25 replies to this topic

[RAD]

He crashed in practice at NH just feet away from where Petty died last month. Sad day for Nascar and motor racing. As a F1 fan I want to express my sincere condolences for the Irwin family and his friends. May he rest in peace.

R

[Andy]

When it comes to drivers being "killed in action", I think is when ALL of Motorsport mourns equally as one very large family - fans included.

RIP Kenny - condolences to the Irwin family as well as the NASCAR family...

[Sudsbouy]

It's shocking to me that NASCAR would lose two drivers when they have all that crash structure around them. If this is true, they need to seriously reassess their safety requirements.

Thank you.

[MichiganF1]

Unbelievable.

[TNSFH]

Condolences to the Irwin family, Felix Sabates and Team Sabco Racing

[RedFever]

LOUDON, N.H. (AP) - Driver Kenny Irwin was injured in a horrific crash during practice for a Winston Cup race Friday, just yards from where Adam Petty was killed two months ago at New Hampshire International Speedway.
There was no immediate word on the condition of the 30-year-old Irwin, who was taken to the track's medical center on a stretcher and then to a hospital.
Irwin was entering the third turn when his car went hard into the wall and flipped onto its roof. The Chevrolet was a crumpled hulk.
More than two hours after the crash, there remained no comment from either the track nor NASCAR officials.
Crew chief Tony Glover emerged from the infield media center about 90 minutes after the crash and just shook his head ``no'' when asked for comment.
Driver Ward Burton, a friend of Irvin's, also refused to comment.
The accident happened during practice before qualifying leading to the Sunday's race, the New England 300. Practice continued after the crash.
Petty, stock car racing's first fourth-generation driver, died May 12 after a crash during practice on this same track. The 19-year-old driver appeared to brush the wall on Turn 3 before spinning out and smashing sideways into the concrete. He was taken to Concord Hospital, where he died of head trauma.
His death came five weeks after the family buried patriarch Lee Petty, his great grandfather.

[Damop]

Sad stuff indeed. I hope it's not a harbringer of things to come.

[RAD]

It really makes you wonder," What's going on with NASCAR?"

Very disturbing and sad.

[Jason]

Very sad news. That's 3 deaths on oval tracks within 1 year. Greg Moore, Adam Petty and Kenny Irwin...RIP guys.

[Uncle Davy]

I heard the distressing news driving home from work...

I can only recall the words of Niki Lauda after the terrible weekend at Imola in 1994, that God had had his hand over racing (F1, as he spoke) for so long, and then took it away.

It seems that, despite efforts to mitigate the dangers, it will always be a cruel sport.

Nevertheless, it would be in the best interests of all to push developments such as HANS and deformable barriers.


Thoughts and prayers to Kenny's loved ones.

[Nathan]

I know I posted this elsewhere, but it REALLY needs to be said.

I have just heard of the passing of Kenny Irwin. This is the second driver now in the last few months that has been killed at the wheel of a NASCAR/Busch race car. I honesty, truley think that Bill France Jr. really needs to wake up and change his version of motorsports. All NASCAR looks for is fan appeal. All they care about is money. I will bet that the average NASCAR team/car owner makes more money than any CART, IRL, GT or F1owner. NASCAR is one of the lowest bugeted series in history, and they pride themselves on this. Well I asy that is the number one reason why NASCAR isnt a sport, its entertainemnt. Its auto racings version of the WWF. Oh, the cars are getting spaced apart. Oh look ;);) "Debris" Time to pull out a yellow flag, bunch em back up.

What has NASCAR done for the automoive industry in the last 15-20-years? Other than give hot rodders better performning carbs, intake manifolds and headers? Nothing. F1, CART and Le Mans (GT Racing) have brought us ABS, Tration Control, Multi-Link Suspensions, Disc Brakes, Fuel Injection and Turbochargers. Note 3 safety features. At the same time those 3 series put together have cost not nearly as many lives as NASCAR in the same time span. So in reality, the whole reason for auto racing in the begininng, to promote and develop new products for everyday people, isnt being fullfilled. Thus NOT making it auto racing. All NASCAR promotes is body styles.

Secondly NASCAR is killing American auto racing (and there drivers). Because Yanks are in so much need of passing and pit stops, that CART and the IRL have lost so many fans to NASCAR. Not to mention drivers. Why drive in CART or IRL? NASCAR is the big thing isnt it? American drivers see a problem in having to pay for their rides. Whats wrong with that? Get a sponsor, and with that money go get a ride, and keep some for your self. Thats what all Brazlians and Europeans do. They not broke. Rubens Barrichello made more money in F1 than what he paid to get a drive. They make their salaries from endorsements. American drivers expect to get paid millions to drive. And everyone wonders why their are no top American drivers in the premier forms of motor sports. They expect everything to fall in their laps.

NASCAR needs to get out this cheap ass mode. They are the second most wealthy automotive related series in the world. With this they can make there cars safer. Screw tube frame chassis' Why do think drivers are dying? The tubes dont absorb any energy, its the drivers. Reduce the weight of the cars, then you will take less energy out of the crashes, and allow better braking to avoid crashes in the first place. Allow carbon fiber, they can afford for it. Allow ABS to help drivers get out of jams. How does ABS help NASCAR drivers? Allow their frickin drivers to survive crashes. I think they need to model NASCAR's cars like the Le Mans GT Cars. Do you think if three NASCAR flying up in the air and into trees all 3 drivers would walk away? So the cars would cost 10 times more. WHO CARES!!! Like I said they can afford it. They make $20-30 million from sponsorship and I know no top 2-car team dont pay more than $20-million a season. Plus dont forget winning purses they get on top.

But now that you have less weight, but you have more speed. Solution. Slow them down. Reduce engine capacity, make restictor plates standard, why go 200mph? Isnt 180mph enough? But no, thats marketing. 200mph for 4 hours. BIG ****ing DEAL!!! I also agree the same with CART. I think on ovals there turbos should be turned off. You dont need 700-800hp to go staright for 2-4 hours.

Simply put NASCAR cares more about the entertainment than safety. F1 is the opposite. They risk fans appeal for safety. Im not saying any series is better. Just NASCAR needs to wake up.

[FordPrefect]

very sad news

FP

[Alfisti]

I just don't understand how a CART car can whack a barrier at 220Mph and a NASCAR driver is the one that dies. Something is very amiss in that equation.

[variocam]

Two words Alfisti:
CARBON FIBER

[Mullaluska]

Sad News Indeed our Thought go out to the families

[Blade]

Kenny Irwin ... who is that??

[Joe Fan]

Talk about two shockers in a short amount of time! I am really deeply saddened about all of this. Although, Kenny was not my absolute favorite driver I was still a very big fan of his. My wife and I were pissed that Robert Yates gave up on him too soon. He had some transition problems moving up into the Winston Cup series from the Truck Series but there is no doubt in my mind that he would eventually be a winner in the series and a top driver. Not every driver can make the transition as easily as Tony Stewart, Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Matt Kenseth has. However, he did start on the outside pole and finished in the top ten (eigth) in his very first Winston Cup start. That is extremely rare but he did this on a short track, the type he was well acclimated to. Which is why I believe with the right team and more time, he would have become a big star in the series. Chip Ganassi is rumored to be buying into half of Sabco and Chip wanted Kenny to remain in the car--so that should say something about his talent. Anyone who has seen him drive a sprint car would know that he had tremendous talent. He had lightning quick reflexes and car control in them that everyone raves about Juan Montoya having.

All in all, I will miss Kenny Irwin. He was such an mild mannered and honest person. He admitted that it was his fault that in the incident that caused Dale Jarrett (his teammate) to spin and wreck at the Daytona 500 last year. Few drivers would admit to a mistake in that situation but that was the kind of driver Kenny was.



RIP Kenny

[schumilover]

[The Mirror]

Thoughts are with the family.
[p][Edited by The Mirror on 07-09-2000]

[Pete Stanley]

Originally posted by Alfisti
I just don't understand how a CART car can whack a barrier at 220Mph and a NASCAR driver is the one that dies. Something is very amiss in that equation.

It's not the speed, it's the angle of impact. Louden is only a one-mile track, but it is shaped like a paper clip.

[Nathan]

Heres the real sad thing. NASCAR has said that like the Petty crash two months ago, this was caused by a stuck throttle body. The thing is a few years ago Neil Bonnet was killed at Daytona because of the same thing and between then and now, many other accidents have been caused by the same thing. Why didnt NASCAR do something about that then? Had they, Petty and Irwin would most likey still be with us today. Remember when Roland and Aryton died? The FIA changed the cars from top to bottom, most tracks were re-designed in some form, F1 was turned upside down. Did it effect racing? Sure it did. Less passing etc. But the FIA wasnt interested in loosing fan appeal, it was interested in saving drivers. Because of those 2 F1 deaths, Villeneuve, Zonta, M.Schumacher, Salo, Wurz, Diniz and a few others are still with us. I wish NASCAR would for once put marketing and fan appeal behind them and promote some safety. So it prevents less passing. If NASCAR fans are real fans that wont effect its popularity.

[Jac Man]

Kenny Irwin was one hell of an open-wheel race-car driver as well. Very sad.

I do not agree with this "sanctioning-body" bashing. Racing is constantly changing; evolving technologically within the edges of mandated technical specs. Unfortunatley, the majority of driver and spectator safety advances come in a reactionary fashion. A kneejerk reation to tragic events to prevent another occurance.

I do despise NASCAR, but this is not the place, nor the appropriate time to assail their modus operandi, indeed, it is the time to offer sympathy, compassion, and tactful suggestion.

This is Automobile Racing. In Automobile Racing, death is short-changed in every micro-second. Viewing the awe-inspiring talents of these driver's is breathtaking because deeply hidden in those places we don't discuss, we know what these talents' ultimately protect motorsports athletes from suffering. The successful cheating of racing's ultimate definition of 'losing' is trully the dark underbelly of racing's appeal. It's their and the price it bares, with all too much frequency of late, seems beyond what many of us are willing to pay.

Kenny Irwin died while practicing his passion. Certainly he did not want to, but if fate was calling him out this Friday past, I know he wouldn't have wanted it to end any differently than behind the wheel of a racing car.

Checkered Flag to Kenny Irwin...one last time.

[MattB]

I will always remember Kenny Irwin from ESPN's coverage of Midget and Sprint car racing. He was very quick and always fun to watch. He was one of the few drivers of recent times who seemed to just enjoy being a race car driver.

[Megatron]

The only time I met Kenny Irwin, it really left an impression on me.

I had heard rumors that he was very vien but the Kenny Irwin I met was nothing like that.

He was being hounded by two very attractive females who were practically all over him, but he still took time to sign both the autograph cards I had, plus talked to me briefly about one of the cards (from his sprint car days). He was incredibly nice and it looked like the two girls hounding him were embarassing him a little, but he was very nice to them as well.

I really liked him from the start.

This is a terrible tragedy.

And yes, NASCAR could do a lot about the construction of the cars to make them stronger and safer, but I really don't feel like getting into that in this thread.

[John B]

I live fairly close to the speedway in New Hampshire. Two well-known sports radio personalities from Boston (one who never liked racing, the other didn't know anything about it) had made a special trip up to see what NASCAR was all about after being stunned by the amount of money created by the NBC/FOX TV deal next year. I was listening to them on my car radio and they seemed to be enjoying themselves, and were talking with several of the sports personalities. I don't know who it was, but someone said something like "Hey you even have to watch it on these shorter tracks, or you'll wind up on your roof like Irwin just did." Later on rumors started circulating that the accident was pretty serious, and unconfirmed death reports were broadcast an hour later.

I personally did not like the way the story was left as a link on the NASCAR page, while the top story headline/photo read "Wallace Wins Bud Pole for 300."

The Irwin race I remember best was at Atlanta his rookie year, when he came very close to winning in just his 3rd or 4th start. While running trucks, he won two races as a rookie which attracted the attention of top team owner Robert Yates. In his final truck race, he had a real battle with Ernie Irvan, the driver he was about to replace in Winston Cup, which almost led to a fight in the garage. Many fans will remember him for his run-in with Tony Stewart (ironically the winner today at NH) at Martinsville when Stewart practically jumped in his car after a wreck.

[IAM]

Nathan; I would imagine a stuck throttle body is hard to regulate against. But I do understand the sentement.

Also I know this a F1 BB, but I just heard today that Joey Dunlop, 26 time winner of the IOM TT was killed last weekend when riding his 125cc ran out of road and hit a tree. Died instantly, they say.

My heart goes out to both families.

Ian