NASCAR and Pocono Raceway officials are investigating whether there is a need for emergency reaction policy changes to weather-related events following Sunday’s tragedy at the 2.5-mile track. A 41-year-old man was killed and nine others were injured as a result of lightning strikes within minutes of the Sprint Cup race being called for severe weather. The incident raised the question of whether the race should have been called earlier to give the track time to evacuate the stands and everyone enough time to reach the safety of their cars or shelter. NASCAR spokesman David Higdon said NASCAR’s attention to severe weather will be on ‘hyper alert’ heading to this week’s race at Watkins Glen. ‘But I will add we ‘re always in that situation,’ he said. ‘Nobody had their guard down (at Pocono).’ NASCAR doesn ‘t have a hard and fast rule on how to react to severe weather. Higdon said that is left up to the individual tracks, and most don ‘t have rules such as evacuating the track if lightning is within a certain radius of the facility. NASCAR officials made it clear that the safety of the fans in these situations ultimately is the responsibility of the tracks. The dilemma for tracks is they can have the best emergency plan, but the decision on when to stop the race is NASCAR’s. As Ed Klima, the director of emergency services at Dover International Raceway, told the Associated Press, ‘it’s very difficult to get people to leave if there’s still cars going around the racetrack.’ The initial severe weather warning was issued to fans at Pocono at 4:12 p.m. NASCAR called the race and declared Jeff Gordon the winner at 4:54 p.m. The lightning strike that took the life of Brian F. Zimmerman of Moosic, Pa., while he was leaning against his car, took place at 5:01 p.m.(ESPN)(8-7-2012)
