by Steve Byrnes

When the NASCAR community lost Kenny Irwin in a practice crash at New Hampshire in 2000, Darrell Waltrip said racing doesn't allow time for grieving. It's just a business at that point.

When Dale Earnhardt died in the 2001 Daytona 500, we showed up and went through the procedures again at Rockingham because that's what we do. There aren't any off-weekends, but I wish we could take this weekend off. On one hand, you could say racing is the best thing to do to stay busy, but I almost wish we didn't have to race this weekend as a way to honor the Hendrick family.

It's a big blow when you start looking at how many lives are affected from racers to suppliers to the automotive industry in Charlotte because Rick Hendrick's businesses are a huge force in Charlotte.

For me, it's more difficult to get my arms around this tragedy than Earnhardt's death. You can't say one life is more or less important than another, but when Earnhardt died at the race track, I was able to process it by saying drivers know that risk every time they get in a race car. Waltrip has said nobody ever put a gun to his head and made him get into a race car. He did it because he loved it. On a certain level, I understand that way of thinking. If you give your life doing what you love to do, that's entirely your choice.

Sunday's accident happened during a flight to the race track. These folks were just going up to watch the race. That's what makes it so painful to me. When you get on a plane, you're thankful when you make it to your destination, but you don't dwell on the fact that it could be dangerous. You just don't consider the possibility of flying into the side of a mountain.

When Earnhardt passed away, it was the first race of the year. Gradually over time, people grieved in their own way, healed and guys started smiling in the garage area again. It certainly wasn't overnight, but eventually guys would come to work and have fun again.

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At this point in the season, you're either in the midst of the Chase for the Nextel Cup, or you're at the end of a very long marathon — the 2004 season — and waiting to get to the end. So many lives in that garage area have been touched by Rick and John Hendrick. Randy Dorton built engines for other teams. When Joe Nemechek won at Kansas City, he credited Hendrick horsepower under the hood. I just don't know how people will react at Atlanta.

I picked up my son from school on Tuesday, and people I had never met before patted me on the back and said they were sorry to hear about the Hendrick plane crash. It meant a lot to me, but it also made me realize the major impact this tragedy has had in the Charlotte area and in the NASCAR community.