Maybe once he was out of the car, but not until then. They took too long to get to him. If he had not been able to get himself out of the car, I'm not sure this would have turned out good at all.
Yes, it was very bad. I've never seen a car go up in flames like that before. The corner workers got there as quickly as they could - they actually ran into burning fuel on the track to pull him out. They did a very good job, especially considering that they are not even safety workers. The first people who got to him really went above and beyond the call of duty.
It is a testament to the good design of the Corvette, and to Earnhardt himself (he took a pretty good hit, then had his car practically explode) that he was able to get out of the car so quickly. It's amazing that he was able to keep his wits about him. He's a remarkable fellow, and I'm very glad that he's going to be okay. I'm sorry that he wasn't able to race - he really seemed to be having a good time this weekend.