What can elicit a collective sigh of relief from a crowd of over 500 people? What can stop motion in a living room filled with NASCAR fans drinking Pepsi, eating pizza and watching the Pepsi 400? What is the one moment every NASCAR fan will talk about weeks after the race ends? The NASCAR wrecks. The wrecks come in all shapes and sizes: 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 Driver Survives:

Fortunately, most NASCAR wrecks result in the driver crawling from his car and waving at the crowd. Sometimes, as seen in the famous Darrell Waltrip NASCAR wreck at Daytona, there is little more than a shell left of the car. 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. So, if you ever wondered how on earth a man can walk away from what looks like little more than an alien pod, thank people like Dr. Robert Hubbard who developed a neck restraint system, the Hans device, to protect a driver from a basal skull fracture during a would-be fatal NASCAR wreck.

When They Don't:

Sometimes even the best and most elaborate protection is not enough to prevent a driver from being killed. The revered and respectful silence of the audience almost never ends after fatal events, like the tragic crash where Dale Earnhardt lost his life. 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.