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.
As has always been the case in auto racing of any sort, there are a significant number of fans who are in it for the crashes. They thrill to the speed and the crashes and near-crashes; it’s a drama which keeps them on the edge of their seats. However, crashes aren’t actually a good thing for NASCAR’s popularity over the long run - crashes can and have lead to the deaths of drivers and even fans.
Over the last decade NASCAR has instituted a variety of safety precautions intended to improve the injury and death rate in the sport. This was largely a reaction out of necessity after the most popular driver in the sport, Dale Earnhardt, died in a crash at NASCAR’s biggest and most signature event, the Daytona 500. Some of these changes include advanced head and neck stabilizers, increased wall protection and padding and a complete redesign of the car itself.
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 one recent event, a car flipped and flew into the fence which separated the spectators from the track itself. Fortunately the car did not breach the fence and there were no fatalities, but flying debris did cause many minor injuries in the stands. It was an incredibly close call; one which came very close to being a catastrophe.
None of these incidents have done much, if anything to make NASCAR racing less popular. Fans still eagerly line up to see every race (and some to be close to the crashes). However, NASCAR would be well advised to implement additional safety measures - there have already been some narrow escapes and one catastrophic event could be all it takes to plunge the sport into a decline from which it may not recover. Some NASCAR fans may love to see a crash; but drivers and fans shouldn’t have to risk injury or death to give these fans what they love.
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