In a sitdown with NBC Sports, Mike Helton recalls the impact of Sept. 11 on NASCAR, from a postponed race to an emotional, patriotic and triumphant return at Dover with Dale Jr.
In a sitdown about Sept. 11's impact on NASCAR, vice chairman Mike Helton recalls a difficult 2001 season already for NASCAR (2:00); the scene in Daytona as Sept. 11 began (4:00); the impromptu command center in Bill France Jr.’s office (6:30); taking care of NASCAR industry members scattered around the country (8:30); processing the emotions while determining the path forward (11:00); “Hey, this is way too big. I don’t have it in me to do it.” (12:30); unplugging New Hampshire (14:30); how the country knew it was time to stop … and then time to restart sports and entertainment (16:30); making changes to entry and security policies (18:30); the resiliency and resourcefulness of NASCAR teams that week (20:30); a memorable sea of 150,000 American flags (22:30); “it was almost as if we were shooting a movie about patriotism (24:30); an appropriate winner (26:30); the aftermath of a memorable day for Mike (28:00).