One other NASCAR Driver Is Sidelined with Concussion-Like Signs Forward of Crash-Fueled Talladega

NASCAR Cup Collection driver Alex Bowman will sit out this weekend’s race at Talladega after a crash at Texas Motor Speedway left him with concussion-like signs. He joins a rising checklist of drivers to have suffered related accidents behind the wheel of NASCAR’s new Subsequent-Gen machine — which is a particularly dangerous signal simply earlier than probably the most crash-prone races of the yr.

Eventually weekend’s TMS race, Bowman was operating in eighth place within the race’s first stage when a tire exploded, sending him backing into the wall.

Whereas the crash didn’t look horrible, these seems to be are sort of the issue. Crumple zones have been lowered in these Subsequent-Gen automobiles; previously, an accident like this doubtless would have totaled a automotive, because the vitality of the impression would have been dissipated through damaged bodywork. Now, the impacts are rattling drivers.

Bowman mentioned on the radio that it was “the toughest I’ve crashed something in my whole life.” His concussion-like symptoms after the occasion will now depart him sidelined for Talladega.

Bowman isn’t the one driver to endure a head damage this season, although. Kurt Busch’s qualifying crash at Pocono this summer season has left him sidelined for the previous 10 races, and it’s not clear when — or if — he’ll get again within the automotive this yr.

Kevin Harvick has additionally voiced his issues, as reported in RACER:

“I believe once you take a look at the issues that occurred with the accidents, I believe these are the precise issues that the drivers had from the very first day we noticed the automotive,” mentioned Harvick. “There hasn’t been a variety of development apart from we modified a number of the rear clip stuff; we modified a number of the impression stuff. However these automobiles don’t crash like the opposite automobiles crash. They’re violent impacts, they usually really feel lots completely different than what the crash knowledge g-load is. It goes straight by means of the driving force’s physique.”

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Harvick confused that nobody however the drivers understands the extent of how dangerous the hits are. He mentioned there have been instances when there was a full extension on the HANS machine after a driver rear-ended one other automotive on a restart.

“And it takes you a second to actually determine that your hood’s not caved in and the ductwork continues to be in it and issues which have occurred,” Harvick mentioned. “I don’t assume anyone actually understands, apart from the drivers which have crashed into one thing, the violence that comes within the automotive.”

So, whereas the Subsequent-Gen automobiles have include an look of security and a few structurally sound bodywork, there are nonetheless a variety of issues occurring within the cockpit.

As Harvick said above, there have been issues about security for the reason that daybreak of the Subsequent-Gen automotive. Jalopnik reported on rumors that sprang up on social media concerning the “demise” of the crash-test dummies utilized in Subsequent-Gen impression checks.

Whereas NASCAR adamantly denied these claims by noting that the dummy “functioned nominally” after the crashes and driver Chase Briscoe deleted his Reddit feedback confirming the dummy “demise,” the structural security of the automobiles are nonetheless being questioned.

You don’t should look far to see it. Eventually weekend’s Texas Motor Speedway race, blown tires resulted in a record-setting variety of cautions throughout the race, and buildups of tire rubber have induced fires. In the case of crashes, it additionally appears as if hits to the rear clip are significantly harmful, with a number of drivers complaining about ache and soreness after a rear-end impression. It has resulted in two Playoff-eligible drivers to take a seat out key rounds that might have led them to a Cup Collection championship.

That these points are prefacing a race at Talladega can be regarding. The observe is thought for inflicting “The Huge One,” or large, multi-car accidents that may accumulate vital parts of the sphere in a single go — and that inevitably means we’ll see some drivers maintain rear-end collisions and, presumably, additional accidents.

The No. 48 might be pushed by Noah Gragson this weekend at Talladega.