Which NASCAR track has the most deaths? All details explored

Aside from racing, NASCAR has also been home to tragedy and several deaths. Among the various tracks that host events, one has sadly earned a grim distinction: The Daytona International Speedway. 14 fatalities have occurred in Daytona and it is considered the track with the most casualties in NASCAR history.

The Cup Series, the highest level of NASCAR competition, has had 28 drivers die tragically in its history. The latest incident took place on February 18, 2001, during the Daytona 500, where seven-time Cup Series champion Dale Earnhardt lost his life on the final lap of the race.

Billy Wade in 1965, Talmadge Prince in 1970, Friday Hassler in 1972, Ricky Knotts in 1980, Bruce Jacobi in 1983, and Neil Bonnett in 1994 are some of the other drivers who were killed in crashes at Daytona.

While Daytona International Speedway has witnessed the most crash-related deaths, Langhorne Raceway and Charlotte Motor Speedway take second place with three deaths each.

The 1950s and 1960s were the most fatal as per recorded counts, with seven deaths each in the decades. Nonetheless, as safety measures evolved throughout the following decades, fatalities dropped quite a bit: three in the 1990s and two in the 2000s, pointing to the fact that safety advancements have brought some major differences.

The main thing is the great improvement in safety in sport over time. With roll cages, window nets, and the introduction of driver-safety devices such as HANS devices and SAFER barriers, NASCAR has been committed to improving the safety of drivers and bringing the risk of fatal accidents down to a minimum.

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NASCAR's latest Daytona 500 wreck

The 2024 Daytona 500 saw a significant wreck in the late stages, which had a direct impact on the fate of multiple drivers. The Great American Race was hit by a huge crash with just eight laps to go.

Ross Chastain was in the lead position when Brad Keselowski and Joey Logano made their attempts to take the lead. But contact between Alex Bowman, William Byron, Keselowski, and Logano started a domino effect, catching almost every car behind Chastain in a huge wreck.

The wreck was so severe that NASCAR officials displayed the red flag, stopping the race to remove debris and check for any possible safety concerns. Up to 22 cars were caught up in the mayhem causing damage to many.

After the cleanup, the race was resumed in roughly 20 minutes allowing the drivers to race for the Daytona 500 win.