In a jaw-dropping moment at Talladega Speedway on Sunday, 28 cars were wiped out in what is being called the biggest NASCAR crash ever. Nearly the entire field of 40 cars was caught in the massive pileup, but thankfully, there were no reported injuries.
The chaotic crash unfolded with just five laps remaining. Austin Cindric was leading when a hard shove from Joey Logano into Brad Keselowski caused Cindric to spin out, sparking a chain reaction that led to a massive wreck.
ESPN reported that 27 cars were damaged to varying degrees, turning the track into a scene of carnage.
Despite the widespread damage, Ricky Stenhouse Jr. managed to emerge victorious. However, even his car bore the scars of the crash, with a chunk of sheet metal missing from the driver’s side door as he drove into victory lane.
Post-race, some teams argued that Stenhouse should have been forced to pit for repairs, as his car was reportedly missing safety foam in the damaged door.
“I didn’t see any missing foam,” said Mike Kelly, Stenhouse’s crew chief, who acknowledged that NASCAR would likely review how the situation was handled. With so many cars involved in the wreck, and a significant number of tow trucks on the scene, the cleanup was a logistical nightmare.
The race was red-flagged for nearly nine minutes to clear the debris, leaving just 22 cars remaining on the lead lap for the final two-lap sprint.
Stenhouse later admitted that foam was hanging out of the gaping hole in his car, adding another layer of controversy to the already chaotic race.
NASCAR will likely review the incident to determine whether any procedural errors occurred during the crash cleanup.
As the dust settled, fans were left in awe of the dramatic spectacle, while teams were left fuming over the handling of the crash.
Despite the damage and controversy, it was a day for the history books at Talladega.
WATCH:
https://twitter.com/NASCAR/status/1843042603891040426?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
Additional footage of the crash:
https://twitter.com/NASCARonNBC/status/1843043933263151527?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
Ricky Stenhouse Jr. won at Talladega by 0.006 seconds. It was a photo finish!
https://twitter.com/NASCARonNBC/status/1843051370691080592?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
