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via Getty

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via Getty

Horrifying! That’s the only way to describe the crash at the Autodrome Drummond. Per the latest reports, Craftsman Truck Series driver Stewart Friesen is ‘alert and talking’ after such a fatal crash that left him hospitalized on July 28. This horrific incident comes just two days after the veteran driver won the Hall of Fame 100 special at the Weedsport Speedway on Saturday and continued his Super DIRT series dominance.

However, things did not go as planned in Autodrome Drummond. Entering Turn 3, Friesen, competing on a dirt track in Quebec, was engaged in a three-wide battle for position in his big block modified when the incident occurred. In the blink of an eye, the vehicle was caught high up on the straightaway entering Turn 3 and slammed into the ARMCO barrier.

Such was the magnitude of the incident that audible gasps were heard across the racetrack. The vehicle burst into flames, and safety officials rushed to the wreckage. Meanwhile, fans prayed for Stewart Friesen, who was quickly escorted to the hospital for further evaluation. 

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“Safety officials have helped @StewartFriesen out of his car. He is being transported for further evaluation,” the official update from Super DIRTcar Series read. Notably, despite his Hall of Fame 100-win, Friesen is not having the best time on the speedways. Earlier this week, despite finishing third at the Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park, NASCAR disqualified the 42-year-old after his No. 52 Toyota failed to pass post-race inspection after failing to meet the sanctioning body’s height requirement.

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However, the racer will be appealing the decision, claiming that the “post-race heights disqualification was caused by a part malfunction,” which was “out of our control.” After this fiasco, Stewart Friesen hoped to shake off the bad luck in a Super DIRTcar Series race at the Autodrome Drummond, but fate had other plans.

The sanctioning body that the racer was competing in later issued a statement saying that Friesen was “alert and communicating with officials and EMT.” However, when the incident occurred, it looked nothing less than life-threatening, especially after his vehicle burst into flames before coming back on the racetrack, where another driver slammed into him.

It’s encouraging to see that Friesen has been communicating with safety officials after such a horrific wreck. The 42-year-old has qualified for the playoffs for the first time since 2022 after securing a win at Michigan International Speedway. With two races still remaining before the regular season ends, it’ll be interesting to see if he manages to recover in time for the upcoming fixture at Watkins Glen on August 8th and Richmond Raceway on August 15th.

Having competed in the NASCAR Truck Series since 2016, Stewart Friesen has come close to challenging for the title on several occasions. He finished fourth in 2019 and sixth in 2021 and 2022, but has struggled for consistency in recent years. Many feel this might be the year he might be in contention for the title at Phoenix Raceway, especially with nine races remaining before the season ends. However, the wreck at Autodrome Drummond might change everything.

What’s your perspective on:

Can Stewart Friesen bounce back from this crash, or is his racing career in jeopardy?

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Fans pray for Friesen’s quick recovery

As expected, NASCAR fans were quick to share their thoughts on social media after Stewart Friesen’s scary crash. While many were downright distraught at the sheer magnitude of the incident, one X user couldn’t help but pin the blame on the Autodrome Drummond’s design for making the situation worse than it was. The fan wrote, “Another horrific crash thanks to braindead track design. What are walls? Where should we put them? Who the hell knows, just throw ’em down somewhere.”

Another long-term dirt racing enthusiast was shocked at what he had seen and highlighted just how serious the wreck was by saying, “I’ve watched these modifieds for over 10 years now, and that takes the cake for the worst wreck I’ve ever seen in these cars.” He wasn’t the only one, as another fan likened it to a Formula 1 driver’s wreck at the 2020 Bahrain Grand Prix, where his car split in half and burst into flames after colliding with the barriers at high speed. The fan wrote, “I’ve not seen a crash like this since Grosjean. Lucky man to escape with his life.”

Fans across social media were relieved to know that Friesen was alert and talking to medical officials, with one motorsports enthusiast expressing his relief by saying, “Glad He’s Awake And Talking Hoping For A Fast And Full Recovery.” Considering the seriousness of the situation and the helplessness of the onlookers, one fan couldn’t help but say, “Praying for him and his family.

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We at Essentially Sports are praying for a swift recovery for Stewart Friesen.

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Can Stewart Friesen bounce back from this crash, or is his racing career in jeopardy?

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