In 2013, the roar of engines at Daytona turned into screams. On the final lap of the NASCAR Nationwide Series race, chaos erupted. Regan Smith tried to block Brad Keselowski, triggering a violent chain reaction. Rookie Kyle Larson slammed into the pack. His car launched into the air, ripped through the catch fence, and exploded into shrapnel. Fans watched in horror as a tire shot over the fence and landed deep in the grandstands. Flames, metal, and a chunk of Larson’s engine pierced the safety barrier.

More than 30 fans were injured, 14 on-site, 19 taken to hospitals. Two were critically hurt. Larson stood stunned on the grass. “I hope all the fans are OK and all the drivers are all right. I took a couple of big hits there and saw my engine was gone,” he said, shaken. The crash didn’t just injure dozens; it sparked a major revaluation of safety measures in motorsports. NASCAR and track officials rushed to install reinforced catch fencing, stronger barriers, and stricter safety protocols. “We responded appropriately according to our safety protocols,” said Daytona President Joie Chitwood.

It was a wake-up call. The incident became a pivotal moment that shaped modern track safety standards. That crash proved why catch fences are crucial. They aren’t just metal nets; they’re the last line of defense between fans and 3,400-pound race cars traveling at nearly 200 mph. Yet, despite this, a shocking image from a well-known track in Colorado has exposed a massive failure. A recent ARCA race ended with a gaping hole in the catch fence, and fans are furious.

A few weeks ago, ARCA Menards West rolled into Dacono, Colorado. It was the fourth stop of the 2025 season, held at the small, 0.375-mile Colorado National Speedway. The race, the Colorado 150, was cut short by rain after just 60 laps. Jake Bollman took the win. It was a milestone, his first win, and the 100th for Bill McAnally Racing. But now, weeks after that race, a Reddit user posted an image that lit up motorsports’ social media.

The picture showed a massive hole in the catch fence. No repair. No warning. Just a gaping reminder of what could have gone horribly wrong. The caption: “Colorado National Speedway finished a race with a torn open catch fence. Completely unacceptable.” The image spread fast. And the outrage spread faster. Fans felt not just angry, they felt scared. One comment summed it up: “From what I heard, they were train racing. The car in front had gas and steering, the middle had nothing, the back had brakes, and one of the trains tore out the fence. A caution light shot into a guy’s lap and injured him.”

That wasn’t just dramatic. It was dangerously real. Engineers design catch fences to stop catastrophic events like this. Leaving a gaping hole exposed after a crash not only shows poor maintenance but also endangers human life. NASCAR safety guidelines require crews to repair damaged catch fences immediately or stop the race. Yet here, that didn’t happen. Notably, NASCAR hasn’t raced in Colorado in nearly two decades.

From 1998 to 2005, Pikes Peak International Raceway hosted Xfinity and Truck Series events. Big names like Greg Biffle and Matt Kenseth won there. But the track, located 90 minutes south of Denver, faded from national attention. NASCAR’s growing emphasis on larger media markets and safety standards left smaller venues like Pikes Peak and Colorado National behind. However, local racers have long pushed for a national return.

Colorado fans remain passionate, and the Denver market is large. Yet the lack of major infrastructure and now, this safety fiasco, only widens the gap. The CNS has hosted several ARCA West races, and this year’s Colorado 150 marked Bill McAnally Racing’s 100th win. Weather shortened the Colorado 150, but no storm outshone the brewing backlash. Drivers like Trevor Huddleston showed grit, carving through the field from last to finish third. While the race offered thrilling action before the rain delay, the safety oversight now threatens its reputation.

Fans can’t hold back against the Colorado race promoters!

Fans fueled online outrage not just with one image, but with stories they’ve shared for years. Each reaction painted the venue as unsafe and loosely managed, showing it has lost control of its own standards. “You’ll see some of the most irresponsible things at local tracks,” one user posted. It’s true. Small venues often don’t follow the same strict standards as national series. But that doesn’t make it acceptable. Irresponsibility becomes a disaster when fans are a few feet away from the action.

Another user pointed out, “It’s all fun and games until the insurance company finds out.” If a lawsuit or insurance probe follows, the consequences could be huge. Tracks must meet safety compliance or risk losing their sanctioning entirely. Additionally, if a fan gets injured, the insurance claim will cause them a major headache. Meanwhile, a user slammed promoters saying, “Local tracks are generally run by morons.” That brutal but viral comment sums up the mood. Fans don’t just want better racing; they want safer venues.

“Man, I’ve seen some wild things at CNS… Saw Bear Lynch ride the wall on two wheels in that exact spot as a kid. Would have been pretty scary with a hole in the fence,” another user posted. That’s a firsthand warning. If something went wrong then, it would’ve been tragic. The fence is the last line of defense. And this time, it failed. The torn fence at Colorado National Speedway is more than an oversight, it’s a warning. NASCAR once learned a painful lesson at Daytona in 2013. Now, in 2025, fans fear that lesson has been forgotten.