I just saw old footage of Dale Earnhardt Sr.'s crash. I had forgotten just how mild...

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Jan 8, 2007 | 02:20 PM

Potomac-Greg

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I just saw old footage of Dale Earnhardt Sr.'s crash. I had forgotten just how mild...

... the crash appeared to be. You can tell a noob that he hit the wall going 175MPH, but if you know vectors, you know his impact was at a much lower closing speed.

I never saw a report that explained it to me. Did a belt brake? Did his lack of a full-face helmet have an effect?

I'm sure this is a re-hash, but after seeing that video, I'm back to my original feelings on it.

Jan 8, 2007 | 02:27 PM

pattycakesÂ® iCode

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IIRC it was a snapped belt. There were people sending death threats to Simpson because of it..

and also sending hate mail to the guy who slapped his tail and sent him in to the wall.

NASCAR fans remind me of Colombian Futbol fans.

Jan 8, 2007 | 02:35 PM

Silver Streakin'

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IIRC, he modified his belts and seat to be in a relaxed position. open-face didn't help either.

<ul><li><a href="http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/motorsports/nascar_plus/news/2001/08/21/earnhardt_report/">http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/motorsports/nascar_plus/news/2001/08/21/earnhardt_report/</a</li></ul>

Jan 8, 2007 | 03:36 PM

ddg=shinebox racing

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"I aint' wearing that damn noose" (refering to the HANS device).....

That's what he said shortly before his crash.
I saw a special on racecar crash technology, they said his spinal colum was disconnected or puled out from the base of his skull, they also stated that if Earnhardt was wearing the HANS, he'd be alive today.....

Jan 8, 2007 | 03:58 PM

D all over

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That's how I understood he died, not from from his head impacting anything

Jan 8, 2007 | 05:32 PM

AudiJon

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2nd... Basilar skull fracture, FTL.

Jan 8, 2007 | 06:24 PM

Krisko

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A friend of a friend of a friend...

was one of the paramedics on the scene. Supposedly his head was practically in his lap, practically came off his spine.

Dale's death while a tragedy advanced motorsport safety more than anything else in recent memory. Dale was practically immortal...it really made people take notice of the HANS.