The tape will be sent to his family. Volunteers monitored a phone bank on the set, while the show's hosts took calls and consoled fans. It's one thing to be impressed with this outpouring of emotion. You can't help but be. Understanding it, though, is something else again.
Death is an occupational hazard for the brave men of motorsports.
Earnhardt's demise may be so utterly devastating to fans because he had earned a reputation as the best, bravest and meanest man on the track. In the minds of racing fans, maybe terrible accidents are only supposed to involve younger or lesser drivers, like Kenny Irwin, Adam Petty or Tony Roper. Impending disaster, after all, is a large part of the romance of racing. The most thrilling moment of Sunday's Daytona 500 was the crash that took out 19 cars. A year ago, Daytona was panned for being too boring.