Another Viewpoint Archives
Debbi Willis, Daw613@bigfoot.com<
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Such a Time as This,
A Tribute to Kenny Irwin, Jr.
A Special Editorial Reflection
Kenny Irwin
August 5, 1969 - July 7, 2000
Racing is a risky and dangerous sport. Yes, that is a huge understatement, I
know, but it's also the eternal truth of the sport. Racing risks life and
limb and it's history proves that. Race fans and racers families all accept
this aspect of the sport and despite all our differences and preferences,
pray that no one suffers any untimely harm. Not all prayers are answered the
way we wish though. Such a time again was Friday morning, July 7th.
Practice opened up, and within minutes tragedy struck. Quick and merciless,
death took away another contender costing the racing world another driver.
Kenny Irwin died at the age of 30 from multiple injuries resulting from a
severe crash in turn 3, only yards from the same point Adam Petty died at a
couple of months ago. Both were rising stars, both were unproven (in Nascar
Winston Cup racing) but hopeful of a bright future that will never be known
and subject to speculation for years to come.
In the middle of my usual Friday afternoon workday on the road, the cell
phone rings and my husband informs me of the news. Having had the pleasure
of seeing Kenny along with Tony Stewart at the Charlotte Speed Street Coca
Cola stage in May, I was struck that I was glad now for that night more than
ever. I was impressed and liked Kenny during the whole event and felt a
greater respect for him after listening to him field questions and handle
heckling with humor. My heart is sick with grief for Kenny's parents and his
three sisters. Nothing in the world cuts through a family like death can.
My heart is sick for the family of fellow drivers, crews, teams and racefans.
Radio reports talk about how sad a day it is for Nascar racing fans.
Unexplained, unreasonable, unfathomable circumstances, and the suddeness of
the event only compound the pain. Being so similar an accident to the way
Adam Petty's life was claimed causes everyone to want to blame the track.
Richard Petty went on record yesterday to say "Those things are circumstances
beyond human control," said Petty, ...."There ain't nothing the matter with
the racetrack." He went on to say, "It's circumstances with the way you stop
that thing so quick. Your body just can't stand it." Dale Earnhardt was
quoted as saying, "You don't understand why stuff like that happened. It's a
tough deal. I can't explain it. You just hate to see stuff like that happen."
And Rusty Wallace admitted after qualifying the pole for the seventh time
this season, that "these are the days that make you really sit back, look at
yourself in the mirror and go, `Why do I do this?'"
Good question by Rusty, and one no one has the absolute answer to but racing
fans appreciate all racers for doing. Racing requires a spirit about a
driver and a stamina that pushes all the normal limits the average person
would adhere to. Racing like any majorly challenging sport is a natural
high. Excellence is required of participants in all divisions and styles of
racing. No matter how they fare in the big picture of the sport, all those
who make it to any division have an excellence about them that helps them
succeed. Kenny Irwin came to Nascar successful, already ROTY in Craftsman
Trucks, he became the 1998 Winston Cup ROTY, too. But in light of the Jeff
Gordon period "standards", Kenny "fizzled" in his career and lost the 28 ride
last year only to take Joe Nemecheks vacated ride in the 42. We'll never
know if he'd have regrouped well enough to make his future even brighter,
though with the combination of Sabco and Ganassi on the horizon, it would
have been a wonderful journey to watch.
Of course, safety will be highly scrutinized now, even more so than after
Adam's accident because this is a repeat with the same result but with two
different levels of experienced drivers. Safety should always [and I beleive
it is] be highly scrutinized with or without tragedy to remind anyone to do
so. Even with all the safety standards in place, continual improvements
enforced, and every watchful eye on the potential for disaster, everyone has
to realize ultimately, death is not within our control. Otherwise, we'd have
formulas for who would die when and how according to which circumstance.
Just this year alone, Geoffrey Bodine is proof of someone who should have
died in his accident and walked away virtually unscathed for what he
survived. Adam and Kenny didn't fare as well and their situations looked
like they should have been fine. In the latter cases, death may have been
the blessing since surviving the injuries may have subjected them to a far
less quality of life than they had loved. Such wisdom is beyond us. Such
choices out of our control for a good reason. Our hearts would keep our
loved ones with us always, but we humans often need reminders as to just WHO
is really in control of our futures and how precious and valuable life really
is. This weekend at New Hampshire is such a time again.
Another Viewpoint Home
Such a Time as This,
A Tribute to Kenny Irwin, Jr.
A Special Editorial Reflection
Kenny Irwin
August 5, 1969 - July 7, 2000
Racing is a risky and dangerous sport. Yes, that is a huge understatement, I know, but it's also the eternal truth of the sport. Racing risks life and limb and it's history proves that. Race fans and racers families all accept this aspect of the sport and despite all our differences and preferences, pray that no one suffers any untimely harm. Not all prayers are answered the way we wish though. Such a time again was Friday morning, July 7th. Practice opened up, and within minutes tragedy struck. Quick and merciless, death took away another contender costing the racing world another driver. Kenny Irwin died at the age of 30 from multiple injuries resulting from a severe crash in turn 3, only yards from the same point Adam Petty died at a couple of months ago. Both were rising stars, both were unproven (in Nascar Winston Cup racing) but hopeful of a bright future that will never be known and subject to speculation for years to come.
In the middle of my usual Friday afternoon workday on the road, the cell phone rings and my husband informs me of the news. Having had the pleasure of seeing Kenny along with Tony Stewart at the Charlotte Speed Street Coca Cola stage in May, I was struck that I was glad now for that night more than ever. I was impressed and liked Kenny during the whole event and felt a greater respect for him after listening to him field questions and handle heckling with humor. My heart is sick with grief for Kenny's parents and his three sisters. Nothing in the world cuts through a family like death can. My heart is sick for the family of fellow drivers, crews, teams and racefans. Radio reports talk about how sad a day it is for Nascar racing fans. Unexplained, unreasonable, unfathomable circumstances, and the suddeness of the event only compound the pain. Being so similar an accident to the way Adam Petty's life was claimed causes everyone to want to blame the track. Richard Petty went on record yesterday to say "Those things are circumstances beyond human control," said Petty, ...."There ain't nothing the matter with the racetrack." He went on to say, "It's circumstances with the way you stop that thing so quick. Your body just can't stand it." Dale Earnhardt was quoted as saying, "You don't understand why stuff like that happened. It's a tough deal. I can't explain it. You just hate to see stuff like that happen." And Rusty Wallace admitted after qualifying the pole for the seventh time this season, that "these are the days that make you really sit back, look at yourself in the mirror and go, `Why do I do this?'"
Good question by Rusty, and one no one has the absolute answer to but racing fans appreciate all racers for doing. Racing requires a spirit about a driver and a stamina that pushes all the normal limits the average person would adhere to. Racing like any majorly challenging sport is a natural high. Excellence is required of participants in all divisions and styles of racing. No matter how they fare in the big picture of the sport, all those who make it to any division have an excellence about them that helps them succeed. Kenny Irwin came to Nascar successful, already ROTY in Craftsman Trucks, he became the 1998 Winston Cup ROTY, too. But in light of the Jeff Gordon period "standards", Kenny "fizzled" in his career and lost the 28 ride last year only to take Joe Nemecheks vacated ride in the 42. We'll never know if he'd have regrouped well enough to make his future even brighter, though with the combination of Sabco and Ganassi on the horizon, it would have been a wonderful journey to watch.
Of course, safety will be highly scrutinized now, even more so than after Adam's accident because this is a repeat with the same result but with two different levels of experienced drivers. Safety should always [and I beleive it is] be highly scrutinized with or without tragedy to remind anyone to do so. Even with all the safety standards in place, continual improvements enforced, and every watchful eye on the potential for disaster, everyone has to realize ultimately, death is not within our control. Otherwise, we'd have formulas for who would die when and how according to which circumstance. Just this year alone, Geoffrey Bodine is proof of someone who should have died in his accident and walked away virtually unscathed for what he survived. Adam and Kenny didn't fare as well and their situations looked like they should have been fine. In the latter cases, death may have been the blessing since surviving the injuries may have subjected them to a far less quality of life than they had loved. Such wisdom is beyond us. Such choices out of our control for a good reason. Our hearts would keep our loved ones with us always, but we humans often need reminders as to just WHO is really in control of our futures and how precious and valuable life really is. This weekend at New Hampshire is such a time again.
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