Motor racing and motorsport are dangerous. Accidents can sometimes occur when machines are pushed to the limit of enclosed dangerous tracks. Sometimes, these accidents can prove fatal. Despite safety improvements made over the years in all motorsports, there are still fatalities from crashes. Nascar has seen drivers die while racing the sport they love. We look at these drivers and the accidents or events that led to them dying below.

Since 1952, Larry Mann was the NASCAR Cup Series driver who died. Dale Earnhardt was the latest to die in the Daytona 500, 2001. There have been 54 deaths related to driving in other NASCAR series. Safety improvements have been made to reduce, but not eliminate the risk for drivers.

These 28 NaSCAR Cup mortalities occurred over 70 years (this one).This is true, but you have to add 54 deaths. These issues are explored in detail. Also, we examine the dangers of NASCAR compared with other motorsports.

Timeline of NASCAR Cup Deaths

Below is a list of the NASCAR Cup series fatalities. There have been 28 total driver deaths.

NASCAR DriverDate of IncidentRacetrack
Larry MannSeptember 14, 1952Langhorne Speedway
Frank ArfordJune 20, 1953Langhorne Speedway
Lou FigaroOctober 24, 1954North Wilkesboro Speedway
John McVittyApril 21, 1956Langhorne Speedway
Clint McHughJune 9, 1956Memphis-Arkansas Speedway
Cotton PriddyJune 10, 1956Memphis-Arkansas Speedway
Bobby MyersSeptember 2, 1957Darlington International Raceway
Joe WeatherlyJanuary 19, 1964Riverside International Raceway
Fireball RobertsMay 24, 1964Charlotte Motor Speedway
Jimmy PardueSeptember 22, 1964Charlotte Motor Speedway
Billy WadeJanuary 5, 1965Daytona International Speedway
Buren Skeen]September 6, 1965Darlington International Raceway
Harold KiteOctober 17, 1965Charlotte Motor Speedway
Billy FosterJanuary 20, 1967Riverside International Raceway
Talmadge PrinceFebruary 19, 1970Daytona International Speedway
Friday HasslerFebruary 17, 1972Daytona International Speedway
Larry SmithAugust 12, 1973Alabama International Motor Speedway
Tiny LundAugust 17, 1975Alabama International Motor Speedway
Ricky KnottsFebruary 14, 1980Daytona International Speedway
Bruce JacobiFebruary 17, 1983Daytona International Speedway
Terry SchoonoverNovember 11, 1984Atlanta International Raceway
 Rick BaldwinJune 14, 1986Michigan International Speedway
Grant AdcoxNovember 19, 1989Atlanta International Raceway
 J. D. McDuffieAugust 11, 1991Watkins Glen International
Neil BonnettFebruary 11, 1994Daytona International Speedway
Rodney OrrFebruary 14th 1994Daytona International Speedway
Kenny Irwin Jr.July 7, 2000New Hampshire International Speedway
Dale EarnhardtFebruary 18, 2001Daytona International Speedway

What was the First NASCAR Death?

Larry Mann is the first recorded NASCAR Race DeathOpens in a new tab. 14 September 1952At the time, he was only 22 years of age. The series was then called the Grand National Division. On the 211th lap of Langhome Speedway, he crashed through a fence and flipped, according to press reports. His hudson also hornet into trees three times. He was also suffering from massive head injuries, and pulmonary hemorhage.

At the time, he raced a green car. A little background on this superstition hereOpens in a new tab.)

Langhome also saw The second recorded deathOpens in a new tab. Frank Arford, a NASCAR racer, rolled his car six times before crashing through the barrier on June 20, 1953. He was left with head injuries, broken bones and a broken leg.

When was the last NASCAR death?

There have not been any fatalities in NASCAR racing, qualifying, or testing over the past 20 years.Opens in a new tab.. This was the most shocking NASCAR fatality in its history. Dale Earnhardt is one of the most prominent NASCAR drivers ever. He was a crash victim to the Daytona Speedway’s retaining wall. Opens in a new tab.February 18th 2001

It occurred on the final turn of Daytona 500’s final lap. The crash took place while it was happening. killed Dale EarnhardtOpens in a new tab. The other drivers were unharmed.

What’s the Most Deathly NASCAR Track

The most popular speedway in the world is Daytona International Speedway. NASCAR Track – DeadlyOpens in a new tab.. Since Billy Wade’s 1965 death, there have been seven fatalities at Daytona. Dale Earnhardt was the last Daytona fatality. Opens in a new tab.NASCAR has also been a part of this race. Langhome Speedway, Charlotte Motor Speedway, and Langhome Speedway are the most fatal NASCAR Tracks. They each have 3 fatalities.

Which is the most dangerous motorsport?

This is a difficult question to answer. My first thought when researching this was ”It has to be motorbike race, MOTOTT or similar. However, the answer may not be as simple as it seems. All sports are now safer thanks to safety improvements.

As we have already mentioned, road racing on motorbikes appears to be the most dangerous. TTo date, 260 drivers have been killed by the Isle of Man TT (tourist trophy).. Road races are safer than racetracks.

This question deserves more research. We will be able to answer it. “Which is more dangerous car or Motorbike Racing” article on the site soon! Keep watching!

What is the Most Dangerous Motor Race?

Only one race has claimed more. DriversOpens in a new tab. Lives that are more important than any other. Motorbikes are the obvious choice. Each year, the Isle of Man TT race is held in June and My. (May 28th through June 11th in 2022). From 1907 to 2019, the race claimed 260 lives. There is no other race that comes close.

Averaging speed of more than 130 miles an hour, and a top speed exceeding 205 miles an hour on this course of 37.75 miles with over 264 corners per lap (each mistake in a corner is likely to result in colliding with a house, wall, or pole). It is a way to explain why it has become the most dangerous race on the planet.

Which Racetracks Are Most Dangerous in the World?

We mentioned that the Isle of Man TT track is called the Snaefell Mountain Course. It is also the most dangerous. Below is information about the other races tracks, which can prove to be very dangerous and unpredictable.

Racetrack / RaceLocalizationNumber of fatalities
Snaefell Mountain CourseIsle of Man260
NurburgringGermany78
Indianapolis Motor SpeedwayUSA56
Spa FrancorchampsBelgium48
Autodromo Nazionale MonzaItaly52
Daytona SpeedwayUSA28
Dakar Rally (ok, not a racetrack).Paris, Sudan, South America, Saudi Arabia49
Le Mans – Cicuit de la SartheFrance22

These are the driver fatality numbers, but it is remiss to not mention the worst car crash in history. We will explain more below.

What is the Deadliest Motor Racing Crash

This article will be primarily focused on NASCAR and the deaths within the sport. We have already discussed how NASCAR compares with other sports in terms safety and fatalities. It is worth mentioning the risks to drivers as well as the danger to spectators.

The worst motorsport crash and the one that remains the most fatal 60 years later was during You can find more information at Le Mans 24 raceOpens in a new tab. on June 11th, 1955. Eighty– Three Spectators and the Mercedes driver Pierre Levegh died. Over 120 other people were also injured.

It was truly horrible, and the cause of the crash is still being disputed. But the crash was not the result. The Mercedes of Levegh crashed into Macklin at 120 MPH, sending debris 300ft into the crowd. The engine block, suspension, and bonnet came to rest about 100 metres away.

It led to a significant increase in safety precautions, particularly for spectators, in all motorsports worldwide.

Why has there been no NASCAR death since 2001?

Since 2001, there have not been any fatal NASCAR crashes in the cup series. There are hundreds of safety regulations and equipment in Nascar. Here are the most important: They all have played a part in keeping NASCAR’s fatalities to a minimum for over 20 years.

  • Window nets: These covers are intended to protect the driver’s arms and limbs in the event of a collision and keep debris from flying around the vehicle.
  • Roll Cages These are steel tubes that have been reinforced to form a cage around you and your car. They are designed to protect and absorb impact.
  • HANS Device The HANS device was designed to reduce head shipping after a crash. While seatbelts reduce body acceleration, before the HANS device, the head was still whipping forward by its neck. There are some serious consequences. This device reduces the risk of excessive head rotation.
  • Roof Flaps Are designed to help prevent NASCAR’s from flipping in the event of crash
  • Spotters: NASCAR’s don’t have wing mirrors, although they do have rear view mirrors in the car. NASCAR employs spotters to help drivers and crews on roads courses. They are typically high up so they can see the track.
  • Driving Suits NASCAR Drivers wear fire retardant suits and fire retardant shoes, gloves, and underwear.
  • Seats: To spread the impact of a crash, seats are now wrapped around the shoulders and rib cages of drivers. For the same reason, they can also be made of carbon fiber.
  • Wall Barriers Following Dale EarnHArdt’s fatal crash in 2001 new wall barriers were designed to reduce the effects of impacts. These were called Steel and Foam Energy Reduction barriers (SAFER).

Final Thoughts

NASCAR has been a safe place for race drivers for more than 20 years.However, other motorsports are not as fortunate. Thanks to technological advancements in equipment, materials, and regulations, NASCAR has become safer than ever.

But it is important that you remember that NASCAR’s safety standards improve every year. It is still considered one of the most dangerous sports. The best anyone can do is minimize the risk, but that element of risk will always be there when driving NASCAR’s at the very limits of what the cars, the crews, and the drivers can achieve.

Brooke Bode