NBC Sports president Dick Ebersol thanked the “NASCAR community” Saturday for supporting him through what has been a difficult time. Ebersol’s 14-year-old son, Teddy, was killed in a plane crash in November in Colorado. The pilot and a flight attendant also were killed. Dick Ebersol, Charlie Ebersol and co-pilot Eric Wicksell were injured. “I wanted to tell you all from the bottom of my heart, ‘Thank you,'” Ebersol said, holding back tears. “This community more than any other in sports has been there for my family and for me through all of this.” NASCAR driver Kyle Petty and team owner Rick Hendrick also have lost sons, and Ebersol said both reached out to him. “To Kyle and to Rick, who belong to the same club that none of you I hope will ever have to belong to, I owe so much,” said Ebersol, who spoke during the pre-race drivers meeting and received a standing ovation. “You don’t ever want to lose a child, but if you do, you want to have your faith in humanity renewed by the love and good works of the people around you trying to help you.”(ESPN.com/AP)(7-3-2005)
