Earnhardt's death is mourned in Daytona

Motor sport: The death of Dale Earnhardt (49), the self-styled "Intimidator" and one of the greatest legends in the history of US auto racing, send fans into mourning on Sunday in Daytona Beach, Florida. Makeshift shrines celebrating the late driver of the black number three car were erected throughout Daytona International Speedway, where Earnhardt died of head injuries in a last-lap crash at the 43rd Daytona 500.

Part of the stunning aspect is that Earnhardt was one turn from completing a third-place finish and a podium sweep of cars he owned, with Michael Waltrip winning and Dale Earnhardt jnr finishing second.

Earnhardt is survived by wife Teresa and four children, including Dale jnr.

Sixth on the National Association of Stock Car Auto Racing's all-time win list with 76 victories, Earnhardt enjoyed a late-career resurgence. He finished second in the 2000 points standings to Bobby Labonte, a remarkable feat at his age. He won 34 races at Daytona, more than any other driver, although his lone Daytona 500 crown came in 1998.

Filling the void could be impossible for NASCAR, which lost two auto racers last year in separate incidents at New Hampshire - rising star Adam Petty, the grandson of NASCAR all-time win leader Richard Petty, and veteran Kenny Irwin.

Earnhardt was not wearing the HANS (Head and Neck Safety) Device which has been mandated in open-wheel events such as Formula One and high-speed Championship Auto Racing Teams competitions.

Earnhardt's car slammed head-first into the concrete outer wall at Daytona. Just six months earlier, he had spoken out at the Brickyard 400 in Indianapolis about NASCAR's inability to create a breakaway wall.

ROWING: Sydney gold medallist Kieran West has hailed the University Boat Race as the perfect springboard to Olympic glory.

West, president of the Cambridge crew and part of the triumphant mens' eight Down Under, reckons the experience that both teams collect can act as a catalyst for another gold rush in Athens.

"People in the Boat Race are at the top of their sport and any person in either boat, if they put their mind to it, could be the next Olympic champion," said West. "They could achieve the same level of success as Matthew Pinsent or Steve Redgrave. Matt has proved it is possible."

Not every British rowing hope has the luxury of competing in the annual Oxbridge grudge match, but West believes the future of the nation's success in the sport could be boosted involvement in the showpiece event.

He said: "I can't speak on behalf of Oxford, but at Cambridge the system and facilities are unparalleled. The university has world-class coaches and they offer a very high standard of coaching."

ATHLETICS: Jamaican sprint star Merlene Ottey is set to run over 60 metres at this week's Flanders indoor meeting in Gent.

The 40-year-old, world champion over 200 metres in 1993 and 1995, continues to test herself against top-class opposition and earlier this month won the Milrose Games in New York.

Ottey goes into Friday's Belgian meeting after clocking 7.20 seconds for the 60 metres and 11.21 seconds over 100 metres in Finland last week to remain unbeaten this year.

At the Sydney Games, Ottey picked up her seventh Olympic medal when she won silver in the 4x100 metres relay after being cleared by the International Amateur Athletics Federation over a positive test for nandrolone.