Part-time Xfinity and Truck Series driver Greg Van Alst has suffered a broken vertebrae after being involved in a harrowing crash during the weekend in Talladega. Greg Van Alst, the seasoned 42-year-old driver, found himself at the center of a dramatic multitruck accident during the main race at Talladega Superspeedway.
The crash occurred on Lap 93, just moments before the race's conclusion, and its impact was so forceful that all four tires momentarily left the ground before the vehicle finally settled back onto the race track and slid to a halt.
Despite the severity of the crash, Van Alst managed to extricate himself from the wreckage under his own power. He was transported for further evaluation.
The latest update, posted on Greg Van Alst's X (formerly Twitter) handle, revealed the diagnostic update: a fractured vertebrae. However, the 42-year-old driver was released from the hospital early Sunday morning.
While the severity of his injury is yet to be known, it can be concluded that Van Alst will not be back to racing action very soon. It remains to be seen what the future holds for Young's Motorsports and Alpha Prime driver.
What happened to Greg Van Alst at the Talladega Superspeedway?
Van Alst's No. 20 Chevrolet veered sharply to the right, a result of the chaos unfolding ahead. The truck made harsh contact with the outside SAFER barrier at the frontstretch's tri-oval, nose-first.
This incident wasn't isolated to Greg Van Alst, as the Truck Series race in Talladega proved to be a grueling test for all drivers. Stewart Friesen also found himself entangled in a significant crash.
Friesen's Toyota suffered a violent collision with the third-turn wall before hurtling across the track and coming to a halt on the grassy apron. A scene of tense anticipation followed as Friesen slowly emerged from his battered vehicle, taking a seat on the grass and awaiting the arrival of NASCAR's medical team.
An update from Friesen's social media account provided a much-needed glimmer of relief for the fans, confirming that he too had been "treated, evaluated, and released from the hospital" early Sunday morning.
Xfinity Series regular Brett Moffitt clinched the win while driving for Front Row Motorsports in the Truck Series, in what was a rare weekend off for the 31-year-old AM Racing driver.
With two races remaining in the season, Corey Heim leads the standings and is followed by Carson Hocevar, Christian Eceks, and Nicholas Sanchez. The Truck Series will be back on October 21st in Homestead before the season finale at the Phoenix Raceway on November 3rd.