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Humpy Wheeler and all the other folks at Lowe’s Motor Speedway must feel as though a curse hangs over them.
For the third time in as many years, an accident has marred a race weekend. Two years ago, five people died when the helicopter they were riding from the speedway to Monroe hit power lines. Last year, three people died when debris from an Indy Racing League crash flew into the stands. Saturday night, 107 people were rushed to area hospitals after a walkway carrying fans from the track to the parking lot collapsed.
Actually, Saturday may have been the speedway’s lucky day. Though many people suffered serious injuries, no one died. Whatever structural problems caused this harrowing incident may teach engineers a lesson to prevent future collapses —and perhaps worse tragedies —involving other bridges. The more complete the investigation, the better.
Next will come the inevitable lawsuits. Whoever is to blame for the corroded steel cables or other factors in the crash is bound to hear from lawyers soon. That’s the American way. People who suffer injury through no fault of their own deserve to have some recourse, and perhaps compensation.
But one wonders where the trend will eventually end. Will people have to wear body armor and helmets to the racetrack?Or will Wheeler and company someday conclude that drawing thousands to the speedway to pull for their favorite drivers is too risky a proposition?
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