FMX

In recent weeks, the racing world has been struck by a wave of tragedies that has claimed the lives of two greats. In mid-October, IndyCar star Dan Wheldon died from injuries he suffered in a horrific 15-car crash at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. A week later, motorcycle racer Marco Simoncelli was killed in a violent crash in Sepang.

The wave has now hit the sport of freestyle motocross. On Sunday, 32-year-old FMX rider Jim McNeil died from injuries he suffered during a practice run at Texas Motor Speedway.

Per a report from Colin Bane of ESPN.com, McNeil was tuning up for a stop on the 2011 Boost Mobile FreestyleMX.com Worldwide Tour. He was practicing on The Midway at Texas Motor Speedway when he crashed and had to be taken by air to a nearby hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

McNeil was a true veteran of the sport, as he first started competing in 1987, eventually making his X Games debut in 2005. He was a regular in assorted FMX competitions, and had been a member of the Boost FMX team for the last nine years.

McNeil's life is not the first to be claimed by FMX. Two years ago, Jeremy Lusk passed away trying to do a back flip at a competition in Costa Rica. According to a report from the Los Angeles Times, he was believed to be the first pro rider to have died from injuries suffered in an FMX competition.

Earlier this year, pro FMX rider Jeff Kargola passed away from injuries suffered in a desert motocross event in Mexico.

The obvious thing to say here is that FMX is a dangerous sport, and that it really isn't all that different from any other sport that requires a motor and a driver.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zHCtl5PXErI

That's because this is true. And in truth, it is actually pretty remarkable that FMX does not result in more tragic deaths given the ever-increasing danger of the stunts that the sport is known for.

Accepting the danger of these stunts is part of the job. In fact, defying and conquering the danger is what the sport is all about. That riders succeed more often than they fail is a testament to their skill and their preparation.

When riders do try and fail, they generally end up with injuries that they can learn from. There likely aren't any pro FMX riders that haven't had to suffer a broken bone or two as part of their development. Sometimes they beat danger, and sometimes danger beats them.

This is one thing about FMX that is never going to change. And because the essential danger of the sport will continue to evolve as riders continue to up the ante, one can only hope that safety measures can keep pace.

No matter what happens, FMX will never be different from any other sport that requires a motor and a rider in one way:

Accidents will happen. Few of them will be tragic, but they will happen.

No matter the reality of the situation or what kind of lesson can be learned, Jim McNeil has been lost too soon. May he rest in peace.

Nobody ever could have predicted that it would be Jim McNeil.

The 32-year-old FMX rider died on Sunday while he was practicing for the AAA Texas 500 at Texas Motor Speedway in Fort Worth, Texas.

It was completely unexpected considering McNeil has been involved in this extreme sport since the mid-'80s.

This is his life, the only thing he ever knew—and he died in practice?

It's a painful and cruel reminder that the world of motor sports is as risky a profession as any in the world. McNeil's death is the third in the last month, joining Indy Car driver Dan Wheldon and Moto GP racer Marco Simoncelli, to perish while competing in the sport they love.

Dying in practice really drives home the point that action sports are incredibly dangerous.

Doing back flips on a motorcycle while being elevated up to 100 feet in the air is absurd. It's an incredible spectacle to watch for fans, but it comes with a monstrous risk.

At what point to you value your life over entertaining thousands of fans?

I know, deaths in motor sports don't happen every day. These guys are professionals, and have pulled off mind-blowing stunts with the sort of ease that it takes for me and you to brush our teeth.

It's a catch-22.

Fulfilling their quench for adrenaline is like a drug addict having to get their fix, they'll go to extreme risks that may even result in death to get it.

The entire motor cross world has been reminded yet again that there is potential permanent consequences just for the sake of entertainment.

Tragedy has struck the world of motor sports yet again.

Less than a month after Indy racer Dan Wheldon and MotoGP racer Marco Simoncelli passed away during a race, FMX rider Jim McNeil died Sunday morning during a practice for an exhibition that was scheduled to coincide with the AAA Texas 500 at Texas Motor Speedway in Fort Worth Texas.

The 32-year-old was highly regarded by everyone in his life. ESPN's Colin Bane sums up his long and illustrious career:

"McNeil, known to his friends and fans as "Jumpin' Jimmy" and "McNeil The Real Deal," had been competing in motocross events since 1987 and made his X Games debut in 2005."

"He lived in Phoenix, Ariz. and was a constant presence on the FMX competition circuit, including the Red Bull X-Fighters, Dew Tour, and International Freestyle Motocross Association events."

"He was even better known amongst FMX fans for his performances on the Nuclear Cowboyz tour and standout parts in videos like Powerband Films' On The Pipe 5."

It's the sort of tragedy that makes you rethink your priorities. If racers are going to put their lives on the line in practice, the opportunity for something catastrophic to happen increases 10-fold.

Is it worth it? Is it worth putting your life at risk so you can entertain fans?

It's something that every racer is pondering, especially when you consider how experienced McNeil was. He could do a back flip on a motor bike in his sleep. So when he dies in a practice session, it's a reminder that it can happen to anybody.

While there are ways to make car and bike racing safer, there really are no easy solutions to increase the FMX and BMX regulations.

These guys are adrenaline junkies and are willing to pay the ultimate price for it.

FMX rider Jim McNeil died during practice on Sunday, sending shock waves through the entire sports community and reminding us all just how risky partaking in extreme sports actually is.

Everyone involved in extreme sports knows danger is always looming and that fatalities are a very real possibility. It's often unspoken, but those partaking know the risks all too well.

This unfortunate and untimely death happened to an accomplished and well-received rider. Jay Schweitzer, director of the On The Pipe films, said, "Jim was truly the nicest rider I have ever filmed and didn't have a bad bone in his body. Jim truly put the 'real' in McNeil The Real Deal."

Obviously fellow riders are distraught and saddened by the news of McNeil's passing, but it's clear McNeil affected far more people than just his close friends and family.

Track announcer Amanda Wright had this to say:

This death comes less than a month after Dan Wheldon's fatal Indy car accident. This is yet another worst-case scenario that results in the loss of a well-liked athlete who suffered an unlucky fate.

Safety precautions and technological advances aren't always enough to protect athletes who live life to push themselves to the limit and flirt with disaster on a daily basis.

It is clear McNeil will be missed by all who knew him.