Worst NASCAR Wrecks Ever

NASCAR wrecks, as unfortunate as they are, are a fact of life for NASCAR drivers. They have resulted in the deaths of some of NASCAR's most popular drivers. While many might recall Dale Earnhardt's death as being one of the worst NASCAR wrecks ever, other NASCAR accidents and pile-ups have resulted in tragedy.

Perhaps the most notoriously gruesome NASCAR wreck ended in the death of driver Russell Lee Phillips. Phillips was driving in a race at Lowe's Motor Speedway on October 6, 1995. At the time of the race, NASCAR cars were not equipped with several of the important safety features that they have now. This included what became known as the "Earnhardt bar," which prevents the roof of NASCAR cars from smashing inward in a crash. After being hit on the side by Steven Howard's car, Phillips's car rolled onto its side and scraped against the steel catch fence, tearing the roof right off of the car Phillips was driving. Without the protection of a roof and steel roll cage, Phillips's upper body was systematically dismembered and scattered onto the field and fence. Without a doubt, this crash was one of the worst NASCAR wrecks ever.

Another unfortunate crash at a NASCAR race, the World 600 in Charlotte, resulted in the loss of an esteemed NASCAR driver. Edward Glenn "Fireball" Roberts, Jr. was in lap 7 of the May 24, 1964 race when he slammed into the inside wall of the track trying to avoid a crash. His car flipped over onto its roof and caught on fire. Though Roberts initially survived the incident, his health did not recover and he died after entering a coma on July 2, 1964. Disturbingly, fans claim to have heard his cries for help when he struggled to exit his burning race car. Much like Phillips's death led to improved safety mechanisms in race cars, Roberts's death was followed by the development of flame-retardant uniforms for the sport. Nevertheless, this grave event is one of the worst NASCAR wrecks ever.

While many fans may find excitement and wonder in watching NASCAR wrecks, they are truly no laughing matter. People, both fans and drivers alike, have died due to car crashes in NASCAR races.