Figure Eight Racing Could Be The Most Dangerous Motorsport In America

As if standard stock car racing wasn't dangerous enough, these guys have taken it a step further with a truly breathtaking spectacle

Michael Fernie

22 Aug 2016

Any motorsport can produce some intense on-track action, but Figure Eight racing takes things one giant step further. All the cars start together on one corner of the track, but as the race unfolds, the intersection of the figure eight turns into a gauntlet as the faster cars cross the track at the same time as the slower cars.

Reinforced with extra-strong roll cages designed for side impacts, the cars resemble normal stock cars but with the capability to withstand T-bones at any point during the race. And to think F1 is worried about cockpit halos…

Here is an example of a race from 2011, culminating in a huge smash just a few laps into the action.

Comments

“nascar is just doing circles” so you’re doing a 8… nice job

So nascar with two circles instead of one AND more crashes? Sign me up.

These drivers got more cojones than all of us together.

My grandma and grandpa used to race in these

Only in America - where you can say “safe” and “fatal” in one sentence… it has logic, but it has no logic ^_^

Feel like this post should be named ‘because murica!’

Show us a crash!!!!!

Safety n’stuff. Sums it up really.

I used to go watch these races as a kid. The Speedrome is like 5 minutes from me.
Interesting for a while, I guess. If you’re into seeing perfectly good cars getting destroyed, have fun.