Wednesday, February 21, 2001
Waltrip influenced safer Ky. Speedway
Track has wider turns, higher fences than most
By Tom Groeschen
The Cincinnati Enquirer
Dale Earnhardt never raced or practiced at Kentucky Speedway. If he had, he would have found state-of-the-art safety standards. Darrell Waltrip is a big reason for that.
Waltrip, the three-time NASCAR Winston Cup champion who retired to the TV booth this year, had a big hand in designing Kentucky Speedway.
The Owensboro, Ky., native has been a paid consultant to track chairman Jerry Carroll since the track's groundbreaking in 1998.
Waltrip could not be reached for comment Tuesday, but Speedway vice president Mark Cassis said Waltrip's influence is all around the track.
“Safety was always first with us,” Cassis said. “We go by whatever the sanctioning bodies want us to do, but we made it driver-friendly and fan-friendly from the start.”
The track had a few wrecks but no serious injuries in 2000, its first season.
Cassis said the 1 1/2-mile speedway has wider straightaways than many. The track is 70 feet wide, compared to 58 feet at a similar 1 1/2-mile track, Texas Motor Speedway.
“Darrell said we should make the turns wider and deeper, to allow for more room in case of error,” Cassis said.
The 2 1/2-mile Indianapolis Motor Speedway is only 50 feet wide through the straightaways, and the 2 1/2-mile Daytona International Speedway — where Earnhardt was killed Sunday — is 40 feet, plus an “apron” that runs between 12 and 30 feet wide.
Also, Kentucky has the highest “catch fence” in the industry, at 23 feet. The overhanging fence protects fans from flying debris.
Earnhardt's crash also renewed debate about whether “soft walls” should be installed at tracks.
“Right now, since this (Earnhardt) just happened, it's way too early to have had anything happen there,” Cassis said.
Carroll, who attended the Daytona 500 with Cassis, is still out of town and was unavailable for comment Tuesday.
NASCAR's decision to race again Sunday did not surprise Cassis.
“It's a tough business, and it's a risky business,” he said. “They've got to keep going, and we'll keep going. This is what we do.”
SPEEDWAY NEWS: Michael Waltrip and Park had been scheduled to practice at Kentucky Speedway on Tuesday and today. They canceled and have rescheduled for April 9-10.
Speedway vice president Mark Cassis said the track had no firm memorial plans for Earnhardt, but said the facility may work with other tracks to make a contribution to Earnhardt's Carolinas Foundation.
BUSCH SALES: Kentucky Speedway has sold 41,000 seats for its inaugural NASCAR Busch race June 16. Seating capacity is 67,000, and Speedway vice president Mark Cassis said the race eventually should sell out.
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Waltrip influenced safer Ky. Speedway