Kyle Busch Out of Daytona 500, Track Implementing Changes

"LXA_KA_1287" (LXA_KA_1287)
02/21/2015 at 20:46 • Filed to: Daytona 500, NASCAR, Kyle Busch, Joe Gibbs Racing, ThorSport Racing, Xfinity Series, Sprint Cup Series, Daytona International Speedway

!!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! during the Xfinity Series Daytona race today, Kyle Busch has been !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! .

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The NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver hit an unprotected wall along the inside of the track following a spin late in today's Xfinity race. Kyle attempted to exit the car under his own power, but immediately began pointing at his legs when he had hoisted himself halfway out of the car. Track rescue workers were immediately at the scene and placed an air cast on the driver's right leg, then transported him directly to Halifax Medical Center in Daytona Beach.

!!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! at the track, Track President Joey Chitwood sat beside NASCAR Executive Vice President Steve O'Donnell and took ownership of the fact that the track did not have a !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! installed where Kyle Busch hit the wall at about 90 miles per hour, according to the FOX Sports 1 broadcast of the event. The track is !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! to protect drivers for tomorrow's Daytona 500, and will invest in SAFER Barriers to protect the wall before the track's July race.

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Joe Gibbs Racing has not named a replacement driver for Kyle Busch yet, but !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! will sub for Kyle for the 500. Crafton has won back-to-back championships for ThorSport Racing, which along with JGR has a relationship with Toyota.

UPDATE:

Joe Gibbs Racing has announced Matt Crafton will drive the #18 Toyota in the Daytona 500.

Also, the team announced that !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! , and a mid-foot fracture in his left foot. The driver had successful surgery and is recovering at the hospital.

DISCUSSION (23)

ly2v8-Brian > LXA_KA_1287
02/21/2015 at 21:00

Major oversight by track owners on this. That hit was brutal.

CammedCTSV > LXA_KA_1287
02/21/2015 at 21:16

My seats face this wall and I have always wondered what it would take for the track to install Safer on the older concrete walls. Why do bare walls still exist after Dale Sr lost his life?

Sampsonite24-Earth's Least Likeliest Hero > ly2v8-Brian
02/21/2015 at 21:18

Yeah watching it at speed is cringe worthy

Dwhite - Powered by Caffeine, Daft Punk, and Corgis > LXA_KA_1287
02/21/2015 at 21:25

Ive been waiting for something to go down with these drivers risking it to drive multiple times a weekend.

Maybe this will discourage drivers from playing in the minor leagues.

ly2v8-Brian > CammedCTSV
02/21/2015 at 21:37

I would imagine they thought the grass would slow them enough. Obviously that's not true. I have a hard time believing track ownership couldn't afford it.

CammedCTSV > ly2v8-Brian
02/21/2015 at 21:42

I thought the France family owns International Speedway Corp....I think you are right

ly2v8-Brian > CammedCTSV
02/21/2015 at 21:46

Yep, its run by the Frances, I'd wager they have majority holdings as well (its publically traded on the exchange).

911e46z06 > LXA_KA_1287
02/21/2015 at 23:11

Jesus. Nascar drivers I hate are dropping like flies. If Joey Logano goes down, I probably have some kind of psychic powers.

Or maybe it's just karma working overtime.

LXA_KA_1287 > ly2v8-Brian
02/21/2015 at 23:32

Everybody forgets what it's like to hit hard on a concrete wall until it happens again. The SAFER barrier hits are still cringe-worthy but seeing the wall give even a little bit makes you feel better about it.

Also, for what it's worth, it may not necessarily be track oversight. It could be one of those things where experts told them at one time or another that the odds of a big hit there were too low for them to suggest barriers being placed at the site.

LXA_KA_1287 > ly2v8-Brian
02/21/2015 at 23:34

Grass does the opposite of slow. Especially after wet conditions, the cars tend to just slide and not lose as much speed. This is why most of the backstretch is paved at big ovals, and also why F1 requires more paved "off" areas to allow drivers a chance to slow down with brakes rather than gravel traps they could skip across the top of or dig in and roll in.

LXA_KA_1287 > ly2v8-Brian
02/21/2015 at 23:35

Yup, the France Family owns Daytona and many other tracks, along with NASCAR. They authorized the "Daytona Rising" project a few years back to re-do all of the grandstands and suites along the front stretch. it was a lot of money. The SSAFER barriers they will now install will cos a lot less than what they are spending on the grandstands, for what it's worth.

LXA_KA_1287 > Dwhite - Powered by Caffeine, Daft Punk, and Corgis
02/21/2015 at 23:39

Well we saw it happen with Brad Keseloski a few years back, when he messed up his foot and ankle at Road America a few years back. But he was able to keep racing.

The problem with Cup drivers and Xfinity/Camping World series is that they are a necessary evil. Some sponsors say they will only sponsor a car if a Cup drivers races in it X number of times a year, or will provide enough money for the team to operate a full year, but wish to only appear on the car when a Cup driver is in the car. So for a lot of Xfinity teams, their full seasons or team full time rides depend on Cup drivers running part time schedules in the lower series. So we could see fewer Cup guys racing in lower divisions, but there is a chance we could also lose teams in both divisions because sponsors want to be on the big name driver.

I know, it sucks, but it's the reality of the situation.

LXA_KA_1287 > 911e46z06
02/21/2015 at 23:40

I know it seems like he has something coming to him but I would hate to see an accident take another driver out of their seat. Maybe Harvick will finally take a swing at some point...

ly2v8-Brian > LXA_KA_1287
02/21/2015 at 23:48

True, they may have thought the grass was enough. It's just a shame that safety changes are reactionary in motorsports.

LXA_KA_1287 > ly2v8-Brian
02/21/2015 at 23:55

Very true. I can't really think of a precautionary safety initiative, at least recently. Maybe NASCAR's development of the new roof flaps required on cars that include fiber flaps that create more area for the air to keep the car on the ground. but there is a reason the bars across the front windshield are called Earnhardt bars, the HANS became mandatory after Earnhardt, etc etc.

LXA_KA_1287 > CammedCTSV
02/21/2015 at 23:57

Most tracks have installed SAFER barriers over a period of a few years in areas where they have been determined to be most useful/effective/protective. All more recent SAFER barriers have been installed because a car/driver found a spot that hadn't been hit, or nobody figured a car would hit.

ly2v8-Brian > LXA_KA_1287
02/22/2015 at 00:06

Kevin Harvick called them out on that last year

http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/n…

LXA_KA_1287 > LXA_KA_1287
02/22/2015 at 00:09

Updated the story to add the following updates:

Joe Gibbs Racing has announced Matt Crafton will drive the #18 Toyota in the Daytona 500.

Also, the team announced that Kyle Busch officially suffered a compound fracture of his lower right leg , and a mid-foot fracture in his left foot. The driver had successful surgery and is recovering at the hospital.

LXA_KA_1287 > ly2v8-Brian
02/22/2015 at 00:10

And they ignored it then because nobody got hurt, to be honest.

ly2v8-Brian > LXA_KA_1287
02/22/2015 at 00:13

It's the unpredictable nature of motorsports, something unusual will happen. But this would likely have been preventable had the proper barriers been there. Maybe even install a similar runoff as dragstrips have around the infield wall.

ly2v8-Brian > LXA_KA_1287
02/22/2015 at 00:14

Absolutely

CammedCTSV > LXA_KA_1287
02/22/2015 at 00:24

for what it's worth, i am glad i drive a big heavy V8 sedan. It will take a hit and keep me safe

Slipstream Network > LXA_KA_1287
03/05/2015 at 00:25

Our podcast recently started talking about safety. This week we have David Heinemeier Hansson, driver of the Tequila Patron ESM HPD LMP2 Coupe in IMSA and WEC to talk about his recent IMSA pit lane safety petition. Check us out if this is something that interests you!