Besides gearing up to watch Martin Truex Jr potentially dominate at the Sonoma Racetrack, given his stellar record there, there’s more for fans to anticipate. While fans eagerly hope to see the #19 Joe Gibbs Racing driver take the win again, just like last year, there’s a new addition on the track that’s raising some eyebrows. NASCAR fans are a bit wary about a new feature on the racetrack that could introduce some extra risks.

In an attempt to make the race exciting, has Sonoma Raceway jeopardized drivers’ safety?

In a bold move to ramp up the excitement, Sonoma Raceway has revamped the notorious Turn 11 by swapping out the tire barriers for a permanent wall. The change aims to keep track boundaries intact, especially after races saw tire barriers shift by as much as 20 feet due to intense bumper-to-bumper contact.

Now, drivers will have to doubly focus as they navigate not just a freshly paved 1.99-mile course but also adapt to this significant alteration at one of NASCAR’s trickiest corners. The decision came after discussions during the Coca-Cola 600 on Memorial Weekend, receiving NASCAR’s nod shortly afterward. With the Cup, Xfinity, and ARCA series all set to compete starting Friday, all eyes will be on how this new barrier influences the race dynamics at Sonoma this triple-header weekend.

And while everything else is fine, having permanent barriers could cause even the slightest accidents on the turn’to become fatal. Remember Kyle Busch’s 2015 crash at Daytona? He ended up with serious injuries—a compound fracture of his lower right leg and a broken left foot with nine laps remaining—after his car slammed into a concrete wall that had no safety barriers, showing just how high the stakes can be.

At the time, Daytona responded by quickly throwing up tire barriers in front of those unforgiving concrete walls. But now again, Sonoma’s decision to install permanent barriers raises questions about safety. Will Sonoma manage to enhance safety for the drivers, especially in a spot known for mishaps? Only time will tell, but for now, many fans are uneasy about the idea of concrete walls so close to the action.

NASCAR fans criticize the idea of building a permanent wall on the racetrack

Though the wall will definitely enforce track limits, even a small mishap near it could turn deadly. Fans haven’t been shy about voicing their concerns online, warning Marcus Smith of the deadly mishaps that may follow the new addition. One fan remarked, “We’re just asking for drivers to get hurt with this 💀💀💀,” reflecting on past incidents.

Another chimed in, “That wall is going to rip some fenders off.“ Someone else was baffled, asking, “Why they fix a problem that didn’t exist?”

The sarcasm was thick, with others joking, “What could possibly go wrong,” “Who gonna be the first driver to end their day because of it?” and “So, anyone wanna take bets on how long into the race it’s going to take until someone causes a huge pileup there 🤷🏻‍♀️.”

One fan lamented that the officials simply decided to “Take away the most exciting turn on the track! Smart…” Concerns about driver safety were also prevalent: “to be honest, i’m not sure if i like this solution,” “Imagine if and when they spin out the traffic jam it’s going to cause?” and “There are gonna be some toe links getting broke from this.”

While Sonoma might beef up safety around the concrete, do you think this permanent wall was really necessary?