But Tuesday's announcement provided few solutions.

While most of the racing community applauded NASCAR's $1 million investigation, they said the report only amplified a greater issue: Nothing moves slower than the politics of stock car racing.

The time it took Earnhardt's Chevrolet to skid out of control in the fourth turn and hit the wall at Daytona International Speedway on Feb. 18 was measured in split seconds. In the time it takes to flip a light switch, one of the most-revered drivers of all time went from racing for the win to death.

It took NASCAR six months to investigate the crash. It will take another six months for any significant rules changes prompted by the accident to become law.

Death happens in a split second in NASCAR. Change takes a year.

''There were no, in my opinion, major surprises that came out of it,'' driver Jeff Burton said of the report.

Starting with the 2002 Daytona 500, cars will carry data recording devices - block boxes - to help investigators better understand future crashes.

By then, the sanctioning body hopes to have its safety research facility up and running in Conover, N.C., and some of its work will include the use of a computer model that can re-create accidents. It also plans to have a medical liaison that travels the circuit to help local doctors at each track.

NASCAR didn't put a timetable on a new research project that's going to concentrate on the restraint system inside the cockpit.

A team of 54 experts concluded that a broken lap belt was one of several factors that led to Earnhardt's death.

Other factors were the fact his car struck a car driven by Ken Schrader before it hit the wall. That turned Earnhardt's car to a more dangerous angle, and it accelerated his impact. As he either struck Schrader's car or the wall - the difference between the two was measured as 400 milliseconds or half the time of an eye blink, the belt broke, throwing the driver downward and to the right. As he struck the wall, the back of his head either struck the steering wheel or the headrest as he was thrown back into the seat.

The cause of death, according to NASCAR's report, was blunt force trauma - the same finding arrived at by the Volusia County medical examiner. The report, which cost more than $1 million and involved scientists not involved with NASCAR, dispelled reports that Earnhardt died of a head-whip.

Earnhardt's crash created a lot of questions:

Would a head and neck restraint system have saved Earnhardt?

Did the rigidity of the car contribute to the force of impact?

Were the seat belts installed properly, and are there rules governing the placement of seat belts?

Are driver compartments safe?

Based on what was learned during Tuesday's announcement, these questions might take years to answer.

''One of the reasons for creating NASCAR more than 50 years ago was Bill France Sr.'s desire to improve safety for drivers and spectators,'' said NASCAR president Mike Helton. ''There are very few in our history who have had the appreciation and energy toward making it safe as did Dale Earnhardt.

''As this sport has evolved, so have safety improvements. One can look at the cars and equipment used 50 year ago, 25 years ago, 10 years ago and two years ago, for that matter, and compare today's cars and equipment and see clear examples of safety enhancement evolution.''

Those who expected sweeping changes Tuesday were disappointed. Those most at risk - the drivers - weren't surprised. But they were supportive.

''We're all doing everything we can do to make the sport as safe as it can be,'' said driver Kyle Petty, whose son, Adam, was killed by a skull fracture similar to Earnhardt's nine months earlier at New Hampshire International Speedway. ''As long as we're running at high rates of speed, though, racing is never going to be 100 percent safe. That's just a fact of our sport.

''We could slow things down and run about 20 mph, and the racing would be a whole lot safer. But it wouldn't be much fun to do, and it sure wouldn't be much fun to watch. As long as everybody is working to make it as safe as it can be, I don't know that we can ask for much more.''

It's not enough, according to Charles Manning, president of Accident Reconstruction Analysis of Raleigh, N.C.

''They did not reach any conclusions at all,'' he said after attending NASCAR's announcement. ''They absolutely should be moving faster. We should know what steps to take to make racing safer by now.''

Dean L. Sicking, one of the coordinators of the NASCAR investigation, said it's important not to make quick changes without understanding the ramifications.

''Those things are being studied, but I think we need to be very cautious as to how they're implemented so we don't try to fix the last accident and end up creating a number of other accidents in things that are being handled very well right now,'' he said.

''It's not a quick fix,'' Helton said. ''There is not a resolution tomorrow. We are not going to react just for the sake of reaction. We're not going to react just for the sake of reacting. We're going to understand the ramifications of a change before we make it.''

Helton said his organization would continue to make information available to drivers so they can make an educated decision regarding the use of a head and neck restraint system. The sanctioning body is apparently doing a good job of convincing drivers because only seven wore a safety collar at the Daytona 500, and 41 of 43 wore one during Sunday's race at Michigan International Speedway, including Dale Earnhardt Jr.

''We don't want to make drivers do something that makes them uncomfortable,'' said NASCAR vice president Jim Hunter. ''All we can do is make the information available and continue to suggest their use.''

The sport travels to the half-mile raceway at Bristol, Tenn., on Saturday night for one of the most popular races of the year - the Sharpie 500. While the cars will be exactly as they were a month ago, drivers will have the benefit of knowledge gained by Tuesday's briefing.

Reach Don Coble at doncoble@bellsouth.net.