Crashes are something which can happen at any NASCAR event; or for that matter, in any auto racing event. However, NASCAR is famous for crashes and at least one crash per race is not unheard of. Some tracks are particularly notorious for being the site of serious, even possibly fatal crashes, with such incidents occurring in nearly every event held at the venue. Some people find the high probability of serious crashes to be off-putting, while for others it is one of the biggest draws of NASCAR racing.
Yes, as has been known for a long time, many people who watch NASCAR do so for the chance to see a crash. The danger, the amazingly fast speeds, the potential for consequence, everything that's on the line, it can make for very compelling drama. However, crashes are not in the best interest of the sport in the long term and can lead to both driver and fan deaths.
The last decade has seen NASCAR putting a number of safety measures into place designed to reduce the number of injuries and fatalities resulting from the sport. The impetus for these safety procedures was the death of Dale Earnhardt, the biggest name in the sport at that time. It was this tragedy which spurred the organization to make new and improved head and neck stabilizers mandatory equipment for drivers, increase the padding used on the walls of courses and even redesign the cars used in NASCAR racing to be safer.
However the car itself being redesigned has created more problems as well. Drivers who spent their life learning the subtleties of one kind of car now have to forget those and learn a completely new set of tactics. At the speeds these cars reach and on the crowded tracks they race on, reactions have to be instantaneous and even the smallest of movements or changes in the aerodynamics of the car can produce serious changes in outcome.
This is not to say that the added safety requirements put into place by NASCAR were not necessary; they were and are needed. However, there is still much work to be done to make the sport a safer one for drivers and spectators alike. Some drivers have opined that while improvements have been made, there are still many tragedies waiting to happen at many NASCAR racetracks and that the organization should take a proactive stance rather than waiting for another death before taking action.
At a recent race in NASCAR a car flipped over and went flying into the fence separating the stands from the track. While the car didn't end up in the stands, it came perilously close, and debris that went into the stands injured many. The images were shocking at how close the car was to taking out entire rows of spectators.
So while fans may be lining up to watch the next crash at the NASCAR event, the sport would be wise to institute further measures against such disasters. The next major tragedy could be the last one and could leave the sport no room to recover. It would be a shame if more drivers had to die because NASCAR felt the need to satiate their crash happy fans.
Yes, as has been known for a long time, many people who watch NASCAR do so for the chance to see a crash. The danger, the amazingly fast speeds, the potential for consequence, everything that's on the line, it can make for very compelling drama. However, crashes are not in the best interest of the sport in the long term and can lead to both driver and fan deaths.
The last decade has seen NASCAR putting a number of safety measures into place designed to reduce the number of injuries and fatalities resulting from the sport. The impetus for these safety procedures was the death of Dale Earnhardt, the biggest name in the sport at that time. It was this tragedy which spurred the organization to make new and improved head and neck stabilizers mandatory equipment for drivers, increase the padding used on the walls of courses and even redesign the cars used in NASCAR racing to be safer.
However the car itself being redesigned has created more problems as well. Drivers who spent their life learning the subtleties of one kind of car now have to forget those and learn a completely new set of tactics. At the speeds these cars reach and on the crowded tracks they race on, reactions have to be instantaneous and even the smallest of movements or changes in the aerodynamics of the car can produce serious changes in outcome.
This is not to say that the added safety requirements put into place by NASCAR were not necessary; they were and are needed. However, there is still much work to be done to make the sport a safer one for drivers and spectators alike. Some drivers have opined that while improvements have been made, there are still many tragedies waiting to happen at many NASCAR racetracks and that the organization should take a proactive stance rather than waiting for another death before taking action.
At a recent race in NASCAR a car flipped over and went flying into the fence separating the stands from the track. While the car didn't end up in the stands, it came perilously close, and debris that went into the stands injured many. The images were shocking at how close the car was to taking out entire rows of spectators.
So while fans may be lining up to watch the next crash at the NASCAR event, the sport would be wise to institute further measures against such disasters. The next major tragedy could be the last one and could leave the sport no room to recover. It would be a shame if more drivers had to die because NASCAR felt the need to satiate their crash happy fans.
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