NASCAR has time and again taken steps to ensure safety in the sport, for both drivers as well as spectators. Even then, sometimes, incidents do take place that bring to fore safety standards in the sport. One such incident is the horrific crash suffered by Myatt Snider in the recently concluded NASCAR Xfinity Race in Daytona.
As a reminder of sorts, the crash occurred right in front of the drivers and teams readying themselves for the Daytona 500. As such, basketball legend Michael Jordan and his driver Bubba Wallace Jr. were first-hand witnesses, as the crash happened right in front of their team 23XI Racing’s camp.
Watch the video here:
The incident occurred during the final lap of the race when Snider tried to make a move out of the midfield to gain a place or two. The 27-year-old, however, went out of control and into the wall. His crash did not end there, as after colliding with the wall, his car #31 went airborne and ripped through the fence.
By the time the car finally stopped, it was a mangled remnant of its chassis. Fortunately, though, the driver walked out of his car – a good sign after a horrific crash. Further, no spectators or on-track folks were hurt by the enormous amount of flying debris.
Bubba Wallace Jr. speaks about pressure in driving for Michael Jordan’s NASCAR team
Bubba Wallace Jr. has been a constant in Michael Jordan’s 23XI Racing, ever since it took shape in late 2020. The only black driver on the grid, he has now spoken of the expectations and pressure that arrives when driving for Jordan’s NASCAR team.
In an interview with Fox, Bubba Wallace Jr. described the thoughts running in the team and how a race win affected them, saying:
“You know it was like… What are we gonna do, last year, what are our expectations, and figuring all that stuff out. And after we got that win in Talladega, that obviously, you know, took away a lot of the pressure and a lot of the growing pains. It just made everything easier.”
Meanwhile, Wallace Jr. will start the Daytona 500 from the 16th position on the grid. With a career-best performance of 2nd in the 2018 edition of the race, the driver will be hoping to replicate, if not best, his previous performance.