#regansmith

[2013venjix]

#Tokyo2020 #TokyoOlympics #Swimming #ReganSmith https://www.instagram.com/p/CR0BvqqDy-I/?utm_medium=tumblr

[anythingandeverythingnascar-blog]

NASCAR & Sports Related Injuries

I choose to write about this topic today because just last week NASCAR's most popular driver the past five years, Dale Earnhardt Jr was diagnosed with a concussion after a last lap crash that involved about twenty other drivers as well, during that Sundays race at Talladega Superspeedway.  But, to go further back it was Junior’s first crash at Kansas Speedway during an open test session about five weeks ago, where while he was testing the car at high speeds, a right front tire would blow going into turn one sending him towards the outside retaining wall and damaging the car beyond repair. He would remember everything about the accident and after the accident, even knowing he did not feel well.  But, he decided to push on and work through it because he had concussions before and knew exactly what he was dealing with.  He felt good after a week or two and when the chase started he felt 80 to 90 percent better and when he got to Talladega, he felt 100 percent better.  But, when he got caught up in that wreck, it disoriented him and he knew he had reinjured himself.  So by that Wednesday, even though he was only having headaches, he got himself to go and get checked out by a doctor.  During their meeting, the doctor ran through a couple of tests and even did an MRI, but everything was checking out okay for him.  He was completely honest with him about what exactly happened and how he was feeling.  So, then the doctor would spend the night going over all the data and come to a decision where he could not clear the driver to race. Earnhardt Jr. would trust the doctor’s decision because he’s been a longtime friend and he has helped him through injuries before.  He got a lot of support from his team and is looking forward to the opportunity that his team gets with fellow driver Regan Smith for the upcoming weeks, or until he can get back to the track and back into the racecar.

I picked this concern because NASCAR is not like any other major sport when it comes to injury. Racecar drivers are required to wear fire suits to protect them if the car would catch on fire, required to wear a safety harness to protect their head and neck, and are required to wear special heat resistant shoes with metal coverings, so they do not burn the soles of their feet.  But, the one lingering concern is the possibility of a driver sustaining a concussion from an accident during the race or at a test session.  My take on this is that it’s always going to be there, but I like that NASCAR is trying to keep up to date on safety improvements either at the track with the addition of safer walls or in the racecar itself with more padding and the moving of the driver closer to the center of the car, to lessen the impact of another car around the driver’s door area.