by Michael Hogg

Created on: February 19, 2009

In the wake of the events at the Daytona 500 in 2001, you could possibly understand such cries of "Ban these awful tracks." One of NASCAR, nay, motorsport's biggest names had been taken from us in a tragic incident which saw his car hit the wall at a bad angle. But where do you stop with such knee-jerk reactions?

On the international level, NASCAR is a unique and exciting sport. Millions sit glued to the live broadcast as the cars race door to door, inches apart for dozens of laps at a time, straining to stay ahead and get the glory. Nowhere is this seen more-so than at Daytona and Talledega - the 2.5 mile superspeedways. Even with horsepower-reducing air restrictors in the engines, the cars draft these tracks at speeds in excess of 200mph in packs of thirty or even forty, two or three wide and at all times trying to make their way to the front of the pack. It's a breath-taking display and something which isn't seen anywhere else in the world of motor racing, a truly unique experience that keeps you on the edge of your seat from beginning to end and gives no end of moments where a sharp intake of breath is the only reaction as two cars get impossibly close as they battle.

Yes, this is sometimes a recipe for disaster. It only takes one car in that pack of forty to make a mistake and the whole thing can come apart - one car gets loose, slides into another, the domino effect takes out others and yet more cars get involved having piled into the tire smoke covered melee. However, when the dust has settled and the drivers have climbed out of the wrecks, do they question whether the track should be banned? Of course not - they get back in the car next week and carry on doing what they love. They aren't forced to drive and they aren't stupid. The risks they face are very clear to them and history is full of tales of what can go wrong, but it's something that everyone in motorsport has considered fully.

As someone who himself has had to be cut from the wreck of a legends car, I've also been in the situation of wondering if what I'm doing is too dangerous. And I've since returned and done it all again. Life is all about doing what you love doing and these drivers find places like Daytona and Talladega to be the ultimate test of skill, nerve and, of course, luck. The Daytona 500 is one of the top five races in the world, it's a trophy that almost any driver would give anything to win.

I think we can all guess what Dale Earnhardt Senior would vote for in this debate if he could.

Learn more about this author, Michael Hogg.
Click here to send this author comments or questions.