Ex-NASCAR driver drops one-word reaction to in-car footage from Cody Ware’s worrisome Chicago crash

Former NASCAR driver Kenny Wallace shared a deeply concerned response to Cody Ware's high-speed crash at Chicago. The reaction came after TNT Sports released onboard footage that captured the full force of the impact.

In the final laps of the Grant Park 165, Ware blew his brake rotors and crashed head-on into a tire barrier. The wreck was one of NASCAR's biggest impacts in the Next Gen Era.

On Saturday, July 13, NASCAR reporter Steven Taranto shared TNT's replay of the incident from inside the cockpit. The short clip shows Ware bracing for impact behind the steering wheel, only for it to completely collapse upon collision.

Kenny Wallace shared his reaction to the footage, writing,

"Lord 😳❤️"

Cody Ware recently spoke to SiriusXM NASCAR radio and revealed the extent of damages endured.

“Pretty much everything from the interior of the car, as well as my gear, was killed on that impact...there was a crack in the EPS foam inside the helmet, the HANS device was cracked, steering wheel, you know, got bent up pretty good as well," he said.

Ware later took to Instagram and put to rest any concerns of his health. The result marked his fifth DNF of the season after 19 starts. With an average finish of 29, Ware has struggled to find his footing and is yet to break into the top 10.

Moreover, he has qualified outside the top 30 in every race except Daytona, while his best result comes from a 13th-place finish in Atlanta. He currently ranks 36th in the driver's standings with a mere 144 points. Furthermore, he stands dead last in the playoff standings.

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"He did everything right": Chris Buescher comments on Cody Ware's crash

Chris Buescher stood by Cody Ware's decision to lean into his crash at Chicago rather than instinctively turning away. He praised Ware's composure for reacting the right way in such a high-pressure situation.

Speaking to the media at Sonoma, Buescher said (via Frontstretch),

“I know he's sore, but massive hit. I did tell him, I said, ‘I commend you for turning it right.’ Because that is the hardest thing to commit yourself as a driver to have a failure, to turn into the wall and knock speed out. Instinct is to turn away and say, ‘I'm going to save this. I'm going to get there. He did everything right that he could do in that moment,” Buescher said via Frontstretch. [6:00 onwards]

Cody Ware returned to compete at Sonoma Raceway and qualified at 36th, one spot above tailender Katherine Legge, who failed to record a timed lap. Meanwhile, Shane Van Gisbergen extended his road course dominance with yet another pole.

Fans can watch Sunday's (July 13) Toyota / Save Mart 350 on TNT Sports at 3:30 PM ET.

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Edited by Tushhita Barua