racing here,'' after being caught up in a late race multi-car accident, commonly referred to as "The Big One'' at these tracks.

Edwards, who wasn't hurt in the accident, and even climbed out of his car and jogged across the finish line for good measure, was even more extreme in his comments.

"Hopefully, they can do something somehow to change this style of racing,'' said Edwards, who was leading the race when his car collided with eventual winner Brad Keselowski. "I guess we'll do this until somebody gets killed and then we'll change it, but that's the way it is.''

The criticism isn't new, just fresh in light of Sunday's dramatic finish and spectator injuries.

"Our series races on 22 different race tracks and... not every driver likes all the tracks we run on, some hate restrictor plate tracks and some hate the road courses just as much,'' Pemberton said.


Pemberton said NASCAR officials, with a research and development team, were at Roush Racing headquarters in Charlotte on Monday morning looking at Edwards car to see if they could learn anything from the wreckage.

The cars roof flaps deployed as they were supposed to and Pemberton believes the launch into the air came when Edwards' Ford hit another car, not because of any aerodynamic problem with the 2-year-old COTs (Car of Tomorrow). The roll cage was also intact.

NASCAR said it would examine the fencing at the track, but was comfortable with the durability and performance on Sunday. It said seating availability -- including those seats so close to the racing surface -- was each track's call.

"The fence yesterday did what it was supposed to do, it threw the car back onto the track,'' Hunter said. "But we'll analyze the fence and if there's something we come up with after we analyze it, we'll put it into play.''

The three officials dismissed the suggestion they should get rid of the banking -- or even decrease it -- so the cars won't need the carburetor restrictor plates anymore. The plates essentially cut the horsepower in half at the super-fast high banks at Daytona and Talladega. It creates suspenseful "pack" racing but also lends itself to larger multi-car accidents.

"I believe the most exciting races we have are at Talladega and Daytona, and that's a big part of our sport,'' NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Director John Darby said. "I think there's more value in continuing safety efforts at those tracks than turning those two tracks into flat parking lots.

"Talladega and Daytona are not the only places we have wrecks or even multiple wrecks. There's just always a tendency to sensationalize the wrecks more at those tracks than other places we race at.''

Instead of changing the tracks, the cars or the rules, officials indicated it's a case of needing stricter enforcement of those rules, such as issuing more in-race penalties for aggressive driving.

"We tried letting the competitors police themselves in terms of blocking and bump-drafting,'' said Hunter.

The accident happened as Edwards was leading Keselowski about a half-mile from the checkered flag. Keselowski made a move to pass Edwards, who blocked him. The second time Keselowski tried the move, he got into position and held the line. When Edwards tried to block again, the cars collided and, ultimately, Edwards' car launched into the air.

Darby scoffed at the notion that NASCAR should do away with the yellow line rule that serves as a boundary line at the bottom on the track. Drivers cannot gain a position by driving below that line, which is why Keselowski said he held his driving lane instead of moving down out of Edwards way.

"It becomes a big game of chicken when the track goes from 15 lanes down to three and the yellow line rule has made the width of the track consistent all the way down,'' Darby said. "If you move both cars up two lanes on the track, I believe the same wreck would have happened.''

"What it comes down to is professional drivers controlling cars at high speeds."