This piece is in honor of all those who have died behind the wheel of a race car or have died because of injuries in an accident while racing.
Dan Wheldon in October of 2011, Jason Leffler in June 2013, Justin Wilson in August 2015, and now Bryan Clauson in August 2016. What do all four of these men have in common you may ask? All four died while doing what they loved -- all four died while involved in a racing incident on the track. All four each had an impact to the sport during their time on this Earth, and all four left this Earth too soon. While each left us too soon, they all knew the inherent risk that was associated with them strapping themselves into their cars.
A part of racing that each racer accepts when they begin racing is that throughout their career, they will face some scary accidents. However, safety innovations over the years have allowed drivers to walk away from more hits than they may have in the past. Many viewers today are amazed by the ferocious hits that drivers take and because of those safety innovations, are able to take a moment, catch their breath, and then climb out of the car and get into the ambulance. I can guarantee that when Bryan Clauson did not strap into his sprint car before his last race, and say to himself that tonight would be the night in which he would get into a huge accident that would cause him to be fighting for his life. It is just something that is not at the forefront of a racer’s mind as they climb into any kind of race car.
However unfortunate, this incident is a great reminder of one thing: The fact that before each race as part of the pre-race ceremonies, the sport takes a moment to pray for safety. When you have such a dangerous inherent risk with a sport, it is important to take a moment and just realize that sometimes we are our own worst enemy. Now you do not have to be a genius to realize that not every driver believes in God; however, the drivers most definitely would be willing to take protection from any higher power that would be willing and able to provide them that protection while they race.
When Bryan Clauson passed away this past Monday, the world lost a great man. Bryan was well respected by everyone he had ever raced against, and while he did not compete at the top level like other well-known racers, he was as well known by race fans. Bryan was a man who gave more than he took and will always be remembered for that. Even after his final hour, he continued to give back, as he was an organ donor and through organ transplants; he was able to help able to help save five lives. Bryan Clauson is one of the few who have reached the ultimate victory lane, but unfortunately is much earlier than he should have.
