"That doesn’t mean the sport is safe": When Kyle Larson raised safety concerns after surviving one of NASCAR’s scariest crashes

Hendrick Motorsports ace driver Kyle Larson has been a star performer and icon of the sport for a long time. The 2021 NASCAR Cup Series champion suffered from a near-death experience last year at the Talladega Superspeedway, highlighting the risks and dangers of the sport. Larson was involved in a scary crash on lap 48 of the GEICO 500 race.

The horrifying incident involved a five-car wreck that raised safety concerns among the NASCAR community. The crash occurred when Ross Chastain moved his car into the middle lane, and it made contact with Noah Gragson, who hit the wall, triggering the crash. Larson spun into the grass, and his car moved into the middle of the traffic, where Ryan Preece's car smacked it from the right side.

The intensity of the crash was such that Preece's helmet visor was knocked open. Several drivers, including Kyle Larson, discussed the safety concerns in NASCAR post the incident.

"You see things that could have easily gotten me in the car, whether it be the bars that had completely broken off and could have shanked me. Or what if I had a second impact? There’s no other form of racing, in my opinion, that takes safety more seriously than them, but that doesn’t mean the sport is safe," Kyle Larson said via AP

Fortunately, both drivers were in good shape and health after the crash. The racing safety of drivers was a hot topic after this incident. Larson said that, according to him, no sport takes safety more seriously than NASCAR.

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Kyle Larson shares emotional message on missing out on a big part of his life

Kyle Larson is one driver who's seen competing in different places, formats and motorsports all the time. The 32-year-old driver races in NASCAR's Cup Series, Xfinity Series, IndyCar and even Dirt car racing.

The driver tried to attempt the 'double' earlier this year by participating in the Indy 500 race of IndyCar and the Coca-Cola 600 race of NASCAR on the same weekend. It was his second attempt at what's considered a super achievement in American Motorsports, but he failed, as he crashed out in both races.

Larson spoke about his busy schedule and how he misses out on a big part of his life due to racing, on a podcast with Jimmie Johnson and Marty Smith.

"I haven’t been home since before Indy. I think I will be home 5-6 days before the end of August. So, it’s been a bit crazy. I haven’t seen my family a whole lot, so missing them for sure. "It’s been a grind, but I feel like the age that I am at, I wanna take advantage of these years while I have the energy and the ability too." Larson said via the Never Settle podcast

Kyle Larson is second in the NASCAR Cup Series rankings this season. He finished seventh in the last race at Pocono Raceway and will be back in action in the next Cup Series race in Atlanta this weekend.

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Edited by Bhargav