By Ryan - Posted on January 6, 2010
The last 10 years have been both celebratory and sorrowful for the fans and families of NASCAR. This decade has been witness to several ups and downs that have served to alter the sport; both in how it is performed and how it is viewed.
The sport itself has expanded immensely, adding several cities and tracks to its schedule. This action has been both a blessing and a curse, depending who you talk to. The move allows more fans to enjoy the sport first hand, but at the same time, it really takes the small town, intimate feel out of racing that had been shared by so many over the years.
Rick Hendrick has enjoyed immense success with his racing team, capturing numerous titles and championships throughout the past ten years. However, he has also faced deep grief and pain as his son, brother, and 2 nieces perished in a plane crash while on their way to a race. This tragedy brought together fans, team mates, and rivals alike to show their support.
In happier news, Jimmie Johnson emerged on the leader board as a relatively unknown driver in his rookie year. Never looking back, he made history by capturing 4 consecutive Sprint Cup championships, another triumph for Rick Hendrick.
Without a doubt, the most talked about and most remembered NASCAR moment happened on February 18, 2001, at the Daytona International Speedway. During the Daytona 500, Dale Earnhardt Sr. was involved in a spectacular crash that tragically claimed his life. This horrific event forced NASCAR to analyze their safety rules and implement new safety features that could prevent a disaster such as this from happening again. All drivers must wear head and neck restraints to prevent neck, head, and back injuries. SAFER barriers were installed around the tracks to prevent head on crash injuries. There have been appalling crashes in the years that have followed in which drivers have walked away without a scratch. In reality, they should have been killed or at least seriously injured. Hopefully, this means that Earnhardt’s death has not been in vain.
Perhaps the most ironic consequence that emerged from Earnhardt’s death was the increase in interest in NASCAR and the sport of racing. After that event, it seemed like more people became fans of NASCAR.
As a new decade begins, we can only speculate as to what this new era will bring. If it is anything like the last ten years, race fans and racers alike are in for a bumpy and exciting ride.
