03-27-2006, 04:33 PM
Yeah the issue of pay drivers is a valid one, but I don't think that's very relevant to this guy's death, nor would it be the right time to bring it up if it was.
If the guy had poor situational awareness then say that. I mean damn, plenty of guys much more skilled than him have made mistakes that have gotten them hurt or killed. He made a mistake, he died. It happens. But choosing his death to launch into a soapbox about pay drivers in motorsport is just ridiculous.
Sure, one pay driver got killed. However, there are plenty of these guys in just about every form of motorsport and they manage not to get killed on a regular basis. Dana made a mistake, as sometimes racers are prone to do. I don't think he was a 'victim of the system'. He was a rookie. Rookies make mistakes.
I don't see a problem with saying, "Hey maybe this guy was not a good enough driver for the series. I think he might have been dangerous to himself and others." But that still doesn't have anything to do with him being a pay driver. You could say the same thing about a lot of guys in motorsport, Takuma Sato comes to mind. Hell, even Michael Schumacher was considered a dangerous driver at a time.
I think the fact that the financials for a lot of race series sucks is a big issue. I just don't think it had much to do with this guy getting killed.
If the guy had poor situational awareness then say that. I mean damn, plenty of guys much more skilled than him have made mistakes that have gotten them hurt or killed. He made a mistake, he died. It happens. But choosing his death to launch into a soapbox about pay drivers in motorsport is just ridiculous.
Sure, one pay driver got killed. However, there are plenty of these guys in just about every form of motorsport and they manage not to get killed on a regular basis. Dana made a mistake, as sometimes racers are prone to do. I don't think he was a 'victim of the system'. He was a rookie. Rookies make mistakes.
I don't see a problem with saying, "Hey maybe this guy was not a good enough driver for the series. I think he might have been dangerous to himself and others." But that still doesn't have anything to do with him being a pay driver. You could say the same thing about a lot of guys in motorsport, Takuma Sato comes to mind. Hell, even Michael Schumacher was considered a dangerous driver at a time.
I think the fact that the financials for a lot of race series sucks is a big issue. I just don't think it had much to do with this guy getting killed.
2018 Ducati Panigale V4
Past: 2018 Honda Civic Type-R, 2015 Yamaha R1, 2009 BMW M3, 2013 Aprilia RSV4R, 2006 Honda Ridgeline, 2006 Porsche Cayman S, 2012 Ducati 1199, 2009 Subaru WRX, 2008 CBR1000RR, 2009 Kawasaki ZX-6R, 2000 Toyota Tundra, 2005 Honda CBR600RR, 1996 Acura Integra GS-R, 1996 Acura Integra GS-R, 1997 Honda Civic EX
http://www.aclr8.com
Past: 2018 Honda Civic Type-R, 2015 Yamaha R1, 2009 BMW M3, 2013 Aprilia RSV4R, 2006 Honda Ridgeline, 2006 Porsche Cayman S, 2012 Ducati 1199, 2009 Subaru WRX, 2008 CBR1000RR, 2009 Kawasaki ZX-6R, 2000 Toyota Tundra, 2005 Honda CBR600RR, 1996 Acura Integra GS-R, 1996 Acura Integra GS-R, 1997 Honda Civic EX
http://www.aclr8.com