Crash may prompt harsher penalties for aggression (cont'd)

Despite the injuries to fans, Hunter said the safety systems in place Sunday worked properly. Pemberton said the roof flaps on Edwards' car did deploy, and that the vehicle was in the process of settling to the ground before it was struck by the oncoming car of Ryan Newman, which sent it airborne. Hunter added that the restraining fence did its job, even though some pieces of debris went through it.

Too Dangerous

Carl Edwards' spectacular crash in the final lap of the Aaron's 499 reminded Joe Menzer of Bobby Allison's 20 years earlier. Before they race at 'Dega again, he says something needs to be done before tragedy strikes.

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"Nothing is bulletproof," Hunter said. "From what we saw [Sunday], the restraining fence did what it was supposed to do, it threw the car back on the race track. There was some debris that went into the grandstand that fortunately did not evoke serious injury. We'll analyze the fence and make sure it did what it was suppose to do. We think it did. If there's something we come up with as we analyze his accident, we'll put it in play. We'll make it as safe as we humanly can."

Pemberton said investigators from NASCAR were at the Roush Fenway Racing shop on Monday analyzing Edwards' car, and that the driver safety devices within all "worked accordingly." The height of the restraining fence at Talladega, he said, will also be examined. Yet any idea of reducing Talladega's 33-degree corner banking to perhaps eliminate restrictor plates or cut down on the pack racing that produces so many accidents there is likely a non-starter.

"Flattening the track, sure, that would put us in a position where you could run without restrictor plates, but I don't see that as a real viable option," said Cup Series director John Darby.

"I think the safety efforts that have been made today to the cars and the race tracks and everything else that surrounds Daytona and Talladega have proven effective, and they will continue to be improved as we go forward and learn more. I also believe, and it goes without mention, that the most exciting races we have today are both at Daytona and Talladega. That's a big part of our sport. Those two tracks have been a big part of our sport for many, many years. I think there's more value in continuing our safety efforts at those tracks than turning those two very historical very, exciting race tracks into flat parking lots. I don't understand that thought process."

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