Following Ryan Newman‘s frightening wreck during the Daytona 500, there have been questions about the safety of NASCAR. These cars can reach 200 mph, which can lead to some massive crashes. Legendary driver Darrell Waltrip has some insight into the sport due to his four decades of experience behind the wheel, as well as his relationships with modern drivers.
“The drivers tell me the cars are harder to hold on to on the backstretch than anywhere else, cars feel very light when running in a straight line!!” Waltrip recently posted on Twitter Monday night.
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There have been discussions in recent years about the cars and their tendencies to go airborne at such high speeds, especially on the straight stretches of track. Newman even called out NASCAR back In 2009 after a Talladega wreck.
“I complained about cars getting airborne. It’s disappointing. I wish NASCAR would do something,” Newman said at the time.
Entering the 2020 season, cars getting airborne is still an issue in the sport. The information provided to Waltrip by fellow drivers confirmed this.
Daytona International Speedway, where Newman’s wreck took place, is the same track where Dale Earnhardt died in a tragic crash back in 2001. He had wrecked while helping Michael Waltrip, Darrell’s younger brother, win his first-ever Daytona 500. Sterling Marlin had bumped Earnhardt’s car, sending it spinning into the wall and killing the legendary driver.
The Hall of Famer in Waltrip was on the call that day, and he expressed joy about his brother winning the 500 for the very first time. Michael had been viewed as a disappointment among NASCAR fans after remaining winless in the Cup Series, but he joined Dale Earnhardt Inc. and won his first 500. However, that excitement about the long-awaited victory quickly changed to sadness after Waltrip learned that his close friend in Earnhardt had died.
Newman’s wreck had a vastly different outcome than Earnhardt’s considering that he was transported to the hospital on Monday night and was treated for his injuries. Less than 48 hours later, the 42-year-old was released from the hospital and was able to walk out of the building under his own power.
“NEWMAN… you’re amazing, God Bless You Buddy!!” Waltrip wrote in response to this news. There were many fans expecting Newman to remain in the hospital for a few extra days after his wreck, but he was able to recover. This was viewed as nothing short of miraculous by the fans.
(Photo Credit: Chris Graythen/Getty Images)
