Motorsports: Perspective Needs To Be Found Amidst Tragedy
Jasen Vinlove-USA TODAY Sports
This week the world of Motorsports was rocked by the Justin Wilson tragedy.
Wilson was racing in the IndyCar event on Sunday in Pocono when he was struck in the helmet by debris from a wreck that occurred on the track. Wilson was airlifted to a local hospital where it was confirmed that he had a critical head injury and was in a coma. Late Monday night the Wilson family announced that Justin had passed away.
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The loss of Wilson is without questions a tragedy in the world of racing. Wilson is the first driver to lose his life in U.S.-based auto series since Dan Wheldon in 2011. Wilson’s death is also the third racing-related death since July 2015. In July Jules Bianchi passed away from injuries that he suffered in a Formula One event last October. Earlier in August Jim Campbell Jr. lost his life in a Sprint Car event at Williams Grove Speedway. These deaths coupled with the injuries to Sprint Car driver Kevin Swindell last week and Kyle Busch in February should bring a new perspective to racing.
After horrible injuries and tragic accidents it’s often times easiest to come after the series or the organization. In the wake of Wilson’s death there has been the expected outcry that the IndyCar Series needs to utilize some sort of an enclosed cockpit. With that outcry has also come the insinuations that had IndyCar done something sooner, this might not have happened.
Blaming IndyCar in this situation is the easy thing to do but it’s not shedding the proper perspective on this situation.
First and foremost, I agree that there should be more protection for drivers who race in series where there isn’t a cockpit protecting them. I also believe that the job of protecting drivers is never over and that there is always room to improve safety. As long as drivers and teams continue to improve their technology and search for more speed; their is going to be a continued need to improve safety.
That being said, it doesn’t change the fact that racing is and will always be dangerous. It doesn’t change the fact that these athletes choose to partake in this sport willingly and most of them would not choose to change their decision to race if given the opportunity. When a driver straps into a car they know what they are getting into. While the risks might not be exactly the same across every series, every drivers knows what risks exist when they take to the track.
The death of Wilson is not a time to blame IndyCar and bash them for not being safe enough. Instead, Wilson’s death should be a catalyst for change. When NASCAR lost Dale Earnhardt in 2001 it was a catalyst for the sport to make sweeping changes when it came to safety. The changes in NASCAR made it possible for drivers like Austin Dillon to walk away from the kind of wreck seen below.
Wilson’s death will hopefully be the catalyst of change that is needed to better protect drivers in cars with exposed cockpits. While no changes or improvements will ever be enough to measure up to the value of Wilson’s life, future changes could be enough to help save the lives of other drivers.
In the wake of tragedy it’s often easy to lose perspective. In this instance it’s my hope that the proper perspective will be maintained and change will happen.