The Love of Danger: Fans and NASCAR Wrecks

What can make hundreds of people collectively give a sigh of relief? What can stop motion in a living room filled with NASCAR fans drinking Pepsi, eating pizza and watching the Pepsi 400? What is one of the events that NASCAR fans will remember the longest and talk about for weeks afterwards? It's NASCAR wrecks. They come in all types: flips, fires, blowouts, spins, or sometimes the total destruction of the expensive racing car. There are two things that all NASCAR wrecks have in common: The fans are intrigued by them, and they want the driver to walk away from the wreck.

When the Drivers Survive:

Fortunately, most NASCAR wrecks result in the driver crawling from his car and waving at the crowd. The cars are most often not that well off. There are either pieces strewn across the track, or the car has to visit pit lane for some hasty repairs. Due to all the safety equipment, the driver is able to return and please his fans again at the next race, even if his car was totally demolished.

How the Drivers Survive:

The list of protective equipment for drivers is exhausting. Everything that they wear, the seat they sit in, their helmet, ear wear, head rest system, seat belts, and the Hans device are only a few of the mandatory equipment that protects your favorite driver when his car spins out of control or flips end over end. Dr. Robert Hubbard can be thanked for developing the Hans device, a neck restraint system, that prevents basal skull fracture during a violent NASCAR wreck.

When Drivers Lose Their Lives:

Occasionally the physical dynamics of an accident and the sheer violence involved results in the loss of life despite all the safety measures. In moments like the tragic night in 1999 when Dale Earnhardt did not emerge with that smile and a wave, the audience never quiet recovers from the silence. Today, his loss is still mourned by NASCAR fans across the country. However, it is through deaths like his that improvements are made in driver safety so that the next time a legend spins and slams, he can emerge from his car and with a tired and sore body wave to the fans who are collectively holding their breath.

NASCAR wrecks are commonplace in a world where steel and concrete meet at speeds in excess of 180 mph. Due to ever increasing safety measures, most drivers walk away from the accidents without suffering any injury. Because of that fact fans can enjoy the competition and the thrill of the speed, as well as the added drama of a NASCAR wreck, without the expectancy of fatality at every race.

About the Author

By Jeffry Prescott. Are you mad about NASCAR? At www.stockcarcrashes.com you can see videos of non-fatal NASCAR wrecks, as well as different NASCAR race scanner reviews.