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Most of NASCAR's top drivers took sympathetic notice, but likely won't change anything in the wake of last month's helicopter crash in California that killed Kobe Bryant and eight others. Whether commercial or private, Cup Series drivers say they simply must fly to live the way they want.
Two-time and defending Daytona 500 champion Denny Hamlin, for example, banked the equivalent of an extra week with his family last year by using an airport 15 minutes closer to his home than another facility. The Bryant tragedy got his attention, but it won't keep him from flying, often several times a week.
Denny Hamlin, right, says that flying saves him the equivalent of an extra week of family time a year.Brian LawdermilkGetty Images
"It certainly makes you think and second-guess your choices," Hamlin said Wednesday at Daytona International Speedway. "I put a lot of faith in the people in the aviation department (at Joe Gibbs Racing). You look at a lot of (private plane) crashes, and most have been human error or bad choices. We always try to hedge on the safe side when it comes to conditions. It's unfortunate, but these things happen. It definitely opens your eyes when it happens to a star athlete."
Joey Logano has won a Daytona 500 and a Cup Series title, but he's cautious when it comes to his travel options. "I never liked helicopters in the first place," he said. "I've always been very timid about jumping on a helicopter; I've probably ridden them three times. They feel like they don't glide, they go straight down.
Joey Logano says he's never been a fan of helicopters.Matt SullivanGetty Images
"You've got to be smart, which is hard because you're not the one crawling underneath the airplane (doing maintenance). I have a great agreement with Wheels Up (a flight service many teams use) because they have the best pilots, do the right amount of maintenance and make sure the plane is where it needs to be."
As for flying commercial, something drivers and key racing personnel almost never do? "You hope the right pilots are in there," Logano said. "You hope that works because there are a lot of lives on the line. The biggest thing I see when something happens is that it's usually pilot error. You just have to make sure you have people doing what they want to do.
"We've got to fly every week … we have to. To do this right and get home and prepare for the next race, you can't drive from place to place to place. I'm not gonna drive to Vegas next week. It takes too long."
Clint Bowyer says helicopters and planes are just part of "how we make our living."Jared C. TiltonGetty Images
From veteran racer Clint Bowyer: "(The Bryant tragedy) rings home when you're in a profession where you're constantly traveling, taking off and touching down, sometimes almost daily. It hits home and makes you think and appreciate every touchdown. But we can't change anything because this is how we make our living. The sad thing is that those things happen all the time, but it takes (losing) a superstar like Kobe for us to realize it and wake up and learn from it."
From relative NASCAR newcomer Bubba Wallace, speaking of Bryant: "To see somebody have that big an impact, you can only hope to leave that sort of impact when it's your time. To have that global impact speaks volumes to how he was as a person. It was a huge loss for the sports world and for the world in general. I've got to change up a few things to have that sort of impact in my career. So, we'll start right now. I want to line myself up to follow that path."
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Seven-time champion and two-time Daytona 500 winner Jimmie Johnson said that no matter how tragic aviation accidents can be, it's almost impossible to be a full-time racer these days without using private planes. He uses his private jet and his personal pilot almost weekly, but can't imagine himself ever owning or using a helicopter.
"You have to move around in his job, which means you have to have a plane," he said four days before what likely will be his final Daytona 500. "But for me … no, no helicopters. They've always scared me. I want something that will glide for a little while.
"Planes are scary enough as they are; I have no desire to fly or ride in a helicopter."
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