This article lists drivers who have been fatally injured while competing in or in preparation for (testing, practice, qualifying) races sanctioned by the NASCAR. A separate list compiles drivers who have died of a medical condition while driving or shortly thereafter and another section shows non-driver deaths.
There have been 129 deaths of drivers and spectators at NASCAR events. 109 of these deaths were drivers, while 20 were spectators. 14 drivers have also lost their lives at the Daytona International Speedway.
The NASCAR Cup Series has seen 28 driver fatalities, the most recent of which occurred on February 18, 2001, when Dale Earnhardt was killed on the last lap of the Daytona 500.
Safety in the sport has evolved through the decades. Technological advances in roll cages, window nets, seat mounts, air flaps, driving suits, and helmets as well as the HANS device, on-site medical facilities with helicopters, improved track emergency responders, and SAFER barriers have contributed to the prevention of further deaths.
Driver fatalities NASCAR Cup Series fatalities Driver Date of accident Event Circuit Session Car September 14, 1952 250-mile race Langhorne Speedway Race Hudson June 20, 1953 International 200 Langhorne Speedway Qualifying Oldsmobile October 24, 1954 100-mile race North Wilkesboro Speedway Race Hudson April 21, 1956 150-mile race Langhorne Speedway Qualifying Chevrolet June 9, 1956 250-mile race Memphis-Arkansas Speedway Qualifying Oldsmobile June 10, 1956 Race Chevrolet September 2, 1957 Southern 500 Darlington International Raceway Race Oldsmobile January 19, 1964 Motor Trend 500 Riverside International Raceway Race Mercury May 24, 1964 World 600 Charlotte Motor Speedway Race Ford September 22, 1964 Goodyear tire test Charlotte Motor Speedway Testing Plymouth January 5, 1965 Goodyear tire test Daytona International Speedway Testing Mercury September 6, 1965 Southern 500 Darlington International Raceway Race Ford October 17, 1965 National 400 Charlotte Motor Speedway Race Plymouth January 20, 1967 Motor Trend 500 Riverside International Raceway Practice Dodge February 19, 1970 125-mile race Daytona International Speedway Qualifying Race Dodge February 17, 1972 125-mile race Daytona International Speedway Qualifying Race Chevrolet August 12, 1973 Talladega 500 Talladega Superspeedway Race Mercury August 17, 1975 Talladega 500 Talladega Superspeedway Race Dodge February 14, 1980 125-mile race Daytona International Speedway Qualifying Race Oldsmobile February 17, 1983 UNO Twin 125 Daytona International Speedway Qualifying Race Pontiac November 11, 1984 Atlanta Journal 500 Atlanta International Raceway Race Chevrolet June 14, 1986 Miller American 400 Michigan International Speedway Qualifying Ford November 19, 1989 Atlanta Journal 500 Atlanta International Raceway Race Oldsmobile August 11, 1991 Budweiser at The Glen Watkins Glen International Race Pontiac February 11, 1994 Daytona 500 Daytona International Speedway Practice Chevrolet February 14, 1994 Ford July 7, 2000 thatlook.com 300 New Hampshire Motor Speedway Practice Chevrolet February 18, 2001 Daytona 500 Daytona International Speedway Race Chevrolet
Breakdown
+Fatalities by circuit Circuit Total First Last 8 1965 2001 3 1952 1956 1964 1965 2 1956 1956 1957 1965 1964 1967 1973 1975 1984 1989 1 1954 1986 1991 2000
+Fatalities by decade Decade Total 1940s 0 1950s 7 1960s 7 1970s 4 1980s 5 1990s 3 2000s 2 2010s 0 2020s 0 All 28
Fatalities in other NASCAR events Driver Date of accident Event Circuit Session Series/Division/Tour/Class July 25, 1948 40-lap race Greensboro Fairgrounds(Greensboro, North Carolina) Feature race Modified Division March 5, 1950 100-lap race Charlotte Speedway Race Modified Division August 24, 1951 Monroe County Fairgrounds Semifinal heat race Sportsman Division July 4, 1952 200-mile race Darlington International Raceway Race Sportsman Division/Modified Division September 19, 1953 220-mile race Raleigh Speedway Race Sportsman Division/Modified Division February 20, 1954 125-mile race Daytona Beach and Road Course Race Modified Division February 26, 1955 125-mile race Daytona Beach and Road Course Race Modified Division May 14, 1955 Fonda Speedway Consolation race Sportsman Division September 9, 1955 35-lap race Islip Speedway Feature race Midget Division June 8, 1956 25-lap race Greensboro Fairgrounds(Greensboro, North Carolina) Feature race Midget Division June 23, 1956 25-lap race Lancaster Speedway(Lancaster County, Pennsylvania) Feature race Midget Division October 27, 1957 Lee Kirby Memorial Concord Speedway Race Modified Division March 23, 1958 100-mile race Richmond Raceway Race Convertible Division September 28, 1958 100-mile race Syracuse Mile Race Sportsman Division June 18, 1960 40-lap race Norwood Arena Feature race Cut down February 21, 1961 250-mile race Daytona International Speedway Practice Modified Division July 20, 1963 100-lap race South Boston Speedway Feature race Modified Division May 15, 1965 25-lap race Fonda Speedway Feature race Sportsman Division August 14, 1965 20-lap race Fonda Speedway Consolation race Sportsman Division September 10, 1966 Champion Speedway(Brisbane, California) Heat race Limited Sportsman June 3, 1967 San Jose Speedway(at East Tully Road & Quimby Road in San Jose, California) Heat race Super Modified February 22, 1969 Daytona Permatex 300 Daytona International Speedway Race Late Model Sportsman Division July 3, 1971 30-lap race Nashville Fairgrounds Speedway Feature race Late Model Sportsman Division July 30, 1971 20-lap race Clovis Speedway(Clovis, California) Feature race Super Modified August 17, 1973 Lee USA Speedway Feature race Modified (small block) January 18, 1975 Permatex 200 Riverside International Raceway Race Late Model Sportsman Division September 20, 1975 San Jose Speedway(at East Tully Road & Quimby Road in San Jose, California) Practice Super Modified January 15, 1978 Stock Car Products 300 Riverside International Raceway Practice Modified Division February 17, 1979 Sportsman 300 Daytona International Speedway Race Late Model Sportsman Division January 12, 1980 Stock Car Products 300 Riverside International Raceway Race Grand American Division April 24, 1982 Riverside Park Speedway Heat race Modified Division/Winston Racing Series October 24, 1985 Winn-Dixie 500 Martinsville Speedway Practice Winston Modified Tour November 10, 1985 Alabama 200 Montgomery International Raceway Race All-American Challenge Series December 15, 1985 Pontiac race car test Daytona International Speedway Testing Daytona Dash Series February 13, 1987 Komfort Koach 200 Daytona International Speedway Race Charlotte/Daytona Dash Series March 22, 1987 Miller 500 Classic Martinsville Speedway Race Winston Modified Tour July 19, 1987 Outside Pole Qualifier Thompson Speedway Motorsports Park Race Winston Modified Tour August 20, 1988 30-lap race Evergreen Speedway Feature race Winston Racing Series (Super Stock) May 27, 1989 Santa Clara County Fairgrounds B-Feature race Winston Racing Series (Super Modified) September 17, 1989 Sunoco Race of Champions Pocono Raceway Feature race Winston Modified Tour April 22, 1990 Coors Spring Sizzler Stafford Motor Speedway Race Winston Modified Tour May 16, 1990 Sportsman 100 Charlotte Motor Speedway Practice Sportsman Division May 15, 1992 Winston Sportsman 100 Charlotte Motor Speedway Qualifying Race Igloo Sportsman Challenge August 1, 1992 25-lap race Tucson Speedway Feature race Winston Racing Series (Street Stock) August 13, 1992 Detroit Gasket 200 Michigan International Speedway Practice Busch Grand National Series February 12, 1993 Florida 200 Daytona International Speedway Race Goody's Dash Series June 3, 1994 Speedway USA(Bolivar, Missouri) Heat race Winston Racing Series (Grand American Late Model) July 22, 1994 Speedway USA(Bolivar, Missouri) Heat race Winston Racing Series (Grand American Modified) September 24, 1994 50-lap race New Asheville Speedway Race Winston Racing Series (Late Model) October 6, 1995 Winston 100 Charlotte Motor Speedway Race Sportsman Division February 3, 1996 Skoal Bandit Copper World Classic Phoenix Raceway Qualifying Featherlite Southwest Tour March 16, 1997 Florida Dodge Dealers 400 Homestead–Miami Speedway Race Craftsman Truck Series May 12, 2000 Busch 200 New Hampshire Motor Speedway Practice Busch Series Grand National Division September 30, 2000 O'Reilly Auto Parts Hawkeye 100 Crawford County Speedway Feature race Grand National Limited Late Model October 13, 2000 O'Reilly 400 Texas Motor Speedway Race Craftsman Truck Series March 24, 2001 Private test Lebanon I-44 Speedway Testing RE/MAX Challenge Series April 13, 2002 Altamont Raceway Park Feature race Weekly Racing Series (Sportsman Late Model) June 8, 2002 K&N Filters 150 Irwindale Event Center Race Featherlite Southwest Series August 19, 2004 New England Dodge Dealers/Budweiser 150 Thompson Speedway Motorsports Park Race Featherlite Modified Series August 16, 2007 New England Dodge Dealers 150 Thompson Speedway Motorsports Park Race Whelen Modified Tour June 14, 2009 Race Corona Series July 3, 2016 WhistlePig Whiskey "Firecracker" Devil's Bowl Speedway Feature race Whelen All-American Series (Sportsman Modified) July 11, 2020 Pepsi Race Night Langley Speedway Race Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series (Modified)
Drivers who have died of a medical condition in NASCAR events This list covers drivers who crashed their cars because of a fatal medical condition (i.e. drivers who did not die from the injuries they may have sustained in the ensuing accident) as well as those who managed to stop their cars but died of a medical condition shortly afterwards.