NASCAR is the most popular motorsport in the USA, and it’s easy to see why. There is certainly no lack of action, speed or excitement, but with all this comes serious safety risks. However, in a world where all aspects of technology are constantly progressing, both driver and crowd safety in NASCAR are also becoming increasingly sophisticated.
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Motorsport fanatics ‘Mobil 1 The Grid’ caught up with one of the most important figures in NASCAR safety, Vice-president of Innovation and Racing Development Gene Stefanyshyn. As one of the experts in the field, he laid out the fundamental elements that go into protecting both drivers and fans alike.
He feels that, above other perhaps more obvious characteristics of NASCAR, the sport has ‘historically got its foundation in safety’. It has been 15 years since the last fatal crash on a speedway, a record which demonstrates the impressive work that over a thousand engineers in the industry have accomplished.
Indeed, he details the essential pillars for driver safety, including aspects such as the speedway angle, the safety specific designs for the current Gen-6 car, and even the immensely important role of crowd positioning around the track. As he puts it, there is a need above all else to create a ‘balance of protecting’ but also allowing the thousands of spectators to ‘see the show’.
With the 58th annual DAYTONA 500 race on Sunday getting every closer, check out the safety tech that will be in action in just a couple of days’ time: