NASCAR star Rajah Caruth has opened up on the effect that wrecking has on young drivers.
The JR Motorsports driver went on The Breakfast Club with DJ Envy and Charlamagne tha God this week to discuss his career, and revealed that he still remembers the first time he flipped a race car.
Caruth called the experience 'important', pointing out that learning from mistakes is critical. When those mistakes result in you flying upside down and getting hurt, presumably, you try to learn quickly.
He also shared one particular incident from his time dirt racing, and revealed a truth about flipping a car – being airborne isn't what hurts. What hurts is suddenly no longer being airborne.
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Caruth: Safety advancements have been huge
The O'Reilly Series rookie said: “I remember the first time I flipped or crashed someone else or myself. Those experiences are really important because those mistakes teach you not to make them again.”
He continued: “I was racing on dirt, and somebody hit the wall. I tried to avoid him, but on dirt, you can’t really stop. Next thing I knew, I was barrel rolling.
“It just hurt. The thing about flipping is it’s not the flipping that’s the issue. It’s when you stop abruptly or when you land. That’s where people get hurt.”
Caruth did, however, hail the huge safety improvements which have kept countless NASCAR drivers safe in recent decades, saying: “We have faith in our safety. There have been so many advancements over the last 25 years. The cars are way safer than they used to be. Our head and neck restraint systems are really strong, and our seats are crafted to fit our bodies.”
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