Columnist Brian Hilderbrand: NHRA calls off races; other series may do likewise

Wednesday, Sept. 12, 2001 | 9:51 a.m.

Brian Hilderbrand covers motor sports for the Las Vegas Sun. Reach him at bh@lasvegassun.com or 259-4089.

The National Hot Rod Association (NHRA) postponed this weekend's Keystone Nationals in Reading, Pa., and other major auto racing series are contemplating following suit in the wake of Tuesday's terrorist attacks in New York and Washington.

"In light of today's tragic events, the National Hot Rod Association has decided to postpone this week's NHRA Keystone Nationals at Maple Grove Raceway in Reading, Pa.," the sanctioning body said Tuesday in a release. "The NHRA Keystone Nationals has been rescheduled for the weekend of October 4-7.

"NHRA expresses its deepest sympathy to all affected by today's events."

NASCAR canceled its Friday qualifying session for Sunday's New Hampshire 300 Winston Cup race and series president Mike Helton said he would continue to monitor the situation before making a decision whether to hold Sunday's race at New Hampshire International Speedway.

The 43-car field for Sunday's race will be set according to the current points standings.

"Our country has experienced a terrible tragedy today," Helton said. "All of the NASCAR community offers our sincerest sympathies to all those who have suffered losses. We will continue to monitor and evaluate this situation and make the appropriate decisions as the week progresses."

Veteran Winston Cup driver Dale Jarrett said Tuesday during a national teleconference call that he wasn't sure if racing Sunday was "the right thing to do."

"First off, there are two things," Jarrett said. "Safety-wise, is it safe for our teams and people to be traveling? Second, does it become a distraction to anything that's going on with our nation as to what needs to take place there? Finally, and maybe most importantly, is it the right thing to do?

"Right now, we need to be concerned with these people and the families of the people that have been involved here and we need to make sure that, once again, our nation is a safe place to live. We've got to make sure that it would be the right thing to do."

The Indy Racing League said it would make a determination today on the status of its season finale Sunday at Texas Motor Speedway, although TMS general manager Eddie Gossage said the speedway was "moving ahead as planned" for this weekend's IRL and NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series races.

"We are all deeply saddened by this national tragedy and our thoughts and prayers go out to the victims and their families," Gossage said in a statement. "We have been in discussions with both the Indy Racing League and NASCAR and are discussing the possible options.

"At this time, we are moving ahead as planned for the Chevy 500 race week events."

America's other major racing series, Championship Auto Racing Teams (CART), is in Germany this week for an inaugural race at EuroSpeedway in Lausitz. A spokeswoman for CART said Tuesday that most of the drivers and team and series officials had arrived in Germany on Sunday and Monday but was unsure of the status of Saturday's race.

At Las Vegas Motor Speedway, general manager Chris Powell said Tuesday that it was too early to tell what effect the events of Tuesday would have on this weekend's racing at the facility's drag strip and 3/8-mile paved oval.

The speedway has the B&M Racers Appreciation Series drag racing event scheduled Friday through Sunday at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway and a NASCAR Weekly Racing Series card at The Bullring on Saturday night. Although the stock-car event at The Bullring would draw almost exclusively from the local racing community, drivers from all over the country are expected for the drag races.

"A lot of things depend on what happens with the airlines," Powell said. "My inclination for now is to go ahead with the events this weekend ... but we will have to wait and see what happens with the national transportation system before we make any decisions."