Postponing was the only thing to do
By Liz Allison, Turner Sports Interactive
September 14, 2001
11:27 AM EDT (1527 GMT)
COMMENTARY
I was shocked like everybody else at the news of the terrorist attacks on our country.
As Americans, we were left reeling with emotions after innocent people lost their lives in New York, Washington and Pennsylvania.
I admit that after the news started to sink in, I could not help but think, "Surely we could not race this weekend."
Not only would it be almost impossible for 43 teams to reach Loudon, N.H., because of air traffic on hold, but what about the fans who would do almost anything to support the sport that they love so much?
Would it be feasible to think that 100,000 fans could make their way to the track and would they even feel like having fun? Probably not!
Safety has to be an issue here as well. With the ongoing federal investigation into the attacks and the many bomb threats around our country this week, would it be safe to gather that many people together in one place for a high profile sporting event?
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Liz Allison
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I can tell you that I would not feel the most comfortable with that at this point -- at least not until things settle down.
The big question now will be: Will security measures at racetracks change after the horrible acts of terrorism this week?
On any given race day you have a heavy police presence, but searching of bags, etc., is not a normal situation. However, the set of circumstances before us might change the way race-day security is handled, at least in the immediate future.
NASCAR will certainly take the appropriate measures to make sure that the fans and the entire NASCAR family is safe before allowing an event to take place.
For a sport that has in the past trudged through tragedy and kept on racing even when their hearts did not want to, NASCAR has taken a big step this weekend by postponing the race at Loudon. Even when the sport lost one of its greatest drivers ever, Dale Earnhardt, they went racing the very next weekend.
The postponement was a huge move for NASCAR. I just do not think that anybody is ready to get back to normal or even begin to enjoy themselves.
NASCAR showed concern for the fans, the drivers and, more importantly, they showed respect for the families who were affected by all of the terrorist attacks.
Next week at Dover is another time. We will have to wait and see if any changes will be made to security, as we know it to be on race day. At that point, NASCAR can focus on the tasks at hand and make the appropriate decisions.
Until then, everyone can reflect on the week's tragedies, take a breath and let things settle down a bit. And, most importantly, show your American pride and hug your family.
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