2020 NASCAR Thread

Maybe I'm too much of a worst-case-scenario kind of guy, but this feels like it parallels the Robert Wickens crash at Pocono, in that we got the "he's awake and alert, but with serious injuries" update, and then got blindsided with the spinal injury diagnosis.

Not that Roush Fenway owes anybody the details, but people may be perhaps too optimistic about Newman's possible recovery timeline, especially in the first 24 hours after.

 

If he races again this year, it might be a miracle. I think the hope right now is that he leaves the hospital under his own power at some point.

 

Very true. I think the first 24 hours is more focused on making sure they aren't in for a surprise that could kill him. Then it's let's see what pops up as swelling and other trauma begins to correct. They may get a better picture in a little bit but doctors are cautious for a reason.

 

That's not exclusive to racing. A big part of the reason we have so few catastrophic commercial airline crashes these days is, unfortunately, because there were so many in the 1960s, 70s and early 80s. Almost every one of those led to some sort of discovery, procedure or technological improvement to correct a specific issue and make sure it didn't happen again.

 

That's absolutely astonishing.

 

I'm one of those who think race teams/drivers do owe their fans a tidbit of information on conditions after something like this. It doesn't have to be a detailed medical explanation. "He is awake and speaking with family and doctors." That's perfectly fine. It lets people know that he isn't dead, in a coma or whatever.
Michael Schumacher is the perfect exampled. His family should at least say something.
1. Fans want to know because they care.
2. When a driver is collecting adulation and millions of dollars, you don't hear "respect our privacy."

Again, it doesn't have to be detailed. Just say whether the guy is awake or a vegetable.

 

The only thing that remains unclear is if he may be paralyzed or have suffered another catastrophic injury. Otherwise, all reports so far have been encouraging.

 

Not with the current cars and the HANS device.

 

For something like that, it is absolutely possible the doctors are not ready to issue a definitive prognosis. There's a Mayo Clinic just up the road in Jacksonville. Were Newman moved there, that'd be a bad sign.