Lowe’s Motor Speedway and Automobile Racing Club of America officials began a review of Wednesday’s fatal crash during practice at the track, but made no immediate rules changes Thursday following the death of ARCA rookie Eric Martin. “We still don’t know the full story of what happened and we are investigating that,” Speedway president H.A. “Humpy” Wheeler said. “We’re going to be looking into some things as soon as we know a little more about what happened.” Martin, 33, of Hixson, Tenn., spun in his Chevrolet as he came out of Turn 4 during a practice session. Seconds later, his stationary car was hit in the driver’s-side door by a car driven by Deborah Renshaw. Martin suffered massive internal injuries, Wheeler said. Renshaw, 25, of Bowling Green, Ky., had multiple foot and ankle fractures and had surgery Thursday. She was listed in fair condition late Thursday, will have an evaluation today and could be released afterward, said a University Hospital spokesperson. While the injuries suffered in the high-speed impact were cited as the cause of death, there was no way to immediately determine if the accident could have been avoided. Renshaw has not yet been able to talk to track or sanctioning body officials. Questions were raised about the role of drivers’ spotters, who watch the track and their assigned cars and have two-way radio communication with their drivers. ARCA requires all cars on the track to have a spotter, either atop a team’s transporter or in a stand on the roof above the press box and main grandstand. NASCAR has no such rule, though almost all Winston Cup teams use one or two spotters per car, for both safety and competitive reasons. Bob Schacht was Renshaw’s spotter Wednesday. He has not been available for comment. ARCA president Ron Drager said Wednesday that Schacht was on top of a truck in the garage area. Bob Jeffrey, spotter for Winston Cup driver Dale Jarrett, and Mike Calinoff, spotter for Matt Kenseth, said they also work from the roof. “I watch the whole race track and the other cars, too,” Jeffrey said. “I let (Jarrett) know where the other cars are so he won’t crowd anybody or get crowded himself. “I spotted in the late ’80s from on top of the truck in practice. Then we started going to the roof. You can see so much more from there.” Calinoff said he goes to the roof “whether (Kenseth) is on the track for one lap or 20 laps. “I’m a second set of eyes for Matt. I tell him when it’s clear to pass. And on wrecks, instead of telling him where to go on the track, I’ll tell him where the (wrecked) cars are and let him decide where to go.”(ThatsRacin.com)(10-11-2002)
