After a bit of a rain delay, the NASCAR Cup Series got to racing at the Michigan International Speedway. After a competition caution, the ensuing restart turned into chaos as a bunch of contenders crashed, including Daytona 500 winner Austin Cindric crashing nose first into the wall.
The crash was influenced by a competition caution on Lap 20 because of the rain delay. Ironically, competition cautions are done as a safety measure for teams to be able to check tire wear on a clean racetrack but a third of the field stayed out and took advantage of track position. With the leaders in the middle of the pack, the field got mixed up. J.J. Yeley, racing in an underfunded Rick Ware Racing car, got loose and triggered the multi-car crash.
BIG CRASH.
Kyle Busch, Austin Cindric, Aric Almirola and more involved!
📺 : @USA_Network
💻 : https://t.co/K0jeN99Gw2 pic.twitter.com/3EBmQclY6y— NASCAR on NBC (@NASCARonNBC) August 7, 2022
Nine cars were involved in the wreck including Kyle Busch, Brad Keselowski, Aric Almirola, and Cindric. Cindric certainly got the worst of it, crashing head first into the wall, but he was evaluated and released from the infield care center.
A brutal hit for Austin Cindric to end his day early. #NASCAR
📺 : @USA_Network pic.twitter.com/uKU4SnDqGS
— NASCAR on NBC (@NASCARonNBC) August 7, 2022
While many, including NBC’s Steve Letarte, wondered why someone in a much slower car was being put in a position where they were going to get passed by a lot of cars early in a race, they also had concerns about Cindric’s health.
Hard hit fir Cindric. Yikes https://t.co/swl89IQycx
— SpeedFreaks (@SpeedFreaks) August 7, 2022
Oh wow. A massive hit for Cindric. Hope he’s alright. Head on, right hook into the wall.
— DARF Detector (@DARFDetector) August 7, 2022
Glad to see Cindric out of that car. #NASCAR
— Zach Sturniolo (@zachstur) August 7, 2022
Hard hit for Cindric there. Lotta good cars taken out early in this one https://t.co/imsFIkboOI
— Derek Newsome (@DerekdotSpace) August 7, 2022
MASSIVE hit for @AustinCindric
glad he's okay https://t.co/swCSWjvxrf
— Hangman Chadam Page (@chadmikosz25) August 7, 2022
Hard, hard hit for Cindric. Very glad to see that net drop.
— Jay Arnold (@JArnoldTAMU85) August 7, 2022
[Photo: Bob Pockrass]
