30 replies to this topic

[Mario]

I cannot bring to mind the death of a sports hero that has rocked the emotions of so many race fans. For many Americans, Dale Earnhardt was what Ayrton Senna was for Brazilians. A legend, an icon, a racing hero for millions of race fans. I woke up to the news this morning and one fan said "I don't know if I can care about racing ever again".

This leads me to ask, can the death of this racing legend harm NASCAR's popularity? Many NASCAR fans were fans of Ironhead. It will be interesting to see how fans react in the coming races, especially if NASCAR does nothing to promote "safer" racing.

[Ivan]

What you won't see is draconian changes made to the sport. They will still race on ovals. They will still have the NEW very stupid rule on the aero package on the cars to keep them bunched up. To answer your question, yes many have died before. Some within days of each other.

[AyePirate]

Did Senna's death hurt F1's popularity?

Quite the opposite really

[Mario]

Of course many Americans have died in racing accidents. I just cannot recall a living legend dying. Dale Earnhardt was a big reason why many fans even bothered tuning in. I don't think we can compare F1's popularity to that of NASCAR. I just wonder how Americans will react. I don't want to be disrectful, but NASCAR is more of an American past time rather than a worldly sport.

[jimm]

I don't know, I think alot of people walked away from F1 after '94. I know I have not looked at it the same way myself. It was not all due to Senn's death. I think only now is the sport getting back to the level it was in '93 and before. We lost the 4 drivers (not all due to death) that had won all the WDC going back to 1984 in 2 years. That is a pretty big lick for a sport to take. The talent pool was a bit thin as guys who were before only 2nd drivers (either because a lack of expereince or talent) were good enough to become team leaders in the void left. Really only MS was the only guy left. Sure, Hill was OK but every time I saw him giving MS a good chase I was thinking in the back of my mind that Senna would have been 30 sec up the road and in front of MS. Mika had crap equipment. DC was still racing F3000 until Imola. Berger never was on that level to begin with. Alesi was like he is now on 1 race and off the next. Irvine was considered one of the fastest guys around. Idon't even think he is in the top 10 now. Who else was there? Half the guys in F1 at that time were gone w/in the next 2 seasons.

Nascar is in a different place I think. To be honest DE had faded a little over the last 2 years. New talent has already started moving in and so the transition had begun. Not like F1 were only Senna was a star w/ MS on the rise.

[Psychoman]

He may have faded, but he was coming back on in the last few years, especially after finishing 2nd last year. He could have very well won #8 this year

[MattFoster]

Lou Gehrig immediately springs to mind

[Williams]

Joe DiMaggio

[ray b]

Fireball Roberts

[RedFever]

no matter how sad the loss of someone who was at the top of his sport is for his fans, the sport in most case will go on, just as life does.

I can fully understand what Dale's fans are feeling, my personal world was shuttered when Gilles died and I barely followed the rest of the season, missing several races.

Eventually though, the passion slowly returned. Gilles, just like Ayrton in 94 and Dale now, were all aware of the risks they ran everytime they raced. That didn't stop them, their passion pushed them to compete until the very end. I have never felt the same emotions for F1 I felt when Gilles was driving, but clearly my passion is still alive and once again I get really excited about Formula 1. It will be no different for NASCAR. It will take time to get over the schock, but eventually NASCAR will move on without Dale. He will be always in his fans hearth, but life goes on.

[The Swerve]

I saw Earnhardt's death heralded on one website as 'motorsports biggest ever loss'.

That seemed a bit daft to me. Has Senna been forgotten so quickly?

[RedFever]

The Swerve, it's all relative. To Americans it is the biggest loss, to fans in Europe, well, many don't even know who Dale was. Same with Senna. A huge loss for F1 fans, but many in the US had no idea who he was.

I'd say though that probably the biggest losts for motoracing were Rosenmayer and Jim Clark, even if every driver who perishes racing is an incredible loss.

[paulb]

Mario, I wish this thread was titled differently.

Of course we have lost sports heros.

Many potential stars were lost early in their careers: Len Bias (basketball), a UNLV player whose name escapes me who collapsed on the court. Donnie Allison. Young CART driver (name?).

The aforementioned Gehrig, of course, is a stellar example.

In the end however, it should not make a difference whether or not the victim was a star. ANY racing death is a tragedy.

[John B]

There arent many sports figures who can claim "7-time champion," which amplifys the loss.

Redfever: I also remember 1982 and not following the sport after the Villeneuve, Paletti, and Gordon Smiley at Indy crashes, it wasn't until the Long Beach race in 1983 when I could watch a race again.


Ironically, as the races go on there will be a Dale Earnhardt (Jr) running competitively in NASCAR and certainly every one of his accomplishments from this week onward will have increased significance.

[Manson]

How about Roberto Clemente? He was one of the best baseball players around and was killed in a plane crash. He was on his way to provide aid to the poor. That was tragic also.

[bigblue]

Manson, good example I think. Probably affected many in Latin America and plenty in N. America. He was a hell of a person, a class act on and off the field. Can't think of any sports star's death who could affect all of the world. Each region/sport has it's own heroes. How many people in China or India do you think were affected by Senna's death.

[AyePirate]

Not to be morbid, but when Ali goes'
the world will mourn together.

[skeeter]

America has lost a couple of racing hero's too. Without really thinking to hard on the subject the names Billy Vuchovich,Mark Donohue ,Eddie Sachs, Tony Bettenhausen Sr. ,Neil Bonnett, Peter Revson, Tiny Lund and Scott Brayton come to mind. All were talented drivers but passed almost unnoticed as far as the American sports scene is concerned.

[Pikachu Racing]

PaulB: that was Hank Gathers and he played for Loyla Marymount or something under the name. Greg Moore is the young CART driver who died before he reached his prime.

When it comes to lost sports heroes a whole lots of names will follow: Babe Ruth, Jackie Robinson, Lou Gehrig, Wilt Chamberlain, Pete Marvich, Walter Payton to name a few.

Sports hero are mourn like celebrities from Marilyn Monroe, James Dean, River Phoenix.

For 20 years, people still mourn and remember when John Lennon died because he revolutionized the world and the people followed. I think no one that influential is widely mourn unless it's Princess Diane. Both are highly influenced and respected.

[Dudley]

Pikachu - how quick you forget, he's actually refering to Jeff Krosnoff.

[NYR2119935]

America has lost many many sports heroes. Too many too name, nor am I in the mood to attempt to.

[Cosworth]

Some others from NASCAR:
Alan Kulwicki - early '90s champion. Died months after winning the championship.
Davey Allison - one of the sport's future stars.
Tim Richmond - I think he was supposed to have talent similar to Earnhardt's.

But none died in racing accidents.

[John B]

that's a crucial point, dying in action during your sport's signature event.

[aross]

While it is no comment on the value of the man, Earnhardt was one of those sports figures that trancends the sport. People who would never watch a race knew his name, like Richard Petty or Mario Andretti and yes Senna. Much of Canada felt it when Gilles Villeneuve died.
That I think is why there is such an outcry.

[Gumby]

Wow, thanks for the memory Dudley. The Jeff Krosnoff accident is one I won't ever forget. At the race in Toronto me and buddy always would pick a #1 and a #2 driver to finish the highest. That year we both picked Jeff as our underdog. As he was driven around during the parade lap both of us cheered for him. (the only 2 cheering) Well, he looked up at us and gave us a wave.
RIP Jeff

Gumby

[CeCe]

Yes, not only was Earnhardt universally considered the greatest contemporary stock car racer, he was killed on the last lap of the biggest race, defending his son's position who was ahead of him, AND the guy who won was considered a “has been” who Dale had given a second chance. When Senna died (and for Earnhardt), tv announcers would say “it’s as if Michael Jordan died on the court” so the layman could understand why people were so worked up. I don’t remember a death of an American sports figure of his magnitude in such dramatic circumstances before.

[b3nster]

Now I know this is not a NASCAR bb, but I figured what better time to bring up this question:

Does anyone remember an early 20something stock car driver who died in the early 1990's named Rob Moroso? I think he was killed in his everyday car, and if I remember correctly, he drove a Buick?

[b3nster]

Just for some clarification on the Moroso information:

He was killed in a traffic accident near Wilkesboro in 1990, and while he had been drinking, it was still very sad and unfortunate. Don't get me wrong, it would be sadder if he were totally innocent, but still, he had just turned 22, and had a promising career ahead of himself.

Sort of like Tim Richmond. Moroso dominated BGN and was coming along at the same rate of success Jeff Gordon was having, only a couple years ahead of his time. Extremely tragic, as we have a couple guys that had they made it might be running alongside the Jeff Gordons and Bobby Labontes of the world (Tim Richmond, Moroso, etc). And lastly, he didn't drive a Buick (at least not to my knowledge) but rather drove a Crown-sponsored Olds. Anyways, I wonder if I am the only one who remembers him?

[cygnus]

It's a stretch to say that 'motorsport lost its greatest driver' which I've seen many sources say. ESPN talked about the people the world of autoracing has lost in the '90s, even showing the Senna crash (but not the Greg Moore wreck). Those that make the previous claim about Earnhardt are very passionate about stock car racing, just the same as people are passionate about F1.

We all make claims such as these, like 'F1 is the pinnacle of racing' etc etc .. arguing it is futile, as they all mean different things to different people.

[Joe Fan]

Cygnus, when they said "Motorsport lost its greatest driver" when they referred to Dale Earnhardt's tragic death, I think they were saying this because Earnhardt could be viewed as 'arguably' the best. He was a seven time stock car champion which is tied for the most titles won in Winston Cup history. He is without a doubt the greatest NASCAR driver of the modern era.

Even though he didn't need to, he raced in IROC all the time that I can remember and it should be noted that he also won last year's IROC championship. This year, he raced in the Daytona 24 Hours in wet conditions and at night, two things he really didn't have much experience in, and gave a very surprising and very respectable performance in the eyes of the media.

The bottom line is, Earnhardt was the master of his racing discipline and he entered a motorsports platform where he could be judged against some of the world's best from other racing series, by competing in IROC and in the Daytona 24 Hours. This is much more than Schumacher, Hakkinen, Villenueve, Montoya, etc. did.

[Williams]

Joe Fan good point. Earnhardt seemed to one of a dying breed of racers who could and would get into anything on four wheels for a race. Race driving has becoming such a complex and specialised profession that you rarely see a driver step outside their chosen field anymore, unlike some great drivers of the past like A.J. Foyt, Mario Andretti or Jim Clark (not to take the names of those three greats in vain).