Against my better judgement...

For all my friends who are not fans of various and sundry safety innovations, may I suggest that you, in your daily lives at home, work, your health, play or travel, give up all safety advances made in the years since, say, the first roll cages were bolted on the first sprint car. Try living your life as you do without the benefits of increased safety.

I'll offer just one example in my life. In July, my wife was taken to St. Francis Hospital and received a heart pacemaker. She survived and the pacemaker is doing fine. I missed the first part of Indiana Sprint Week, but it was worth it.

Okay, two examples. In September, she had a mild stroke, if there is such a thing. Thanks to a neurologist who practices up at St. Vincent's, she is recovering from that as well. Oh, she picked the Thursday morning of the BC39 at IMS to have the stroke. (I see a pattern here.)

Thanks to these technological advances, she's still here and I'm better off for it.

During those two events, ISW and BC39, several racers took some nasty rides, as some do most every week. Would it be appropriate to suggest that those racers, their families, friends, car owners and fans appreciate the safety improvements that we now take for granted? Perhaps we could ask racers themselves their own opinions of safety and medical care in these times as opposed to even a few years ago.

Their responses would be interesting and should be taken seriously.