Dale Earnhardt Injured During ALMS Practice Lap

[Solid Lifters]

Race driver Dale Earnhardt, Jr., suffered moderate burns Sunday morning when the car he was driving was involved in an accident and caught fire while practicing for the American Le Mans Series Infineon Grand Prix of Sonoma at Infineon Raceway.

Earnhardt suffered what track medical officials described as "moderate-sized burns of moderate intensity" in the facial area and lower extremities. For precautionary reasons, he was transported by air to the University of California-Davis Medical Center in Sacramento, Calif.

Earnhardt was driving a Chevrolet Corvette C5-R in a 30-minute practice session when the accident occurred. The car spun and impacted a barrier in the Turn 8 section of the road racing track and then caught fire. Earnhardt quickly exited the car on his own and was then assisted by safety crews.

Earnhardt, who regularly competes in the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series, was scheduled to co-drive in today's American Le Mans Series sports car race with veteran road racing driver Boris Said. The team has withdrawn the car from the race.

It was quite a sight to see. Did any of you watch it?

 

[Darin]

Nah. That sucks... I messed it.

 

[Solid Lifters]

Nah. That sucks... I messed it.

They still are showing it on TV. The ALMS race is still running on CBS. They show the crash every once in a while. They just did an update, and Dale will be fine. But, he is spending the night in the hoispital.

They had the in car fotage of the crash. Dale sat there motionless for a few seconds, then the car explodes into flames, that quickly fill the inside of the car.

 

[VIPFREAK]

Dumb ass... Weither it was his fault or not go back to your sorry ass nascar crap and stay there... WTF is up with this race btw, why the hell have a race it's just the audi in it's class and that's it!?

 

[pimp racer]

Nah. That sucks... I messed it.

same here

Dumb ass... Weither it was his fault or not go back to your sorry ass nascar crap and stay there... WTF is up with this race btw, why the hell have a race it's just the audi in it's class and that's it!?

I agree go back.

 

[Solid Lifters]

Dumb ass... Weither it was his fault or not go back to your sorry ass nascar crap and stay there... WTF is up with this race btw, why the hell have a race it's just the audi in it's class and that's it!?

Please, go be retarded somewhere else, OK?

Update: Dale has second degree burns over 65% of his body. Ouch! The Corvette was completley chared.

 

[The359]

Dumb ass... Weither it was his fault or not go back to your sorry ass nascar crap and stay there... WTF is up with this race btw, why the hell have a race it's just the audi in it's class and that's it!?

Dale earnhardt and Dale earnhardt Jr finished 3rd overall in the 2000 Daytona 24 Hours in a Chevrolet Corvette C5-R. He is an experienced road racer and deserves to be there, regardless of what you think of NASCAR.

And there are 4 cars in P1 class, 1 Intersport Lola-Judd, 2 Dyson Lola-MGs, and 1 Audi R8. The Intersport car didn't start because of a cracked carbon fiber tub, and the two Dyson MGs ran into mechanical problems during the race.

 

[Sage]

Yup, I saw it too (the race just finished, in fact... oh yeah, you're on the same coast as me! ). That was awful when the flames exploded around him and he just sat there in shock... scary stuff.

My dad walked in right when the Saleen was coasting backwards to get its two (two!) axles fixed, and he exclaimed, "He's going the wrong way!".

 

[VIPFREAK]

I don't give a **** that they finished 3rd overall there wasn't any ****ing competition and the rest of them weren't "backed" by the factory. Pssft... those three other cars ought to give Audi a "run for there money", whatever... call me when someone decides to put real cars in and have real competition... I'm sick of this **** with the same damn slow ass cars and then no body cares about Infineon because it's just Infineon. If it's Lemans all them ego idiots are there because of the spot lights. **** that...

 

[The359]

There wasn't any competition in the 24 Hours of Daytona? Before the Daytona Prototypes were created? Son, you don't have a damn clue what you're talking about, so you're not worth my time right now...

 

[JAGUAR]

I don't give a **** that they finished 3rd overall there wasn't any ****ing competition and the rest of them weren't "backed" by the factory. Pssft... those three other cars ought to give Audi a "run for there money", whatever... call me when someone decides to put real cars in and have real competition... I'm sick of this **** with the same damn slow ass cars and then no body cares about Infineon because it's just Infineon. If it's Lemans all them ego idiots are there because of the spot lights. **** that...

This year is a transitional year for the ALMS with new cars, built to the new prototype regulations, appearing from Audi, Porsche, Mazda, Lola etc. in 2005/6.

 

[Firestarter75]

Update: Dale has second degree burns over 65% of his body. Ouch! The Corvette was completley chared.

W
R
O
N
G

WRONG and WRONG. Not sure where you got your info but he is in the hospital overnight with a couple of 1st degree burns and a banged up knee.

 

[The359]

SpeedTV has reported the entire day he has 2nd degree burns on his chin and on the inside of his theighs.

 

[Firestarter75]

Its definatly not 65% of his body. What may happen with the burns is they become more apparent as time progresses due to the body trying to heal the injury. He is very lucky in one of the oddist wrecks in Corvette Racings history.

 

[Firestarter75]

VIPFreak, I guess Gunnar Jeanette shouldn't be racing in ALMS either. He did the exact same thing at the start of the combined practice session on wednesday at Petit LeMans coming off turn 7. Smacked the wall and tore the car up pretty good. This is nothing new, it will continue to happen as long as humans are driving cars.

 

[Der Alta]

I'll second that it was stated during the broadcast that he had 2nd degree burns over 65% of his body.

Much like anything else, it was exaggerated then scaled back.

It was an enjoyable race to watch today, especially so when they showed the Lamborghini and pictures of the new Aston Martin race car.

AO

 

[Firestarter75]

Here is the current press release from Andy Hall:

http://www.racingfanatics.com/Infineon ALMS/earnhardt_to_be_held_overnight_f.htm

 

[Sleek Stratos]

I was watching the Speed World Challenge races when Bob Varsha came up in the Speed News 'special report', scared the crap out of me. Man is he lucky he only got dazed instead of knocked out, he seemed to be so out of it that he was climbing out the window like he was in a stock car, rather than opening the door.

 

[Sage]

That new AM is gorgeous. It looked like it was being viewed through a convex lens or something though... kinda warped looking. Still one beautiful car though – I'd hate to see it wreck though.

 

[the_cobbinator]

Yeah, I saw it today during one of the many cautions. It was just like BAM and the entire car went up in flames. Pretty scary.

 

[The359]

The DBR9 photo they showed on screen was warped a little bit, they had to narrow the photo down width wise to fit on the screen properly. It was the same photo seen in the DBR9 thread here though.

 

[ROAD_DOGG33J]

Well, Chevrolet sure got a present. At least nobody else was injured.

 

[Solid Lifters]

W
R
O
N
G

WRONG and WRONG. Not sure where you got your info but he is in the hospital overnight with a couple of 1st degree burns and a banged up knee.

I got my information from an update of Dale Jr's condition at the end of the race broadcast. I still have the broadcast on my hard drive recorder, and I was able to hear it several times.

Oh! Looks like Jr wasn't the only one today who got burned!

 

[Firestarter75]

I got my information from an update of Dale Jr's condition at the end of the race broadcast. I still have the broadcast on my hard drive recorder, and I was able to hear it several times.

Oh! Looks like Jr wasn't the only one today who got burned!

Yeah I know, you did.

 

[Solid Lifters]

Yeah I know, you did.

Good one.

 

[JohnBM01]

To tell you the truth, I was really looking forward to seeing Dale Earnhardt strut his stuff in a Corvette sportscar. I was, however, very shocked to see what happened to Jr. I'd love to see a racer taken outside of his/her element. I'm saying this in a concerned and passionate voice. I talk about Jeff Gordon being a great racer in NASCAR, but Jr. is probably more popular and more loved. So NASCAR fans will have wanted to see Little E race a Corvette.

While not a NASCAR fan, I think Earnhardt Jr. would have won in GTS, edging out the Saleen S7, the lovely Murcielago, and whatever else racing in class. Jr. would have lapped Porsches but clear away from the prototypes. In other words, Earnhardt is a tough competitor in racing- not just NASCAR, racing in general. I want Jr. to be as dominant, as popular, and as exciting as his late father. And speaking of Earnhardt Sr., I would have loved to see him go to Le Mans and strut his stuff on the world stage. He probably wouldn't fit into a sportscar, but to see him race a pure race car and take on the world showing no less than 100% would have me on the edge of my seat and prove to me that NASCAR racers can do more than turn left. If both were together, I'd personally want to see an all-NASCAR car racing Le Mans in a GTS race car with a bad, American brute like the Corvette.

But I'm saddened Jr. couldn't get a chance to mix things up against the other road racers. Dale Jr., I hope you can drive in road racing another time. Whether it is a lowly GT car or a powerful prototype, I'd love to see you race around and around. You're NASCAR's most popular racer of today. The only thing you don't have is a title (as of this date), so as good as you are in NASCAR, aim to dominate in other racing. Good luck and get well soon.

 

[Firestarter75]

Good one.

I know, and even have the truth backing me up:


Full article:
http://www.nascar.com/2004/news/headlines/cup/07/20/dearnhardtjr_truex/index.html

Relevant snip:

"Earnhardt Jr. suffered burns to some six percent of his body -- mainly to his chin and inner legs -- in an accident Sunday morning during American LeMans Series practice at Infineon Raceway."

 

[Pebb]

I saw this crash on the news it looked a bad crash at the angle he crashed at.

 

[Solid Lifters]

I know, and even have the truth backing me up:


Full article:
http://www.nascar.com/2004/news/headlines/cup/07/20/dearnhardtjr_truex/index.html

Relevant snip:

"Earnhardt Jr. suffered burns to some six percent of his body -- mainly to his chin and inner legs -- in an accident Sunday morning during American LeMans Series practice at Infineon Raceway."

You don't have a clue, do you?

 

[vat_man]

It didn't look a particularly big hit - the car wasn't totalled before the fire started. Certainly nothing that should have split a fuel cell. If I was the team owner I'd be having a fairly stern chat with the suppliers of that particular bit of gear.

Considering he was in the fire for quite a while, I'd say the lack of burns was a sign of pretty good fireproof race gear. The marshalls sure took their sweet time getting fire gear there, though.

Does tick me off that the only bit of car racing news we get all week is that - and of course, it's an excuse to run about a kajillion replays of Dale Earnhardt's fatal crash at Daytona.