The NASCAR world is in shock after Monday’s Daytona 500 ended with a horrific crash on the last lap that left veteran driver Ryan Newman in “serious condition.”
As the leaders jockeyed for position just before reaching the finish line to take the checkered flag, Newman’s car was bumped from behind and sent spinning into the outside wall at full speed. The vicious impact caused Newman’s car to overturn, and as he slid on his roof along the track, driver Corey LaJoie hit Newman’s car, which continued to slide on its roof all the way to the infield grass. Newman was immediately transported to nearby Halifax Health Medical Center. Fortunately, according to a statement from his team, Roush Fenway Racing, Newman’s injuries are not life-threatening.
Here is the final lap of the Daytona 500 in which Ryan Newman's car was flipped at the line.
We will continue to keep you updated on his status as we learn more. pic.twitter.com/qkEwQBpoP0
— FOX: NASCAR (@NASCARONFOX) February 18, 2020
Auto racing is an inherently dangerous sport, and accidents such as the one at the end of the Daytona 500 serve as a reminder that each driver is putting their life on the line every weekend.
Following the death of NASCAR legend Dale Earnhardt Sr. at Daytona in 2001, NASCAR has made driver safety a top priority, and the advancements that have been made over the last two decades – from the design of the car, to the construction of the track walls – may have helped save Newman’s life.
The HANS device
In October of 2001, just after the death of ARCA series driver Blaise Alexander at Charlotte Motor Speedway, NASCAR mandated that all drivers wear a head and neck restraint system called the HANS device starting in the 2002 season. The device is designed to restrict the head movement that can occur due to the rapid deceleration experienced in an accident.
The SAFER barrier
In 2002, Indianapolis Motor Speedway became the first circuit on the NASCAR schedule to install the SAFER barrier – a wall developed to replace the concrete barriers that were present at tracks that can absorb energy from a collision. The SAFER barrier has become the standard outside wall at all NASCAR tracks, and after Kyle Busch suffered a broken leg at Daytona in 2015 after colliding with an infield wall, the track installed the SAFER barrier along every surface a driver could impact.
The NASCAR Research and Development Center
In 2003, NASCAR opened its Research and Development Center in North Carolina, where a group studies on-track incidents and devises new ways to keep drivers safe. The R&D Center has a database of precise measurements recorded by each car’s Incident Data Recorder – a “black box” that was implemented in 2002.
Car redesigns
With the introduction of the “Car of Tomorrow” in 2007, NASCAR drivers began racing in a redesigned cockpit that provided better protection in the event of a crash. The driver’s seat was moved away from the sidepanel of the car and more towards the center – and with the introduction of Generation 6 cars, drivers have a larger cockpit that is protected by energy-absorbing material along the frame. In 2021, NASCAR will move to a new, seventh-generation car, which has been designed with safety as a top priority.
Fire safety
NASCAR has also made advancements in fire safety. Starting in 2003, teams were required to install a fire extinguishing cylinder near the fuel cell that is heat activated and releases a fire suppressant in the event of a fire.
What caused Martin Truex Jr.'s car to burst into flames at @IMS?@LarryMac28 and @AJDinger look into one of Sunday's biggest moments. pic.twitter.com/T7iUKmRaws
— FOX: NASCAR (@NASCARONFOX) July 24, 2017
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