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Examining the Safety Concerns in NASCAR: An In-depth Look at Ryan Preece’s Daytona Flip and the Role of Next-Gen Cars

Carl Harrison by Carl Harrison
February 21, 2025
in Motorsports
Reading Time: 2 mins read
0
VIDEO – Ryan Preece Survives Terrifying Daytona Crash: “We’re Getting Really Close to Somebody Not Walking Away”

Ryan Preece goes airborne in the closing laps of the Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway, Sunday, Feb. 16, 2025.

Ryan Preece, the star of the Cup Series, has once again found himself in a terrifying crash at the Daytona 500. This marked his second accident at the same racetrack within the span of three years. Preece’s first mishap occurred in August 2023 when he lost control of his No. 41 Stewart-Haas Racing car, which was nudged by another vehicle into the infield grass leading to a series of ten barrel-rolls. Two years on, Preece’s tryst with danger hasn’t changed, even after his switch to RFK Racing.

The recent incident happened during a multi-car chaos with just eight laps to go. Erik Jones’ car collided with Preece’s No. 60, sending it airborne. Such accidents have become a disturbingly frequent sight at recent NASCAR events, leading to escalating concerns among fans and drivers. In response, a top executive from NASCAR has decided to start with a clean slate.

In the wake of the accident, NASCAR’s Next-Gen car has come under fire for its propensity to take flight under precarious circumstances. This criticism was fuelled by similar incidents during the 2024 Michigan race where Corey LaJoie’s No. 7 Chevrolet flipped multiple times on the grass, and subsequently during the Coke Zero Sugar 400 race when Josh Berry’s car also flew into the air, slamming violently into the outer wall before finally coming to rest.

Ryan Preece, having been in the eye of the storm, has described his latest ordeal as far worse than his 2023 accident, which had left him with two black eyes. Although he didn’t require a hospital visit this time, his mishap has reignited safety concerns. This prompted NASCAR to seek assistance from Brad Keselowski, Preece’s new team owner at RFK Racing.

NASCAR race director, Jusan Hamilton, has since provided insight into the post-incident procedure. Hamilton disclosed that their safety team, comprising Dr. John Patalak, Matt Harper, and David Green, conducted a preliminary investigation on the No. 60 car. Subsequently, the team collaborated with Brad Keselowski and RFK Racing to further analyze the crash. Hamilton expressed confidence in their ongoing investigation and acknowledged the issue of cars going airborne.

RFK Racing’s input will play a vital role in understanding what caused Preece’s car to flip so violently. Preece himself highlighted the severity of the situation, stating that a head-on impact like his shouldn’t cause a car to go airborne.

Jeff Gordon, Vice Chairman of Hendrick Motorsports, echoed Preece’s sentiments. Hamilton assured that the Next-Gen car was designed with catastrophic wrecks in mind and that the safety engineering team led by Dr. John Patalak and the aero team led by Dr. Jacuzi were diligently working to increase the lift-off speed of the cars.

However, the frequency of accidents at the Daytona 500 has been a cause for concern. The event, held since 1959, has seen its fair share of champion winners. However, the introduction of restrictor-plate racing has led to more accidents due to cars racing in packs. The introduction of the Next-Gen car has only amplified this chaos, leading to frustration among drivers.

Last weekend’s race saw 35 cars involved in accidents, the highest since the 2019 race. NASCAR veteran and three-time Daytona 500 winner, Denny Hamlin, was notably frustrated with the increasing number of wrecks. Hamlin lamented the state of the prestigious event, which he feels has become more about luck than skill.

It’s clear that Ryan Preece is not the only one frustrated with the rising number of accidents in NASCAR. If the executives don’t take immediate action to address the issue, criticism is likely to escalate. The safety of the Next-Gen car is now a hot topic of debate.

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