Nascar Nationwide Series: Crash Shows Dangers of Sport, Average Speed of Nascar Vehicle is 140 to 180 MPH (VIDEO)

Today was not a great end for NASCAR. Michael Annett was unfortunately taken to the Halifax Health Medical Center after a multi-car crash near the end of the Nationwide Series hit the driver on the Daytona International Speedway.

Annett was transported to the hospital after complaining of a pain in his chest and sternum. He was treated for bruising of his chest, and after, underwent a CT scan.

He is currently being kept in the hospital for observation after his involvement in a pileup on the 116^th lap of 120-lap Drive4COPD 300. Three other drivers, including Jamie Dick, Johanna Long and Hal Martin, were treated and released from the infield care center.

The 11-car crash resulted in a 19-minute and 52-second red flag. However, the race resumed shortly after 4 p.m.

Some would claim NASCAR racing is the most dangerous American sport. On the other hand, some would argue that this is not even a sport. Regardless of your opinion on the matter, it's important to recognize that the speed of the vehicles used in the races can cause dangerous and even deadly crashes.

According to the National Science Foundation's "The Science of Speed," which was written and hosted by Diandra Leslie-Pelecky, scientific principles are essential to the speed of the cars.

NASCAR vehicles can reach a wide variety of speeds, with records generally hovering around 180+ MPH. Some races are only going to see speeds of 140 MPH, while others may average around 150 to 160 MPH. Each race is unique and dependent upon restrictions placed by NASCAR.

That's certainly a crazy speed--much faster than the typical car you see on the highway. You might imagine then that the sport could be dangerous. Best to leave it to the pros.

Want to learn more about the sport? Check out this video, courtesy of YouTube.