In every form of motorsports, drivers try their best to hang onto their seats for as long as possible, regardless of the situation, and NASCAR is no different. Former driver Ward Burton has weighed in on the matter. 

Speaking on Door Bumper Clear alongside his son Jeb Burton and co-host Tommy Baldwin, the 2002 Daytona 500 winner recounted a story of a crash in Atlanta, and how he hid the injuries from that crash. 

“Just endured the pain. I cracked that sternum in Atlanta in a Busch car. That was the wreck that Ernie Irvan over broke his collarbone. And, I got back home, and I got I didn't know it was cracked, but I had Jeff's father-in-law; he did an X-ray, and it was fully cracked.

"And we made a little piece of plastic. He made a little piece of plaque, and the belts went up. I never told a damn soul,” Ward said on the podcast.

In the 1992 Atlanta 300, the crash happened just four laps into the race. A multi-car incident triggered a 12-car pileup. Ernie Irvan was among the drivers collected in the accident and was briefly knocked unconscious.

His son, Jeb, then added that it was very difficult to determine if Ward had sustained a concussion, due to his personality and how he interacted with the team, leading to situations where he likely raced with undiagnosed head injuries. 

Ward then also recounted a story of a crash in Texas, where he hit the wall hard after a setup change. Despite the impact, he endured the pain and still qualified in the top 10. 

“So, we had a pretty good hot rod at Texas one time and Tommy made a change. I think it was a left front. I lost it three and four. I mean, I hit a ton. Towed the car, he pulled the backup car. No practice. We still qualified Top 10. But man, I was going to, back then MRO had a physical therapy at my ankle, my shoulders, I was all busted up and h*** no, man. I would say that was my seat. I would get in that damn car.”

The revelation highlighted the culture that existed in NASCAR before stricter medical oversight became standard. Drivers often feared that admitting an injury could jeopardize their careers, whereas now, doctors make the final call on whether a driver is fit to compete, regardless of whether or not the driver says he feels fine. 

The physical and mental health aspects of racing

While things have changed in the health aspect compared to Ward Burton’s racing days, the belief that health should be the number one priority has gotten stronger with Kyle Busch’s sudden passing, as he was heard asking for a doctor at Watkins Glen at the end of the race.

Rick Mast was forced into retirement in 2003 after suffering from carbon monoxide poisoning, and Kasey Kahne retired in 2018 for health reasons. Alex Bowman also missed out on a few races early in the season due to vertigo. 

While the life of a person in any format of motorsport may look appealing, the brutal truth is that the drivers and racers are risking their lives. Even with concentration and precision, you never know where things might go wrong. 

Additionally, there is also the mental health aspect. A lot goes on behind the scenes, which the viewers may not be aware of. There is always that mental pressure to win. 

Read more at RFK Racing Digest! 

Written by

Aaradhya Singh

Edited by

Suyashdeep Sason