Why do we watch? It’s an open question with as many answers as there are colors on the cars…

Is it as simple as watching for the contact, the spins and the crashes that will get most out of their seats to see the action play out?

Is it the basic grasp of the challenge of the drive and the lap by lap progress of favorite drivers?

Is it just a love of speed and being memorized by the blur as the race goes by?

It really could be any, all or more. Whatever the reason or reasons that we have for being a fan of racing the possibility is always there that the attraction of the sport can also cost dearly.

In recent weeks, that cost has been paid too often. Jason Leffler, a multi-series driver including NASCAR series, was killed in a sprint car crash. At the 24 Hours of Le Mans, Allan Simonsen was killed following a spin and hard contact with the barrier.

We coldly accept the danger is present for the drivers we watch but this season has seen quite a bit of tragedy out of the cockpit. The Formula 1 Canadian Grand Prix was scarred with the death of a Track Marshall during the clean up process following a crash by Esteban Gutierrez. The opening of the racing season saw car parts flying into the grandstands after a wall hit at Daytona in the NASCAR Nationwide Series. Even the efforts to bring us the show have failed as a mobile track camera came down at Charlotte and tossed bits into the seating area as cars were sliced and tangled on the course.

How difficult is it for these drivers to climb back into a car and do the job they have signed on for when the possibility of what could happen has happened to one of their own? How difficult is it when the attraction they participate in has caused some kind harm to those they attract?

The pressure to perform must be multiplied when the possibility becomes reality. Despite the difficulty these possibilities are tucked away someplace and the racing goes on.

This weekend, Formula 1 has run at England’s Silverstone. NASCAR in Kentucky has run the Camping World and Nationwide Series and the Sprint Cup has been pushed by rain from a Saturday night to Sunday. Grand-Am is running the “Six Hours” at Watkins Glen.

And smaller series and weekend locals are running all over.

They race. We watch.

Be safe.