Sprint Cars were created around WW1; however, their name was way different from modern-day sprint cars. They were originally called "Big Cars." Just like modern-day sprint cars, they were created for off-road racing. The term "Sprint Car" was not first used until around the 1950s. This term was used because the races were relatively short.
The modern sprint cars we are used to are quite similar to the early versions. However, they have greatly improved in multiple areas. These areas include, performance, safety features, and the design of the cars.
Modern sprint cars now have significantly better safety than their predecessors. One of the main safety features is the roll cage, this feature helps protect the driver incase of a crash or roll over. This is a heavy duty steel cage that prevents the weight of the vehicle from crushing the driver, since this would be the only thick part of the vehicle. Another safety feature is a harness system that helps restrain the driver, this harness is called a 5- to 7-point harness. These numbers indicate how many straps hold the driver in. Lastly, the cars have a mesh net in the car. This net is crucial to protect drivers from debris and other objects.
Now onto the Driver's gear. The Drivers are the most important part of the race, so they also have to be protected with gear they wear. This is arguably the most important part, as Drivers wear a fire resistant suit. This is incase a crash or other source causes a fire on the vehicle. This allows them to escape with minimal damage. They also wear gloves and boots that are also fire resistant, these can also protect the driver's hand and feat in the event of a crash, or from friction when turning the wheel. Lastly, the drivers wear a helment. This helment is equipped with straps that tie to the vehicle. These helments, plus the padding and restrains help prevent neck and head fractures.