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A tough reminder
By George Starks
Sports Editor
It was two days ago, Dan Weldon, the defending Indy 500 champion, lost
his life in a horrific crash in Las Vegas.
While he was one of the many drivers I’ve never met, his death serves
as a grim reminder why sports journalists don’t get close to these guys.
Granted, if Tony Stewart, Jeff Gordon, Ryan, Kasey or some of the
others I do know were to lose their lives, I would feel a sense of
loss, only because I do know them and have for many years. I have
broken bread and partied with some of them back when they raced at
Winchester as well as Eldora, mostly Winchester though.
The man who got me started in this screwy business back in 1988, Don
McDermott, told me there were things that as a sports journalist, I
should never do. One of those things was to never get close to kids,
drivers and track owners.
Boy, was that solid advice that I never took in the beginning.
I am still staying close to some of the kids I have reported on during
their sports careers but I’ve put distance between myself and some of
these drivers.
I see all these guys on a somewhat regular basis like at the Prelude
and the Brickyard 400 when I get there. It took me a long time to get
it in my brain that every time these guys get behind the wheel of that
car, death is lurking, waiting to strike at any time.
Weldon was taken from the race world in quick fashion and if you’ve not
seen the video of that crash, my suggestion is take a look at it. For
me, it was a wake up call.
Weldon was starting last in this race for a reason that he made by
choice and was moving up quick. On lap 11, everything was as it should
be. The racing was great. Drivers were going three and sometimes four
wide on the track.
One lap later, the tragic moment hit. In honor of Weldon, the race was
called off. It made me realize just how fast things can happen in this
sport and this line of work. It made me remember what happened to Dale
Sr. at Daytona Speedway many years ago and how it affected me.
It also reminded me of guys like the late Roger Holdeman who owned and
promoted Winchester Speedway, along with his wife Linda. Roger lost his
life to cancer but I was very close to him and Linda. I went to his
funeral viewing as a show of support for the family on behalf of the
News-Gazette in Winchester, where I was writing at the time.
Granted, I love what I do but it’s times like this that really gets to
me. RIP Dan Weldon. The racing world lost a great driver.
May your death serve as a reminder of what can happen in a blink of an
eye.
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