Truth be told, I've never been much of a NASCAR fan. But today the Daytona 500 is being run and it also marks 10 years since the passing of the iconic race driver Dale Earnhardt. There's been an awful lot of tributes passed around over the past week and The Intimidator certainly deserves them. Earnhardt was the racer who never gave up, never backed down and either won or crashed- he captured the public's attention in a way that catapulted oval track stock car racing to the heights it is today.

As much as I admire some of these traits, as a racer it's actually what happened after his death that has had such a profound effect. The investigation into the crash revealed what at first appeared to be a seatbelt failure. Earnhardt was slung forward and across the cockpit when his car hit the wall that day. But closer inspection revealed the primary cause of that failure was the manner in which Earnhardt himself insisted his seatbelts be installed. That flawed install allowed him to move a bit more in his raceseat, but put the anchor point at a perpendicular axis, with the seatbelt fabric being exposed to tearing forces.

Second, as a superstar in the sport, Earnhardt could have worn any safety equipment he wanted. But he elected NOT to use a full-face helmet or the HANS (head and neck restraint) device and insisted on using his open-face helmet in competition. 'Ol Ironhead' was another nickname, and Earnhardt reportedly dismissed this new safety development as a bit of fluff. He died of a basal skull fracture, one of the most common forms of severe trauma suffered in motorsports. When the car suddenly stopped in that violent accident, the g-forces acting on his head and helmet were so powerful that the upper spinal column and brain stem were badly damaged.

After the death of its most feared and celebrated driver, NASCAR had no choice. They subsequently mandated the use of full-face helmets and HANS devices. Seatbelts and seats came into close scutiny and new rules came out to insure they were made (and installed) in a manner that ensured safety. I say 'better' because there will always be a danger factor in motorsports that cannot be mitigated.

Beyond being a 'legend to the sport', as many pundits have said, Dale Earnhardt's greatest legacy may have been the mistakes he made that caused his death. As a racer, we're all looking for that little edge, that bit of an advantage that helps us overcome the competition. Earnhardt ushered in an era where advances in safety have trickled down to the grassroots level- NASA mandates the use of the HANS devices, while SCCA "strongly recommends" their use is one example. Racecar inspections madate close inspections of how seatbelts are installed and why. Seat design, crushable car zones and barriers have all been impacted by the R&D that came out after 'ol Ironhead's death. How many have been saved from paralysis, disability or death in the decade since his passing? How many young racers will be saved by them in the future?

Earnhardt Sr. was my favorite driver of all time. I used to be big into NASCAR. The sport has long since gone downhill with all the rules, regulations, and requirements, but the one thing I do agree with is that it is a much safer sport with the mandated use of full face helmets and HANS devices. I'm sure many lives will be saved in the future.

Long live the spirit and the memory of the Intimidator.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NmLnpbxMvJ4&NR=1[/youtube]