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High speed car racing: Should Daytona and Talladega be banned?
Results so far:
| Yes | 14% | 69 votes | Total: 487 votes | |
| No | 86% | 418 votes |
Yes
by Sol Rayos
Created on: December 22, 2007 Last Updated: November 24, 2008
Speaking as someone who has been to both towns I must respond emphatically YES!
It's clear that the best thing Daytona has going for it is the beach and it's being ruined by the rest of the "Top 5 Good Things About Daytona." I know some will try and say something about the grandstand or the infield or the track in general being the best but those are fourth or fifth best. The list goes something like this:
1) Daytona Beach
2) Spring Break
3) Biketoberfest
4) Ponce de Leon Lighthouse
5) Daytona International Speedway
College kids, bikers, and NASCAR fans all flock to the beach in droves littering all the while. And all the while the lighthouse shines stupidly to guide their way. It's clear why the majority of people have the opinion of Florida that they do. The myth that only elderly people live in Florida makes sense because only the elderly have the patience to put up with all this (or perhaps it's their senility). The benefits to the local economy are far outweighed by the negative impact on the city. Look at another famous race city with a sordid past, Indianapolis. Their greatest triumphs besides shaking their image as a crowning jewel of the rust belt (ha) is the War Memorial Plaza which stands as a tribute to World War I veterans.
As far as Talledega is concerned there isn't anything that I can say that Will Ferrel hasn't already said via "Talledega Nights." Alabama has enough work to keep the state busy for the next hundred years battling it's history of racial injustice and it's close association with the negative stereotypes of southerners, unfair stereotypes which other southern states have worked hard to correct. To have to fight negative NASCAR stereotypes as well diverts the efforts of those from the "Yellowhammer State." Again not to say that being a fan of NASCAR is a negative because that simply is not the case.
In the end I think that should provide clear enough support as to why both the races and perhaps even the towns they take place in should be banned.
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No
by Conny Manero
Created on: February 18, 2008 Last Updated: January 06, 2009
"Gentlemen, start your engines!" Are there four more exciting words in the world of motor sport?
Every Sunday thousands of racing enthusiasts flock to the NASCAR circuits and millions take their seats in front of their televisions for three hours of excitement on wheels.
The Daytona and Talladega circuits are undoubtedly two of the most dangerous racing tracks. Both are super speedways, allowing racers to get the maximum power out of their car engines. Other tracks, such as Bristol and Martinsville are merely raceways, also known as short tracks, where maximum speed only reaches 135 miles per hour, making them less dangerous than Daytona and Talladega.
NASCAR officials have recognized the dangers in the Daytona and Talladega tracks and for the safety of the drivers have introduced the restrictor plate'. The function of this plate is to limit the racing speed at 200 miles per hour.
Banning the Daytona and Talladega circuits would be protested by race car drivers and fans alike. One must keep in mind that Bush and Sprint Cup Series contenders are not amateurs; they are professional racers with years of experience. Some of the drivers actually started their careers as young as six years old. By the time they hit the top competitive world they know what they're doing.
Any regular NASCAR follower knows that, although accidents do happen, drivers hardly ever get hurt. Even though the cars occasionally make contact with each other and the safety barrier; even though they sometimes spin or flip and roll, drivers step out of their car unhurt. That's because NASCAR drivers are superiorly protected.
Not only do they have an above average pit crew, under the supervision of a crew chief, they have a spotter', a man who keeps an eye on dangerous situations on the race track and is in constant communication with the driver. In addition the driver wears a racing seat belt harness and a helmet with a Haans device. The purpose of the Haans device is to prevent head movement and as such avoid neck injury during a collision.
The cars themselves are models of technology, equipped with a roll cage, roof flaps that keep the car on the ground during a spin and a fuel shut off system in case of a fire. Even the safety barriers of the track are designed to absorb the impact of a vehicle.
When considering the dangers, one can argue that there are other high risk jobs. Think for a moment of construction work, high rise window washing and trucking. One doesn't even have to leave the house to encounter danger. Statistics show that most accidents happen at home. People brake bones, sprain muscles, or sustain cuts, burns and bruises every day.
When asking if Daytona and Talladega circuits should be banned, one might keep in mind the business these tracks generate. With sold out tracks, holding 150,000 spectators or more, it's golden days for hotels, restaurants and a variety of other businesses in and around the circuit.
Learn more about this author, Conny Manero.
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