Okay, so the other day I was watching a NASCAR race and it got me thinking, “How many people have actually died doing this?” I mean, it’s gotta be a dangerous sport, right? So, I decided to do a little digging.
Start My Research
I started by, you know, just Googling it. I typed in something like “NASCAR deaths” and started browsing through the results. It wasn’t as straightforward as I thought it would be.
Dive into Details
I found some different numbers depending on where I looked. Some sites listed only drivers in the top series, others included different NASCAR series and even practice and qualifying sessions. So it was kinda hard to pin down an exact number, it seems.
What I Found
- The Big Leagues: It seems like most of the deaths, sadly, have been in the top-level NASCAR series, what used to be called the Winston Cup, then the Nextel Cup, Sprint Cup, and now it’s the Monster Energy Cup Series.
- Not Just Races: I was surprised to learn some deaths happened during practice runs or qualifying, not just the main races. That made me realize just how risky every single lap can be.
- Different Eras, Different Safety: It’s clear that safety has improved a lot over the years. What was acceptable back in the day is unthinkable now. Things like better helmets, safer barriers, and the HANS device have probably saved a lot of lives.
Figuring Things Out
What I ended up doing was looking at different sources and trying to piece together a general idea. It’s not like there’s one perfect official list that everyone agrees on. But I got a much better understanding of the risks involved and how much things have changed over time.
In * is a very dangerous * careful when everyone be a racer!
