Most dangerous races and tracks in the world (Part 3)
4. Indy 500
On 4th position on our list is the famous Indianapolis (Indy) 500. This race is held every year in the month of May at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. It has claimed the lives of over 40 drivers since it was constructed and is known as one of
the deadliest tracks in the world. The track was built in 1909, in the shape of an oval. The turns were made extremely low (their angles were very small). It was also made of gravel and tar but was paved after several deaths. The very first Indy 500 was held
on May 30th, 1911. Swede Savage was one of the people who lost their lives on this speedway in 1931. He lost control of his car and smashed into the guard wall and exploded. The collision caused him to fly out of the window into a pool of burning
fuel. He died in the hospital a few days later. Another casualty was Lewis LeCocq in 1999. He died during a tire test. Spinning out of control, his car lifted from the ground due to aerodynamics. It flew in the air and landed on the catch fence and the concrete
wall. He died on the spot.
3. Isle of Man TT
The Isle of Man is yet another dangerous spot for drivers to race their vehicles at neck breaking speeds. This is why The Isle of Man TT is number 3 on the list. The Isle of Man is a small island off the coast of Britain. It is usually the venue for most
motorcycle races. The teams are given points based on a time trial system. The racers drive at the average speed of 120 mph, on narrow roads with rocks on one side, and cliffs on the other (some places even have buildings). Because this is a public road, there
is not enough safety precautions placed on this track. 227 people have been killed driving on these roads until today. Motor racing began on the Isle of Man in 1904. The first Isle of Man TT was held 3 years later in 1907. There were two classes in the race.
One of the most prominent deaths on this track was that of Gilberto Parlott. He crashed his bike while driving in heavy rain on the 9th of June in 1972.
2. 24 Hours Le Mans Endurance
Number two on this list is the 24 hours Le Mans endurance race. This race is unique and considered very prestigious for both driver and the manufacturer. It is about 90 years old, making it the oldest endurance race ever. It is held in Le Mans, France (hence
the name) and used to check the endurance of the cars. The races started in the 1970’s. It has 50 competitors and 4 classes (the LMP1, LMP2, GT1, and GT2). Due to the race’s unique nature, the rules and regulations are also unique, such as the driver has to
shut the car off when refuelling. The main casualty of this race was that of Pierre Levegh in 1955. His crash is known as the worst ever in the history of motorsports, even now. About 80 spectators plus Levegh died in that incident. Pierre Levegh was overtaking
a fellow racer, when he lost control of the car. Due to aerodynamics, the car lifted off the ground and crashed into the safety mound at such an angle that the car somersaulted into the air. This caused the bonnet, front axle and the engine block to separate
from the car and fly into the stands and the shocked crowd.
1. Dakar Rally
Number 1 on our list and perhaps in the world is the Dakar Rally. This is a long distance “Rally Raid” type race. This race usually lasts anywhere from 3 days to 15 days. The Dakar Rally started in 1978, open to amateur and professional racers. As an off
road endurance race, the Dakar rally allows a large variety of vehicles to take part. There are trucks, SUVs’, dune buggies, and even motorcycles racing each other in the desert. There are so many different incidents that it is pointless to list them all out
one by one. One of the most prominent deaths of this race was that of the organizer, Thierry Sabine, who ironically was not racing in the race. His helicopter crashed in 1986 during a sandstorm. In 2006, the body of Pascal Terry was found in the desert after
a massive search effort. Terry had been missing for three days.
There are probably many other tracks that are dangerous for racing, but the drivers do it anyways, only for our entertainment. They risk their lives so that we can sit at home and have a little bit of the excitement that they experience when hurtling down
the track or route at speeds exceeding that of light itself. Danger is always present in the lives of race car drivers, thus they must delete the definition of the word from their minds if they want to survive. At the speeds they drive at, they cannot afford
to think of anything else other then the road ahead of them. This is probably why there are so many accidents in the world of motorsports.
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