ShareThisThe death of Peter Lenz has sparked debates about children and motorsports.
Lenz, who recently had turned 13, became the youngest racer to die at the century-old Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Sunday when he was hit by another driver after falling off his motorcycle during a warmup lap.
Almost immediately came the blanket condemnations of kids participating in motorsports. How can parents allow them to do something so dangerous when the kids can't even get a driver's license?
"It blows my mind that none of the adults around him put his well-being first," wrote John Canzano, a columnist for the Oregonian newspaper in Portland. "This ultimately rests with parents who should tell children who want to participate in dangerous activities, 'I love you too much to let you risk your life.'?"
Really? Then should we keep our kids from playing football, baseball or basketball? Swimming or going to the beach? Maybe we should just keep them indoors to protect them from any risk.
It's already been two years since my son, Isaak, started racing Quarter Midget cars at the age of 5. Would I pull him out because racing is dangerous? Absolutely not. Isaak drives almost 40 mph around a 1/10-mile asphalt track with more than half a dozen other drivers. Yes, it can be dangerous, and he's been in wrecks. But he's well-protected: double-layer Nomex firesuit, helmet, gloves and neck brace, plus an extra head-restraint system, five-point seatbelt and a chassis frame around him. He receives training regularly.
Granted, Lenz was on a motorcycle and lacked Isaak's protection. But for his form of racing, he had the best safety equipment. Is a 13-year-old too young to race bikes? I think he and his family understood the risks, as do most racers. Safety is always a priority. But accidents happen.
I do hope this tragedy will prompt all motorsports-sanctioning bodies to review their safety policies. But to condemn an entire sport because of a rare incident is wrong.
( Lyra Solochek writes for the St. Petersburg Times. She can be reached at lsolochek(at)tampabay.com.)
(Distributed by Scripps Howard News Service www.scrippsnews.com)
columnMust credit St. Petersburg Times.
