Another one lost too soon
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Liz Allison
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By Liz Allison, Turner Sports Interactive
October 11, 2001
5:27 PM EDT (2127 GMT)
COMMENTARY
Blaise Alexander was only 25 when he lost his life in the last laps of the ARCA race at Lowe's Motor Speedway on Oct. 4.
It was a battle for the lead with his friend and fellow competitor, Kerry Earnhardt, that sent he and Kerry out of control. Blaise slammed the wall with such a force that it took the breath of those of us watching.
When you have been around the sport as long as I have, you learn what type of wrecks are dangerous -- and this was one of those wrecks.
Kerry, son of the late Dale Earnhardt, landed on his roof but was able to climb from underneath his car to safety.
Blaise was pronounced dead only a few short minutes later. The cause of death was massive head injuries suffered in the accident. The sport of stock-car racing had lost yet another friend and competitor.
Blaise was a young and savvy driver trying to make a way for himself in the sport that he loved so much. He had run the ARCA and Busch Series for several years.
At 20, he captured the rookie title in the ARCA series in 1996. His ultimate goal was to be a Winston Cup regular and race with his heroes in the sport. Unfortunately, that dream would not come true for the Pennsylvania native.
Returning to the same track on Friday that had taken the life of a friend on Thursday evening is a very tough thing to do. You could see it on the faces of the Busch guys as they were preparing for their practice and qualifying later in the day.
Chad Little, a Busch Series regular who had raced against Blaise on several occasions, expressed the irony of this business.
"You know we come out here today to do our jobs and it is so sad that was have to put aside what happened last night to Blaise because racing goes on and we all have a job to do, but we don't do it and feel good about it," he said. "That is the cold reality of our sport and it stinks, but what do you do?"
Bobby Hamilton Jr., a close friend of Blaise, carried a sticker on his car during the Busch Series race on Saturday that read "In Loving Memory Of Blaise Alexander." He also had "Blaise" painted across the hood of his car in memory of his good friend and fellow racer.
"He was a good kid and we will miss him," said Jimmy Spencer, a Pennsylvania native and a very close friend to Blaise. "I just feel for his family right now and just want them to know that we are thinking of them and we support them.
"This sport can be tough sometimes and this is one of those times."
Blaise was not wearing any type of head and neck restraint system at the time of his fatal accident. This fact led to many conversations in the garage as to whether or not a head and neck restraint system would have a difference in such an accident.
Joe Nemechek had just discussed this matter with Blaise only a few weeks earlier at Dover.
"My Mom and I tried to convince Blaise to at least try some different types of systems to try to find one that he could get comfortable with," he said. "He just was not ready to wear one yet. I hate it now because it could have made a difference, but who knows?"
Joe went on to say that he had been in a bad accident where his neck was hurt and he would not race without a head and neck restraint again. He expressed concern for some of the younger guys that are not wearing them.
"I just don't understand why the younger guys won't wear them. Maybe their sponsors should demand them to," he said.
A sport that has already gone through way too much pain over the past two years now has yet another tragedy to try to overcome. A life of a young driver trying to pave a way for himself in the sport that brought him so much pleasure and pride.
Blaise Alexander will be remembered as a vibrant kid with a great personality. He was a hard worker who would do anything to make his dream come true.
His dream was to be a Winston Cup regular. His life would be taken before that dream would come true.
He will be missed by his family and his friends but surely never forgotten.
The family has asked contributions be sent to the Blaise Alexander Memorial Fund, The Make-A-Wish Foundation, 515 Sandhill Road, Montoursville, Pa. 17754.
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