McDowell Walks Away from Frightening Texas Motor Speedway Crash
By Bram • Apr 4th, 2008 • Category: NASCAR, Sprint Cup Series
“I came off turn four, and something just didn’t feel right. I told the guys, ‘Man this thing is really tight and I’m going to run another lap.’ Then I got down in there and it started to pull right on me. I tried to gather it up and as soon as I turned back to the right the front tires hooked up and started rolling down from there. I didn’t lose consciousness — I felt every roll down the hill. For me to walk away from a wreck like that is unbelievable. I’m definitely going to count my blessings tonight. Thank God for this opportunity to walk away from that wreck.” — Michael McDowell
Watching that wreck turned my stomach. I am so glad that he was able to walk away from it. Too bad we didn’t have those kind of safety features in place 7 years ago this past Feb.
I know… but like you say.. even though the price paid was much too great… it allowed McDowell to suvive. I think The Man (Earnhardt Sr.) would be happy about that. For himself and future generations of racers.
Soft walls, the HANS, the seat designs, the space in the CoT greenhouse all worked the way they should.
Kinda puts the new car into a different perspective, while it may not be the sexy, exotic aero-beast we loved, it certainly is a safer car. Proven. I shudder to think of that crash without the features incorprated in the CoT.
Brett Bodine and company did a heck of a job.