I was watching this year's Indianapolis 500, and there were several incidents, including one car's wheel spontaneously catching fire (presumably a bizarre brake malfunction).
And four laps from the end, Spencer Pigot slammed into the wall, spun all the way cross the track and hit the pit road in barrier. Hard.
I've seen more spectacular crashes; he didn't go airborne. But I haven't seen many harder hits.
Ten years ago, even five years ago, we'd probably be holding a funeral.
Spencer Pigot got out of the car with minimal assistance and while he spent the evening in the hospital, he was discharged within a few hours.
Motor racing has gotten safer. It's still dangerous, but it's gotten so much safer. Not just for drivers, either (injuries and even deaths of spectators were known before catch fences were introduced in 1973, the year I was born).
But this crash gave me flashbacks to the loss of Ayrton Senna. If we had had SAFER barriers and tire attenuators in 1994...
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