DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — NASCAR driver Ryan Preece miraculously walked away unscathed after a horrifying crash at Daytona International Speedway. Just 12 hours later, Preece was discharged from the hospital and on his way home.
Stewart-Haas Racing confirmed that Preece had received clearance from doctors at Halifax Health Medical Center and was returning to North Carolina. The team provided updates earlier, stating that Preece was “awake, alert, and mobile” and had been in contact with his loved ones.
Despite his car rolling multiple times, the 32-year-old Preece managed to climb out with assistance before being placed on a gurney and transported via ambulance. He initially visited the track’s infield care center before being transferred to Halifax Health for overnight observation.
Just a couple of hours after the race, Preece took to Twitter and declared, “If you want to be a race car driver, you better be tough… I’m coming back.”
The crash occurred when Preece made contact with his Stewart-Haas Racing teammate Chase Briscoe, resulting in his car violently rolling as it transitioned from the asphalt to the infield grass. Luckily, the car came to a halt on all four tires with minor damage to the roll cage.
Preece’s ability to exit the car with assistance highlights the safety advancements of NASCAR’s Next Gen car, considered the most secure in its 75-year history.
The Next Gen car faced criticism after its debut in 2022 due to rear-impact collisions causing significant harm to drivers. Last year, Kurt Busch of 23XI Racing suffered a life-altering concussion during a qualifying crash at Pocono Raceway, while Hendrick Motorsports driver Alex Bowman missed several races due to a concussion.
Numerous other drivers also voiced concerns over the intensity of routine hits and worried about potential head injuries.
In response, NASCAR dedicated considerable time and resources to test and refine its car, aiming to minimize the G-forces experienced by drivers. These changes have been well-received, resulting in fewer missed races and no reported concussions in 2023.
Meanwhile, Kurt Busch has not returned to racing and officially retired from the Cup Series on Saturday at Daytona. The 45-year-old driver fought back tears as he bid farewell, revealing the physical toll incurred from battling arthritis, gout, and the lingering effects of a previous brain injury.
Preece’s accident brought back memories of Ryan Newman’s terrifying wreck in the 2020 Daytona 500. Newman also managed to walk out of the hospital shortly after, representing the ongoing safety advancements in NASCAR since the tragic passing of Dale Earnhardt in the 2001 Daytona 500.
For more information on auto racing, visit: AP auto racing.
Denial of responsibility! VigourTimes is an automatic aggregator of Global media. In each content, the hyperlink to the primary source is specified. All trademarks belong to their rightful owners, and all materials to their authors. For any complaint, please reach us at – [email protected]. We will take necessary action within 24 hours.
