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USA Today via Reuters

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USA Today via Reuters

Furniture Row Racing has not been in operation in NASCAR since 2018. However, it seems that the organization was not idle, as some of their equipment was used in a demo run. This run was special because the driver was paralyzed and drove the car with a microchip implanted in his brain.

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As it happened, a college student, German Aldana Zuniga had a car crash in 2013, which resulted in a spinal cord injury. The demo run took place at the Pikes Peak International Raceway and Zuniga had a lot of fun.

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“I felt very excited, I felt the adrenaline rush. It felt amazing. When I imagined doing it I was excited, but at the same time I was nervous because of my accident, tried to remain positive and calm myself down. I have faith in them and they have faith in me,” said Zuniga.

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WATCH THIS STORY: NASCAR’s Greatest Conman, Who Drove With Dale Earnhardt, Breaks His Silence After 40 Years

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“Wanted to do this not only for myself, but for all the people that don’t know they could do something like that. Or are afraid or don’t have the will. I want to keep them confident and to have hope and not lose it. To go out there and try all the stuff that they don’t know about.”

In essence, the paraplegic was controlling the car with his thoughts. It is also worth mentioning that the microchip was an innovation by neurosurgeon Scott Falci. The way that Zuniga was able to drive was that he could communicate with a computer installed in the car through the chip.

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What is next for the NASCAR Cup Series?

Now, the Cup Series paddock is making landfall at the Charlotte Motor Speedway. It will be yet another fierce competition, as drivers vie for the final few spots in the Playoffs.

READ MORE: NASCAR Fans Want Favorite Driver Jamie McMurray in the Commentary Booth Instead of Clint Bowyer

Additionally, previous winners will want to extend their win counts even further and make things harder.

At the moment, it is Chase Elliott who is leading the regular-season standings. However, things can change in the blink of an eye, especially since Ryan Blaney is just breathing down his neck. All it takes is one slip up and Elliott could lose the championship lead. On the bright side, he has booked his Playoff berth, though the same cannot be said for Blaney.

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Dhruv George

14,863 Articles

Dhruv George is EssentiallySports’ foremost authority on motorsport and a founding member of the outlet’s NASCAR desk. A Journalism graduate fluent in English and French, he brings over eight years of motorsports journalism experience covering everything from high-octane NASCAR battles to the finesse of Formula 1 and MotoGP. His extensive paddock access has earned him exclusive interviews with top names such as F1’s Pierre Gasly and Moto2’s Tony Arbolino, cementing his reputation as a trusted voice among racing fans. Known for his candid opinions, Dhruv isn’t afraid to tackle contentious officiating calls, most recently defending Joey Logano after the DYL penalty in Phoenix. Before focusing on NASCAR as a Senior Writer, Dhruv contributed extensively to EssentiallySports’ coverage of F1 and NASCAR, building a versatile and impactful sports portfolio.

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Ranvijay Singh

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