Worst Wrecks in NASCAR

Running at 150 mph should generate much risk, and all race car drivers know that. Running at such speed, even a small protrusion on the road could spell fatality in clear words. Also, even a slight contact from other cars, one mistake made from a single driver, a single car floundering ahead of the others, these all instances create accidents dragging all others competitors with it. And cars need not be clumped together.

Many have been surprised at the loads of gruesome accidents over NASCAR, despite arguments that it is the most laidback of all motor sports, being confined on oval speedways. Yet they happen, Adam Petty, Kenny Irwin, Tony Roper, and the NASCAR hero Dale Earnhardt have claimed the worst wrecks in NASCAR. Here?s a recount of the past.

The first of the major NASCAR mishaps was Adam Petty on May 12, 2000, when his throttle stuck and took away his control of the car running at over 100 mph. After two months, Kenny Irwin met with a death dealing accident. That was on July 7, 2000 and NASCAR began to mandate the use of kill switch on the steering wheel. The next accident was met by Tony Roper on October 13, 2000 during the Craftsman Truck Series.

Dale Earnhardt?s accident, when it happened, didn?t cause an immediate uproar. After all, Earnhardt did survive some of worst wrecks in NASCAR races, particularly his famous wreck survival at Tallageda on 1996. Dale Earnhardt?s car didn?t even flip or somersault, the only extreme event was when the #36 Pontiac driven by Ken Shrader rammed #3 Chevrolet Corvette?s passenger door which made Earnhardt?s car ram the track wall in crushing speed.

The public outcry was expansive; in fact such event wasn?t emulated since Sherlock Holmes died. And like the hero from Scotland Yard, Dale Earnhardt?s death triggered numerous changes within and outside of NASCAR. The shock of losing the race legend after several strings of race injury related deaths had prompted the NASCAR governing body to implement several safety measures (aside from the kill switch) and the seatbelt company that Dale consequently used was brought out of commission.

Now that change has been exceptionally maintained, there will be such time when NASCAR could veer away from race accidents with higher percentage. Come the car of tomorrow, will it be successful in steering race drivers away from the worst wrecks of NASCAR?

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Why NASCAR Racing Is Popular Among a Lot of People

Today, NASCAR racing is considered to be one of the most popular spectator sports in the world. Viewed by millions of fans from 150 countries, this sporting event ranks as second to the National Football League as far as TV ratings in the United States is concerned. NASCAR is so popular that there are over 75 million NASCAR racing fans that spend over 2 billion dollars worth of official NASCAR products, such as T-shirts, and other products.

So, why is NASCAR so popular? Here are some reasons why a lot of people love NASCAR racing.

The first reason is that NASCAR racing is simply a thrilling and exciting sporting event. If you enjoy watching NASCAR racing on your TV, then you might want to consider watching it live as it far more exciting than just watching it on TV. Just imagine hearing the roar of the engine and smelling the fumes of the car. Although this is quite unhealthy, it adds to the excitement.

Also, watching it live will enable you to really enjoy the show as you will experience cheering on your favorite driver on the stands with fellow NASCAR fans.

NASCAR racing events are not just your typical event where you just watch cars race. But, NASCAR events are colorful and vibrant. It is also an event marked with colorful sceneries and fellow NASCAR fans cheering on their favorite driver and car. Also, the air of camaraderie with other NASCAR fans is incomparable to other sporting events.

NASCAR racing events means a pure adrenaline rush. If you want to experience great excitement and fun, then watching NASCAR racing events live is a must. You would think that it’s just about watching cars racing, but it’s entirely more than that. The bottom line is that you have to experience it to believe it. In fact, even people who doesn’t understand the sport enjoys watching the race live.

Also, if you ever have the chance to watch NASCAR races live, you might want to try buying some of the NASCAR merchandises. It is a great gift idea and you can also wear it to show your support to your favorite NASCAR team.

If you still haven’t experience watching NASCAR races live, then you might want to try getting tickets early on in the season as NASCAR racing events are very popular that it tends to get sold out. Once you get to see NASCAR racing live, you will definitely want to see another one again. It’s simply addicting.

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Who’s Who in NASCAR

The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing or popularly known as NASCAR gave birth to pioneers and famous personalities to ever hit the jackpot. Instead of watching some cheesy tear-jerker film on DVD, others preferred to join millions of loud and noisy race car patrons jam packed into one arena cheering for their favorite driving teams. The excitement is unequaled, and each lap brings about louder cheers.

Fast cars, NASCAR official freebies and products, events, series and death defying speedways, all these define one name NASCAR. But who, in NASCAR are those people who made it possible? Who made those moments of champions and defeats?

Bill France Sr.

He’s the NASCAR Racing “it guy”. He was the one who gave life to a boring souls need for speed. William France Sr., a mechanic who came from Washington and escaped to Daytona Beach to be the owner of a gas station became one of the early enthusiasts in car racing. In Daytona he became familiarized with the areas history of wild chases and hunts. Joining a racing event in 1936, he finished fifth. After which, the tables began rolling.

Bill started organizing and promoting events. He saw how people craved for a more synchronized series. He took his notion and decided to create a sanctioned organization, fixed the rules and regulations, arranged schedules, and a championship match that would entice drivers from different parts to be on top. On the 21st of February 1948, NASCAR was formed.

Bob Barkhimer

Bob “Barky” Barkhimer, born in Berkeley, CA started a career in midget cars. He was a well-known racer back when midget car racing was popular. Knowing and being best buddies with Bill France Jr. gave “Barky” the opportunity to be one of the promoters of NASCAR in the West making him Senior VP of the said organization. Bob retired after the death of his wife in 1976. A partnership created a new saga of a sanctioned body in the Pacific.

Erwin Baker

Awarded as first place in motorcycle competitions, Erwin George Baker A.K.A “Cannonball” was inspired to drive automobiles instead of settling for the latter. With his impressive driving records, he garnered a variety of awards and recognitions. To mention a few, NASCAR Hall of Fame, Motorcycle Hall of Fame, etc. These achievements gave Erwin the title “King of the Road” making him the first Commissioner for NASCAR.

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Where to Buy NASCAR Collectibles

Many NASCAR fans collect NASCAR memorabilia. If you want to start collecting such items, there are several benefits that you could have, such as: the feeling that you are showing support for the sport and the potential of making a profit. There are a lot of variations in NASCAR collectibles but there is a big difference between the NASCAR merchandise and the NASCAR memorabilia. NASCAR merchandise are those items that fans use and wear, like clothing, and home decorations. On the other hand, NASCAR memorabilia is used to refer to the objects that have some deeper value and often times expensive. There are a lot of professional NASCAR collectors and dealers that consider limited edition car models, die cast cars and others to be memorabilia. If you are new in collecting NASCAR memorabilia and have a friend who is a total hardcore fan of the sport, you may want to seek his advice on how to start your very own collections. There are also several Web sites that can help you get started and NASCAR fan clubs that sell memorabilia.

Now that you have the idea between a memorabilia and merchandise, the next thing you need to think about is how you can start to collect such items. There are a number of options you could choose from. There might even be local shops near you that sell NASCAR collectibles. Most of these items can be found in specialty sports and racing stores and try to find those that have a collectables theme. To find local shops that cater your desire to collect NASCAR memorabilia, try searching for them on the Internet or a local phone book.

Using the Internet can also help you in finding the information you need about several other collectors out there. Some of these collectors might even sell NASCAR memorabilia. Additionally, most shops that specialize in the sports of racing also operate online. If you want to use the Internet as a way of getting started or finding the collectable you need, a simple search using phrases such as “NASCAR collectibles” would suffice. However, if you want to search for something particular, you may choose for something like “Dale Earnhardt die cast car”. These are just alternatives and examples you can apply in your searches and they mostly depend on how patient you are in looking for the right memorabilia you want.

Another great way to help you find a NASCAR memorabilia for sale, are the races. However, most of the items you might find in racetracks are considered to be merchandise, there are other items that can be categorized as a memorabilia. A lot of NASCAR racetracks have shops in them and some of them even allow other NASCAR dealers to set up shops. Third-party dealers are a great way in finding collectibles.

There are also garage or yard sales, thrift stores, flea markets and online auction Web sites that can help you in finding a NASCAR memorabilia. These sites typically specialize in selling used items but most of them are still in great conditions. You might be surprised to find memorabilia from retired drivers and other collectibles when you check the mentioned locations out.

NASCAR memorabilia that are ideal to collect are autographed NASCAR photos and helmets that are also autographed by your favorite driver. There is a Web site, namely www.redline-7000.com that contains a number of memorabilia depending on who your favorite drivers are. This is just one Web site example that you can visit to help you get started in collecting NASCAR memorabilia.

Those mentioned methods on how and where to buy NASCAR memorabilia are just a few of the many ways that you can apply. There are fans out there that create their own methods through the use of their own creativity and patience. These traits are important for a collector. You should also know the reason why you want to start collecting NASCAR items. If you are collecting for the sole reason of enjoyment, you may have more freedom in buying the items you want. Others who collect to make a profit should try to buy a NASCAR memorabilia using a business standpoint; purchases must be made wisely. Additionally, you should have experience in researching as this can help you in determining the estimated value of rare or limited edition collectibles. This will prevent you from being ripped off from the original price.

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Where Are the Races

The very first National Association of Stock Car Auto Racing, or more popularly known as NASCAR, race took place at Charlotte Speedway in North Carolina on June 19, 1949. The race was held on a dirt track in front of a curious crowd of 23,000. Christian “Jim” Roper took the first place along with $2,000 purse in a Lincoln Cosmopolitan. Fonty Flock came in second place while future Hall of Famer Red Byron tool third. But where are NASCAR-sanctioned races held today? Over 1,500 races are sanctioned by NASCAR at over 100 tracks in thirty-nine states, as well as in Canada and Mexico. It was in 1996 to 1998 when NASCAR held exhibition races in Japan and 1988 in Australia.

NASCAR is very different from other land races that they use an oval track of three or four turns with all turns to the left. These oval tracks are also classified as short tracks, intermediate or speedway, and super speedway depending on the length. There are also the Road courses that involve both left and right turns.

The Atlanta Motor Speedway with the layout of 1.540-mile oval is located in Hampton, Georgia. It can accommodate a number of spectators with its 124,000 seats. In addition, the Atlanta Motor Speedway racetrack holds two Sprint Cup and Craftsman Truck and one Nationwide Series every season. The track opened in 1960 as a 1.5 mile standard oval and it was completely rebuilt in 1997 to standardize the track with Speedway Motor sports’ other two 1.5 mile ovals. The rebuilding project made the Atlanta Motor Speedway one of the faster on the NASCAR circuit.

A 2.000-mile oval layout racetrack located in Fontana, California is the Auto Club Speedway track. The track opened in the early parts of 1997 and was located on the site of the former Kaiser Steel mill. It also has additional facilities to accommodate other road races, motorcycle races, vehicle testing and drag races. The track features an infield road course, which was used by NASCAR when it held its first NASCAR West Series. The death of a CART racer Greg Moore in 1999 caused the racetrack to be overhauled, including the paving of the infield grass on the backstretch.

In Bristol, Tennessee, NASCAR races are held at the Bristol Motor Speedway. The track was originally known as the Bristol International Raceway and Bristol Raceway. The track was also constructed in 1960 and held its first NASCAR race on July 30, 1961. Currently, the Bristol Motor Speedway holds races like the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series (Food City 500 and Sharpie 500), NASCAR Nationwide Series (Sharpie Mini 300 and the Food City 250), NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series (O’Reilly 200) and the USAR Hooters Pro Cup Series (Food City 150).

The Daytona International Speedway is located in Daytona Beach, Florida. The racetrack is a 2.500-mile oval that can accommodate over 168,000 spectators. The facility also includes a 3.56 mile road course and a 180 acre infield. NASCAR founder Bill France, Sr. began planning a new track for the premier event in 1953, which made it possible for the Daytona International Speedway to open in February 22, 1959. The most important race for NASCAR’s premier series called the Daytona 500 is held annually in the Daytona International Speedway. The race involves a 200-lap and 500-mile stock car race.

The number of NASCAR racetracks is staggering and are spread all across the United States. In Mexico City, Mexico, NASCAR races are held at the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez track. There is also one in Montreal called the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve. The following is a list of racetracks that hold NASCAR-sanctioned races.

* Chicagoland Speedway in Joliet, Illinois
* Darlington Raceway in Darlington, South Carolina
* Dover International Speedway in Dover, Delaware
* Gateway International Raceway in Madison, Illinois
* Homestead-Miami Speedway in Homestead, Florida
* Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Indianapolis, Indiana
* Infineon Raceway in Sonoma, California
* Kansas Speedway in Kansas City, Kansas
* Kentucky Speedway in Sparta, Kentucky
* Las Vegas Motor Speedway in Las Vegas, Nevada
* Lowe’s Motor Speedway in Concord, North Carolina
* Mansfield Motor sports Park in Mansfield, Ohio
* Martinsville Speedway in Martinsville, Virginia
* Memphis Motor sports Park in Memphis, Tennessee
* Michigan International Speedway in Brooklyn, Michigan
* Milwaukee Mile in West Allis, Wisconsin
* Nashville Super speedway in Lebanon, Tennessee
* Phoenix International Raceway in Avondale, Arizona
* Pocono Raceway in Long Pond, Pennsylvania
* Richmond International Raceway in Richmond, Virginia
* Talladega Super speedway in Talladega, Alabama
* Texas Motor Speedway in Fort Worth, Texas
* Watkins Glen International in Watkins Glen, New York

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