IndyCar drivers, officials discuss safety in meeting

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10/24/2011 - Indianapolis, IN (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Eight days after Dan Wheldon's fatal crash at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, several drivers and officials from the IZOD IndyCar Series convened for a three-hour, closed-door meeting at Indianapolis Motor Speedway to discuss safety issues in the sport.

IndyCar CEO Randy Bernard scheduled the voluntary meeting on Monday, since many competitors were in Indianapolis to attend a public memorial service for Wheldon, held yesterday at Conseco Field.

Dario Franchitti and Tony Kanaan were among those drivers who met with Bernard, as well as Brian Barnhart, IndyCar's president of competition and racing operations, and Will Phillips, the series' vice president of technology.

Franchitti and Kanaan briefly met with reporters afterwards. Both drivers did not share much information about the contents of the meeting but said it was "positive" and "productive." Franchitti and Kanaan served as pallbearers for Wheldon during Saturday's funeral service in St. Petersburg, FL.

"We all got to talk a lot and listen a lot," four-time series champion Franchitti said. "We just looked at going forward and how do we improve things in all areas, so I think it was a very positive and productive meeting. That's the first step I think today."

IndyCar endured its darkest moment in the early going of the October 16 race at Las Vegas when a horrific 15-car crash claimed the life of Wheldon, a two- time Indianapolis 500 winner and former IndyCar champion. Wheldon's car went airborne into the catch fence along turn two before it erupted into flames during the lap 11 incident. The 33-year-old Englishman died of blunt head trauma.

"We're going to use this terrible thing that happened, and we're going to try to make things as safe as possible," Franchitti added.

Wheldon had recently served as test driver for IndyCar's new Dallara chassis at IMS, a car he thought was much safer than the current one.

"Everybody was in a very positive attitude and in a positive way, trying to makes things better than they are already," said Kanaan, the 2004 series titleholder. "We have a new opportunity with the new car, so it was a very productive meeting. It was everybody trying to get on the same page and brainstorming for the future."

Wheldon was the first IndyCar driver killed at a racetrack since Paul Dana's fatal crash during a practice session at Homestead-Miami Speedway in 2006.

"What people need to understand is that we're not going to make motor racing a hundred percent safe," Kanaan noted. "That's the fact. As long as we can leave with the fact that what we do is very dangerous, we can keep making it better."

Hours after the meeting, IndyCar issued a news release, noting it will continue with its investigation into Las Vegas accident. IndyCar said it will conduct the investigation in two phases.

As part of the first phase, an internal team led by series safety and competition officials will evaluate data to make a factual determination of the circumstances surrounding the entire incident.

The team will utilize outside, independent experts and consultants for analysis of the data, and the results will then be turned over to an independent, third-party group for validation.

"We must continue to move forward with a thorough investigation," Bernard said in a statement. "Fortunately, that has already begun, and we have the protocols in place to get this done. This was a tragic accident, and IndyCar needs to understand everything possible about it."

IndyCar expects it will take several weeks for phase one to be completed. Phase two of the investigation will utilize information from the first one to minimize risks in the future.

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After all the trouble that’s ensued since Braylon Edwards allegedly punched one of LeBron James’ homeboys in the face at a club, the Cleveland Browns have sent away their last remaining player of worth to the New York Jets. This is a great move for Dirty Sanchez and all, but it’s even better for the Knicks. Now Donnie Walsh can say, “You get to haunt Braylon Edwards with your posse if you sign here!” next summer.

Putting that aside for a moment, the move is a clear indication that the new-look Jets are gunning for the Super Bowl this year. I don’t think that New York thought that Dirty Sanchez was going to be such a rock star. With a 75.2 passer rating that was killed against the Jets, Sanchez is doing an admirable job of managing games and putting the Jets in a position to win. The defense has been the major story in New York thus far, but the acquisition of Braylon Edwards makes this offense loaded with talent that can dent any defense…as long as Dirty Sanchez continues his meteoric rise.

Thus far, Edwards has been a non-factor in the NFL piling up just 139 receiving yards on 10 catches. He has yet to find the endzone, and with the Browns mired in the most unsexy quarterback controversy of all time (Anderson vs. Quinn...yawn), there going nowhere fast. Edwards is two seasons removed from a career year which saw him catch 80 passes for 1,289 yards and 16 touchdowns when the Browns were the spread killing monsters of 2007. In 2008, injuries slowed the receiver down to just 873 yards and three touchdowns though he played in all 16 games.

So that being said, we really don’t know if Braylon Edwards is just a flash in the pan, or a legit threat. At 6-foot-3 and 215 pounds, he is a prototypical receiver. But he’s also shown a strange, and unwarranted, talent for dropping passes. Lining up opposite Jericho Cotchery, a speed demon with 23 catches, 356 yards and a single touchdown, may give Braylon the open looks he needs. A change of scenery may also rejuvenate the star receiver.

In return, the Browns will receive Chansi Stuckey, online football betting a special teams player you’ve never heard of and a pair of draft picks. That’s a tall order for a guy whose only real value right now is in his name, and it shows no promise to the Browns that they can rebuild around those acquisitions. Braylon was the only reason to hope for the Browns to go 3-14 SU this year. Without him, they don’t have a single guy on offense that can scare any team.

For the Jets, it’s a response to the pounding that they took at the hand of the Saints. Thomas Jones and Leon Washington have averaged around 4.0 yards per carry each on the ground, but striking a fair balance between the passing and rushing attacks in New York has been a struggle. You have to believe that the trio of Dustin Keller, Jericho Cotchery and Braylon Edwards will give Sanchez the weapons he needs to unleash through the air. Theoretically, that would open up holes for the rushing game. But the proposed public option health care plan works in theory too. We need to see the proof in the pudding before we start loading up mega bucks on the New York Jets to take the AFC.

The one wrinkle in this whole thing is that Braylon could very well be suspended by the league for disciplinary action due to his “brawl” with LeBron’s friend. If that’s the case, the Jets may have to bench him for a few games leaving them with a somewhat depleted receiving corps for a few games. Also, this is a guy who gets in fights with people at clubs. New York may not be the best place for him. Just sayin’.

The Jets have a long week before they meet the Miami Dolphins on Monday Night Football Betting in a virtual pick ‘em game. Braylon’s excess baggage may be a distraction, and his curiously low production may be what we should be expecting of him overall, but for the Jets, taking a chance to strike gold is well worth it. At the end of the year, they can simply just blame it on their rookie quarterback.

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