Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: TUESDAY, February 14, 1994 TAG: 9402140104
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B5 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: Associated Press
DATELINE: DAYTONA BEACH, FLA. LENGTH: Short
Bonnett's body was hundreds of miles away in his hometown of Hueytown, Ala., where the popular driver and television commentator will be buried today.
Bonnett, making a comeback from a crash in April 1990 at Darlington, S.C., in which he suffered a severe concussion and a partial memory loss, died within minutes of the one-car crash during the opening practice session for the Feb. 20 Daytona 500. He died of massive head injuries.
It was not the crash or even the death of Bonnett, 47, that brought about 150 members of the racing community to the Central Baptist Church. They came instead to pray together, recite proverbs, tell stories about the man seemingly everybody loved and to be together at a difficult time.
Dr. Hal Marchman, pastor of the church, greeted the gathering by saying that, as the chaplain at the speedway for 30 years, he has come to the conclusion that the racing community is "one of the closest-knit, healthy communities I know of" and that it makes its way through these tragic events "with strength."
The gathering included several NASCAR Winston Cup drivers, NASCAR president Bill France Jr., many of Bonnett's TV colleagues and numerous team members and media representatives.
Keywords:
AUTO RACING
by CNB