Racer After Crash: Innovation Needed

NASCAR's Edwards Calls For Safety Improvements; But Adds Being Airborne During Crash Was "Wild"

(CBS/ AP)  Stock cars tear around NASCAR tracks at speeds upwards of 200 mph each Sunday. The need for speed is always a draw for the fans who swarm into the speedways, but a severe crash Sunday at Talladega Superspeedway has left many observers pondering the sport's safety.

The crash pitched one car into a fence and sent seven fans who were injured by flying debris to the hospital.

Carl Edwards, the NASCAR racer who walked away unscathed from the crash (video) , appeared on The Early Show Tuesday to talk about the experience and those safety concerns.

Edwards, speaking from Columbia, Mo., said he was doing great, particularly after walking away from the crash without injury.

"You know, it's -- it's good just to make it through something like that," Edwards told co-anchor Harry Smith.

Smith mentioned the way Edwards' car was being pushed forward by that of fellow racer Brad Keselowski, and asked what happened when Edwards tried to block Keselowski's attempt to pass.

"We were helping one another," Edwards said. "Brad pushed me all the way to the front, and I mean we were best friends, and then it all went wrong. And you know, the good thing is that all the safety innovations that we do have kept it from being too bad."

The crash itself was a "crazy event," according to Edwards.

"My first thought was that I kind of questioned it. I thought, 'What's going on here?' Because I had never been in the air like that in a race car. And then I saw the ground, which I hadn't seen out of the windshield ever, and I thought, 'Oh, boy, this is going to be wild." '

Edwards, who was in the lead before his No. 99 car crashed, ran the final 100 yards or so across the finish line. "I was so close. I mean, I couldn't give up then. I mean I figured it's (the finish line) right over there, I'll make sure I go across that line."

The accident has renewed scrutiny of restrictor-plate racing, which produces thrilling racing but carries inherent risk.

The horsepower-sapping restrictor plates are used at Daytona and Talladega -- NASCAR's two fastest tracks -- to curb high speeds. A square aluminum plate is installed in each car to limit its engine's power, slowing the car by reducing the amount of air that flows into the carburetor. As a result, the cars all run the same speed, and the field is typically bunched tightly together. One wrong move by a driver can cause a massive accident.

Smith asked Edwards if there is a way to avoid crashes like the one he experienced.

"Well, that's the thing that, I mean, immediately after I got out of the car, that's all I could think about, how could we do something to make this better?" Edwards said. "I spoke with some folks from NASCAR, and what they told me was, 'Hey, look, the positive is that sometimes out of this stuff something -- some innovation will come.' I don't know exactly what it is, but hopefully we get, you know, something fixed so that it's not like this."

[ndg1979]

You are throwing 2 ton cars down a track at triple digit speeds - stuff like this is inevitable. The safety enhancements that the cars and drivers have undergone since the loss of Dale Earnhardt have been incredible, but there is still one major issue - this is auto racing. If you look back at how NASCAR started you will see that bumps, grinds, pushes and shoves at fast speeds are all par for the course. This is what auto racing is all about. If NASCAR was to attempt to prevent EVERY single accident, the core part of what makes auto racing great would be lost.

I saw the crash clip on TV - what I saw was a car become airborne heading into a turn. Well, physics takes over here - the car continues going straight at the same speed until it loses momentum. There was no way in this world, or any other world, to alter how that crash played out. It was spectacular no matter how you look at it, and the fact that Edwards was able to climb out of the car and waltz over the finish line was phenomenal. I say leave things as they are - that little hint of danger around every turn will keep people enjoying their love affair with cars ----- and with racing them.

[jt92202]

When we go to the baseball games we know that there is a chance that a fly ball could come into the stands and hurt someone. Also at any hockey game the same could happen with a puck. When you go to the races there is always a chance that you may get hurt by flying parts that come off the cars. I think this sport is very safe compared to what they were even 10 years ago. I love this sport, saftey is very important to the Frances and all the members of this sport. For Carl to have walked away from this wreck the way he did was not luck it was because of the saftey of this sport. The sport needs to continue to keep up with saftey but I feel they have done a great job at keeping people safe.

[bobnjersey]

[The need for speed is always a draw for the fans who swarm into the speedways, but a severe crash Sunday at Talladega Superspeedway has left many observers pondering the sport's safety. ]

why not start calling yellow flags for tailgating. they're doing it for pretty much everything else ... including pebbles and paper (aka debris) on the track.

god forbid there was anything at all on the track ... i'm surprised they even allow racing during temperature changes ... ewwwww ... somebody might get hurt.

what used to be real 'racing' is now a pvssy sport. they're more interested in promoting every sponsor label on their car and fire suit ... and doing donuts at the finish line w/ the flag in their hand ... than they are about real racing.

[familyguy38]

"Because I had never been in the air like that in a race car."

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I guess this guy was never a Sprint Car driver lol.....and I agree that they need to leave things alone.

[mwhc1]

The only reason I watch a NASCAR race is for the wrecks. I think they should leave things alone. If you dont let hockey players fight and race cars crash - I wouldnt watch, It seems the fence during Edwards crash worked pretty good. Lucky thing for about 50 people too :)