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"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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