It has been a long time since we saw not one but two drivers transported to a hospital for evaluation after crashes during a race weekend. Thankfully, the fact we sent two beyond the infield care level this weekend didn't end with them staying longer than a few hours.

The first crash of the weekend was definately the scariest. I was trying not to doze off in my recliner Saturday night (who in the hell decides starting a race at nearly 10 pm eastern is a good thing???) when suddenly AJ Allmendinger and JJ Yeley, who were racing each other pretty hard, came up on Eric McClure, who had been motioning out his window that he was not up to speed and the should go around him. Instead of letting up and getting around him and then picking up where they had let off, they went three wide into the corner, and ended up pin-balling off each other. Brad keselowski, who was minding his own business and had cleanly passed the group earlier in the lap, was clipped from behind by the now out-of-control Allmendinger, and hooked a hard right and not only hit the wall, but went airborn, landing partially on top of the wall. The car burst into flames as it continued sliding along the wall, nose down, before finally comeing down and stopping in the infield. Keselowski was able to drop his window net, but was not able to get out of the car on his own. The force of the impact was not only obvious by looking at the remnants of the 88 car, but also by looking at what was left of the A-post on the passengers side of Allmendingers car. When Brad was removed from the car, it was obvious he was in pain...a backboard was brought out, and he was taken by helicopter to the local hospital.

Thankfully, it appears he is going to be OK...whith a lot of bruising, but no broken bones. He'll be visiting Dr. Petty this week for further examination.

Fast forward to Sunday. It is hotter than holy hell outside, and you know even the cleanest driver is going to have a hard day fighting fatigue and the heat as they drive around strapped in a 150 degree oven. I started the day listening to Michael Waltrip, who was complaining about the quality of his engine and the fact he felt it was going to stall in the corners. Eventually, they got the car working better, and he made his way up to 25th. Then for some reason, Ricky Rudd moved up and clipped waltrip's front left wheel well. Waltrip later stated he was hoping the tire would equalize out and they would be able to make it to the next round of pit stops...but the tire had other plans. It exploded, and in the process, cut an oil line. the NAPA camry became a ball of flames, and Waltrip was able to avoid hitting anyone else as he got the car into the grass.

That is when it got scary.

Waltrip is a big man. 6'5", 220-230. I have stood and watched him literally fold himself into a car because there is no easy way for a man his size to get in. When he was with DEI, the concern was enough that they expirimented with a roof hatch, which he popped out of at his last win at Talladega...but never had to use in an emergency. Eventually, it was decided the cost of installing the roof hatch was too much, and the liklihood that Waltrip would ever actually need it wasn't high...so the roof stayed intact and the hatch was out. When the CoT was designed, one of the reasons for the larger window areas was so that big guys like Waltrip and Elliott Sadler could easily get out of a car in case of fire or other emergency.

If there was any doubt as to the need for an easy exit, it was shown last night. Waltrips car was burning, the fire had burned through the teflon cover of the boot of his gear shift. Yet he couldn't get out. the fire crews arrived...and then stood there and watched the car burn. They seemed less than in a hurry to get in and try to help Waltrip out of the car. Finally, when Waltrip was partially out of the window, and obviously calling for help, someone came over to help tug him out of the car.

I sure hope NASCAR has a serious discussion with the safety crews about the fact that they get paid to help a driver out of a burning car...not to sit back and watch him struggle to get out of it on his own.

Thankfully, other than inhaling some fumes and smelling like he had been on a rotisserie, Waltrip was fine, and after cleaning up, returned to the track to watch his remaining driver compete.

Which brings us to the last crash of the weekend. I don't know who told Jeff Gordon it was OK to move up when he did, but they were either blind or stupid. Not only was there no room for him to move up,  the ensuing crash sent several top 10 cars out of the race, and Ricky Rudd to the hospital. David Reutimann, who had such a spectacular crash here in february, was looking at a potential top 5 finish when his night was ended. Ricky Rudd, who had had the encounter with Waltrip earlier in the night, was minding his own business and enjoying his 900th career race.  Then Gordon tried to pass Jeremy Mayfield, and there wasn't enough room. Gordon apologized on the radio, btu the damage was done. Reutimann found the wall yet again, and Rudd was shown gingerly walking to the ambulance, cradleing his left arm. It was a messy crash, and again, without the safety devices in the cars, Rudd might have had more than a separated shoulder, and he might not have been alone on that trip to the hospital.

Thankfully, safer barriers and HANS devices did what they are supposed to. We have 2 drivers that will be visiting Dr Petty tomorrow...but looking at the way things happened, it could have been a whole lot worse. I am looking forward to the CoT, if for no other reason that if the crashes that happened this weekend had happened in the new car....even Ricky's shoulder might be OK, and all we'd be talking about is how boring the race was.