The death of Dale Earnhardt Sr. at the 2001 Daytona 500 is credited with sparking a safety revolution in NASCAR

The tragic death of Dale Earnhardt Sr. changed NASCAR safety forever

When Michael Waltrip crossed the finish line at the 2001 Daytona 500, it was his first win. But the celebrations quickly turned to sorrow when everyone learned that Dale Earnhardt Sr. had died in a final-lap crash. Within eight months after the collision, nearly every driver wore head-and-neck restraints before a mandate took effect.

NASCAR’s SAFER barriers help reduce tragedies at races

Following the death of Dale Earnhardt Sr. in 2001, NASCAR changed its culture to be safety-first. Part of its changes were to install barriers along tracks that would help absorb the majority of g-forces in a crash. This Daily Downforce article walks through the history of the SAFER barriers, why NASCAR originally chose concrete, and how much of the tracks are covered today.

After a tragic 3 decades, F1 created better safety measures

The first three decades of Formula 1 saw 41 drivers die in competition; since 1980, only 11 have perished. The reduction is due, in large part, to better safety measures. This article highlights every safety improvement made by year since F1 started, and describes the accidents or deaths that led to the rule changes.

Austin Dillon appreciates the nuts and bolts of car safety after his horrific crash

When Austin Dillon’s No. 3 car left the Daytona track in 2015 and smashed into the safety net protecting the grandstands, his car shattered, leaving only the driver’s cage spinning on the infield. Crew members from every team sprinted to the mangled wreck, and miraculously, Dillon walked away.

The original 1959 Daytona 500 significantly changed racetracks

After several years under construction, the inaugural Daytona 500 at the newly opened Daytona International Speedway was held Feb. 22, 1959. The race was aired on television and featured future star Richard Petty, old-school pit stops, and the infamous photo finish that took days to sort out a winner.

There were 12 on-track fatalities in the 1970s

The decade found engineers pushing Formula 1 cars to their limits. The cars were faster than ever and drivers were taking bigger risks to win. Safety features, however, remained the same. With vintage footage and driver interviews, this Daily Fuel Up video explores some of the wildest crashes from the era and, importantly, what changes FIA made following the decade’s 12 driver deaths.

NASCAR started declining in 2007

In the 1990s and early 2000s, NASCAR was one of the biggest sports in North America. It was racking up ratings and ticket sales on par with the NFL, and even beating the NBA Finals viewership. Ratings went down in 2007 and stayed there until 2018 due to a number of factors such as a changing media landscape, rule changes, and the retirement of popular drivers.

World War II innovations helped advance car racing

Modern American auto racing began in the 1920s with bootleggers modifying cars to outrun authorities. World War II innovations like better engines and surplus parts fueled post-war racing. By 1947, Bill France Sr. founded NASCAR, creating a unified league with consistent rules, transforming stock car racing into one of America’s favorite sports.

NASCAR automobiles have become significantly more complex over time

The first generation of NASCAR automobiles were nearly identical to on-the-street models, with no modifications allowed to the body or frame. They even raced with doors. Fast-forward 75 years and the cars are 670-horsepower machines designed for racing.

Bill France Sr. founded NASCAR after organizing stock car races

Bill France Sr. was the first person to organize stock car racing in America. By the 1940s, the company he created had changed the sport forever.

NASCAR's latest car design brings back its 'stock' roots

In 2022, NASCAR unveiled its Next Gen car, and the changes were some of the most significant in decades. Teams no longer design each car part, but purchase them from a single source, bringing greater parity.

The NASCAR championship trophy has evolved for decades

From the Winston Cup’s reign from 1971 to 2003, to the Nextel/Sprint Cup awarded from 2004 to 2016, this NASCAR video shows the evolution to the new Bill France Trophy with every track outlined.

A 'halo' protects drivers

After the 2015 death of driver Jules Bianchi, Formula 1 mandated that all cars include a protective barrier called a “halo.” This video breaks down how that measure saved the life of Romain Grosjean, who survived a horrific crash in 2020 at a race in Bahrain and later credited the halo as the reason for his survival.

Hear drivers talk about what it feels like to crash a Formula 1 car.

A group of daring bootleggers created NASCAR

When Prohibition made alcohol illegal in 1920, it didn’t stop Americans from making and consuming it. The law drove the practice underground. Runners risked their lives to deliver moonshine and began racing among themselves.

Senna died after a crash at the San Marino Grand Prix in 1994

When Ayrton Senna tragically died at the 1994 San Marino Grand Prix, it shocked the Formula 1 world. He was not only the best in the sport but at the top of his game. The tragic episode came just a day after driver Roland Ratzenberger died during qualifying.

Why F1 cars don't have cockpits

F1 racing cars go over 200 mph, making fatal crashes inevitable throughout its history. Car models have changed many times to make them safer, but the sport has never adopted a closed cockpit, a perhaps obvious solution to protecting drivers from fast-flying debris. Instead, F1 cars have a halo-shaped top, which helps cool drivers, allow for quick escape, and more. Watch a breakdown here.

Reels have strongly influenced NASCAR’s social media strategy

With viewership and attendance tanking from 2008 to 2018, NASCAR knew it needed better marketing to reach the next generation of fans, so it designed a new social media and content creation strategy. Using these new methods, it achieved 27% follower growth in three years.

Each person on a racing pit crew has a specific task

No matter what track a NASCAR driver is on, they will eventually need a pit stop to change tires and add fuel. When the cars skid into their pit box, every millisecond counts. This long-form documentary from Joe Gibbs Racing shows the training each pit crew member goes through.

The Challenger disaster led NASA to create an independent safety office

In response to the Challenger accident, NASA established the Office of Safety, Reliability, and Quality Assurance—now known as the Office of Safety and Mission Assurance—to strengthen oversight, elevate safety concerns, and mitigate managerial pressure on technical decisions.

A tragic injury led to the original NHL All-Star Game

The annual NHL All-Star Game is a joyous affair celebrating the best players each season. But its origins came from one of the most terrifying moments in hockey history. In a 1933 game, Maple Leafs wing Ace Bailey was nearly killed on the ice, and the NHL organized a benefit game to raise money for his family.

Explore the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's guide to automated cars

This page provides answers to questions on topics ranging from liability for crashes involving autonomous cars to the safety benefits of these cars. A timeline of the evolution of automated safety technologies is also provided.

Today's cars use turbocharged hybrid engines and AI-assisted technologies

In addition to enhanced speed, serious accidents and technological advances have led to major innovations, leading to more aerodynamic and more protective cars.

F1 cars have evolved through the decades

Formula 1 has continued to evolve since its first race in 1950. Early cars featured front-mounted engines, narrow tires, and speeds of up to 180 mph. In 1958, rear-engine designs, like the Cooper T43, improved handling and balance. The 1960s brought lightweight materials and wings, which enhanced stability by generating downforce. Ground-effect designs of the 1970s revolutionized grip and cornering but were banned in 1982 due to safety concerns. By the 1990s, hybrid turbo engines and energy recovery systems emerged, improving performance. Today's F1 cars integrate advanced aerodynamics and hybrid technology, reaching speeds of over 220 mph.

The Indianapolis 500 has been tied to Memorial Day weekend since the very first race in 1911

Organizers chose Decoration Day (now Memorial Day) because local farmers had finished haying and the holiday drew big crowds. The race has run around Memorial Day ever since, with the only exceptions being a few weather delays, the two World Wars, and the 2020 pandemic.

Korey Stringer, of the Minnesota Vikings, died of heat-related illness in 2001

In response, the NFL overhauled its heat approach and no other player has since died from heat-related illness. Even at the high school level, research suggests safety measures should include: mandating water breaks, keeping a cool tub available, and having athletes acclimate to high-temperature playing conditions for a week or longer before donning the full set of protective equipment.

F1 team Renault crashed one driver's car to have the other win a race in 2008

Using rules regarding crashes that require all drivers to slow down (and often take a pit stop), floundering Team Renault asked Nathan Pinquet, Jr., to crash to help teammate Fernando Alonso win. The scheme worked, but when the team fired Pinquet a year later, he revealed the conspiracy, dubbed "Crashgate."

John Riddell’s first helmet was adopted by college football teams in 1939

The early days of football were violent and there was little protection for players, especially their heads. When deaths became commonplace, John Riddell set out to invent a better way to protect football players. Eventually, the technology from Riddell’s helmets ended up on WWII battlefields.

Motocross is the deadliest organized sport for US kids

At least 158 participants under the age of 20 have been killed on dirt bikes since 2000, roughly six on average per year (seven times the death rate of tackle football). Observers note risks come from mixing ages and lacking warning systems during crashes.

A Netflix docuseries turned the sport into a national obsession

Throughout much of its history, Formula 1 racing was a European sport that failed to ever find a major audience in the US. That changed with "Drive to Survive," the Netflix docuseries that premiered in 2019. This analysis from two communications professors unpacks how the series has successfully presented the sport for an American audience and cultivated a dedicated fanbase in the process.

Self-driving formula cars race in the Abu Dhabi Autonomous Racing League

The league and high-speed versions of traditional cars help to showcase the capabilities of driverless vehicles and the reliability of their AI systems. Leonardo da Vinci first imagined the idea for such machines in the 16th century.

Modern innovations have allowed rides to simultaneously become more extreme and safer

Several ingenious additions to roller coasters, such as extra wheels, magnetic brakes, and hydraulic system safety bars, have largely reduced discomfort and threats such as broken rides or ejected passengers.

The Columbia disaster exposed fatal flaws in NASA's shuttle program

On Feb. 1, 2003, Space Shuttle Columbia broke apart during reentry, killing all seven astronauts aboard. The tragedy revealed long-ignored safety warnings, leading NASA to ground the shuttle fleet and overhaul its safety culture.

The Challenger disaster grounded the space shuttle fleet for nearly three years, exposed deep flaws in NASA's leadership, and prompted significant changes to the agency's safety oversight and decision-making culture.

America's top causes of death are heart disease, cancer, accidents, and stroke

Heart disease killed more than 680,000 people in 2023 and cancer killed around 613,000 people that year. Both causes of death are far above the next leading cause of death—accidents, which numbered around 223,000. Provisional data for 2024 indicates the leading causes of death remained the same.

Why train derailments happen, 101

In 2021 alone, there were over 1,000 reported derailments in the US—and no amount of maneuvering will reduce those numbers to zero. This 101 explains the causes of train derailments and how safety protocols look to limit them each year.

The biggest controversies of the NFL

Some of the biggest controversies in NFL history didn’t just spark debate—they changed the game. From Spygate and Deflategate to concussion research and the league's ambivalent stance on it, these moments led to new rules, safety measures, and major policy shifts. Explore how each scandal shaped the league and its future.

Teddy Roosevelt's intervention helped save football, which previously had been a brutally violent game.

The 100 most significant sports moments between 2000 and 2025

This list ranks the 100 most significant sports moments of the first 25 years of the 21st century. The editors compiled the collection based on a list of factors, including the "collective joy" factor, whether it made you curse in disbelief, and how much it transcended the sport and entered the broader culture. The top moment: The improbable "helmet catch" during the Super Bowl in 2008.

Domino's Pizza's 30-minute guarantee was discontinued after a string of delivery-driver accidents.

The chain's promotional gimmick offered customers free or reduced pizzas if their pizzas weren't delivered in 30 minutes or less. That policy led to the chain's popularity, but it also led to reckless driving: In the late '80s, the National Safe Workplace claimed its drivers had the same death rate as miners. After Domino's was found liable in 1993 for nearly $79M in damages, it discontinued the policy.

Read Ray Dalio's reflection on his son's death

One of Dalio's sons, Devon Dalio, died in a car crash in December 2020. In a LinkedIn post, Dalio said Devon's death triggered an enormous amount of pain and reflection.

Driver education was largely removed from public schools in the 1990s

Maintaining fleets of cars proved too expensive for many school districts, relegating driver education to private classes taken outside of school.

F1 drivers today are in peak physical shape

Formula 1 drivers today are in top physical condition, with reaction times on par with Olympic sprinters and strength programs specifically for their neck to withstand the immense g-forces experienced in racing.

In 2012, scientists purposely crashed a Boeing 727 to identify where the safest place to sit is on a plane in order to survive a belly-flop-style impact.

Diving boards disappeared out of safety, but they don't cause most diving accidents

Bouncy diving boards were widely adopted in backyard and community pools in the 1960s. Reports identifying diving as the primary cause of sports-related spinal accidents exaggerated the role diving boards played (most diving injuries were in lakes, beaches, and rivers) and gave insurers a basis to reduce coverage.

Ayrton Senna and Alain Prost had one of the sport's most intense rivalries

The men were teammates at McLaren in the 1980s, but you wouldn't know it watching them on the track. Senna dominated the sport from 1984 to 1994, but Prost—who retired in 1993—is considered the best in F1 history.

How Cadillac joined F1 as the first new team in a decade

The process was not an easy one: Despite growing American interest, thanks to Netflix's "Drive to Survive" and the 2025 film "F1," the 10 teams in the league were resistant to another team diluting the prize money. That changed when Cadillac agreed to pay $200M to become Formula 1's 11th team. This deep dive from ESPN's Nate Saunders details how the company made the deal happen.

F1 driving requires intense strategy, endurance, and strength

Formula 1 cars are the peak of human engineering, and the humans driving them must have exceptional skills to master their cars. This Wired video talks to former performance coach Clayton Green to uncover what makes Formula 1 drivers such unique athletes. Learn why drivers focus on neck strength to combat extreme g-forces, and what those forces do to a driver's body over a race.

Richard Feynman exposed NASA's safety failures on the Rogers Commission

The Nobel Laureate served on the Rogers Commission investigating Challenger, famously demonstrating O-ring failure with ice water and eventually criticizing NASA's culture of risk normalization and management pressure in the final report.

The cars were originally produced by European manufacturers like Alfa Romeo, Ferrari, and Maserati

Other than the four wheels and open top, the early Formula 1 cars have little in common with today’s machines. But the era has a rich history. Using historic video and photos, this hour-long documentary details the iconic drivers of the 1950s, the evolution of the premier teams, and how the era left its mark on the sport that’s still being felt today.