The Buzz: May 2, 2001

May 2, 2001
6:09 PM EDT (2209 GMT)

Safety is always an issue in any form of motorsports, and controversy is never limited to any one circuit, either. Last weekend, CART had to call off the Firestone Firehawk 600 at Texas Motor Speedway because nearly every driver experienced vertigo and other symptoms of gravitational forces.

But on the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, you won't hear driver Terry Cook complaining. He believes NASCAR is doing its part in terms of safety.

"They are right on top of everything when it comes to safety," said Cook, who drives the No. 29 K-Automotive Ford. "And a lot of the safety issues are the responsibility of the individual teams themselves. There are quite a few safety devices out there on the market and teams have to decide what is best for their drivers."

Although Cook thinks NASCAR does do a good job of governing safety, he has one suggestion.

"I think it would be great if the Craftsman Truck Series, Busch Grand National Series and Winston Cup Series each had like a three-person medical staff that traveled with them each weekend, similar to what the Indy Racing League and CART already have in place," said Cook.

"Don't get me wrong, most of the tracks we go to have good rescue crews. But I would feel more comfortable if we had a medical staff with us each week that knew my blood type, what I eat and drink, what I am allergic to and who my wife is, so they know how to treat me when I am in the truck. I know at places like New Hampshire and Dover, people on their rescue staffs probably don't know hardly any of the Truck Series drivers. And that is why I would like us to have our own doctors who know every driver."

Wires crossed?

Word on the street is that, in what appears to be a miscommunication, there will be no meeting Thursday morning between anyone at NASCAR and Bill Simpson of Simpson Racing Products.

A spokesperson at Simpson's office in Mooresville, North Carolina, said she could not reach Simpson or his pilot but "NASCAR apparently had canceled the meeting."

A NASCAR spokesman said, "There never was a meeting -- there is nothing on Bill, Jim or Mike's calendars," referring to NASCAR chairman of the board Bill France, NASCAR executive vice president/secretary Jim France or NASCAR president Mike Helton.