When they stop thinking like that, they need to get out of the car as fast as they can and retire. Skittishness does not work in a race car. Racing great Junior Johnson has seen Winston Cup racing grow from its backroads roots to its current multi-million dollar existence. Along the way, he has seen safety equipment go from a helmet and seat belt to harnesses and head-stabilizing devices. What hasn't changed is the mindset of drivers.
Most drivers feel they're in control of their own destiny.
You never think about getting hurt. You don't believe you're the one who's going to be next. If you got to thinking about it, you'd just get out of the car and quit. Bobby Isaac did that years ago at Talladega. One of the sports top drivers during the 1970s, Isaac was running well at Talladega when he unexpectedly pulled his car onto pit road and got out.