FMX Rider Jim McNeil's Death a Painful Reminder of Dangers in Motor Sports

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.