Another late NASCAR race caution brought on a mad scramble restart during the Go Bowling at The Glen last month, wherein a collision left the fans hooked to their seats. The event where William Byron, Brad Keselowski, and Joey Logano got involved reminded people of some past races that were not only dangerous for the drivers, but this time around, due to the changes made in the cars used in NASCAR racing, the result was very different.
The Incident Unfolds
When the race reached the last laps, William Byron in No. 24 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet cars crashed into Keselowski’s No. 6 RFK Racing Ford. The effect came when Byron’s car soared threateningly into the rear quarter panel of Keselowski’s vehicle, with his helmet just a few inches from Byron’s splitter and tire. Amazingly, the drivers of the two cars got out of the situation without any harm. This was not just down to luck but recent modifications that were undertaken on the cars in the line of safety after a different accident the previous year.
Learning from Past Incidents NASCAR Race
In 2023, at Talladega Superspeedway, Larson got into a dangerous crash with another car at great velocity, damaging his safety cage severely. After that mishap, NASCAR’s Research and Development team investigated to know the weak parts of Larson’s car. They concentrated on strengthening the right side of the car and extended the length of the supplied steel tubing on the left rear corner of the center section to enhance the driver’s guar
Enhanced Protection at Watkins Glen
In the Watkins Glen incident, this newly added tubing would protect Keselowski. While before its addition, the car’s base relied on the strength of the safety cell, the additional tubing acted as a barrier and saved Keselowski’s rear window from the force of Byron’s splitter when it hit at racing speeds. While sharing photos of the tubing that RFK Racing used for its splitter, one could notice marks that showed where the splitter had been making contact; these safety modifications only underscore their significance.
To say that driver safety is only found in the center section of NASCARs is to minimize the issue. There have also been changes to the front end, improving its ability to fold up better during an impact. This has been very helpful in times of increased pressure on drivers during accidents, most especially when reversing towards a wall. These updates have brought a vehicle allowing drivers to cope with incidents that would otherwise lead to worse outcomes.
Final Thoughts
Fortunately, Watkins Glen saw Keselowski somewhat unscathed, proving the success of NASCAR’s constant pursuit to improve racing safety. The new tubing ensured that Byron’s splitter did not come close to Keselowski’s seat, something unimaginable when the Next Gen chassis was first introduced. However, there are still problems that have not decreased, which has contributed to the development of safety in NASCAR that enables its drivers to get back to the race track without worrying, despite near mishaps.
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