MOTORSPORTS

Kyle Busch crash turned focus on track to safety features

Don Coble
Terry Renna Associated Press Greg Biffle (left) and Kyle Busch talk in the garage during a practice session Friday at Daytona International Speedway.

DAYTONA BEACH | Kyle Busch got to Daytona International Speedway early to wrap up some unfinished business from five months ago.

He and his wife Samantha drove a mile from the track to visit the nurses and doctors at Halifax Health Medical Center who cared for him following his head-on collision with a concrete wall during the Xfinity Series season opener.

Then he visited the inside wall just past the exit of pit road where he broke his left leg and right ankle to see changes made by the track.

The concrete wall has been reconfigured to run parallel to the racetrack to better avoid head-on impacts. It also has been replaced with Steel and Foam Energy Reduction barriers. And the grass that helped his Toyota accelerate has been replaced with asphalt.

Busch's physical recovery took four months. It only took an hour to heal any lingering doubts left over from the crash.

"I'm grateful that the Daytona International Speedway was as complimentary as they were after the crash here in the spring," Busch said before Saturday's pole qualifying for the Coke Zero 400 was canceled by lightning. "They wanted to fix it and they wanted to do everything they could do in their power to make sure everything was done right here at the speedway and to make it first class. I think they've done that."

Busch's accident created a renewed interest in safety. Drivers suddenly were more vocal about unprotected walls. Speedways were forced to take second and third looks at their facilities.

DRIVING FORCE

In the process, Busch became the driving force behind changes that cost millions of dollars - and could someday prevent a serious injury.

"Certainly, I never really wanted to be the advocate or the spearhead of the safety initiative, but it seems as though I've kind of taken on that role just through my injury that I had," Busch said.

"There's a lot of improvements that all these racetracks can make. I say that because there's never a situation, us being race car drivers and crashing that you can plan for. You've always got to plan for the worst."

Daytona speedway president Joie Chitwood immediately took the blame for the severity of Busch's injuries. He vowed on the same day of the crash he would take dramatic steps to make improvements.

Since then, 4,100 feet of SAFER barriers have been added to inside walls at the entrance and exit of pit road, as well as the entire inside wall along the backstretch.

And a huge portion of the infield grass coming off pit road has been paved.

On Saturday, International Speedway Corp., the parent company of Daytona and 11 other tracks on the NASCAR schedule, announced plans to add 54,000 feet of SAFER barriers to all of its tracks by the end of the 2016 season.

"Following February and the completion of SpeedWeeks in Daytona, International Speedway Corp., in conjunction with NASCAR, initiated a thorough review and audit of impact-absorbing technologies at our properties," ISC president John Saunders said through a company release.

Busch is grateful for the changes, but insists the work should never end.

"I wouldn't say you ever feel safe, but you're certainly grateful for the opportunity with the racetracks - not just Daytona, but all the racetracks to continue to work on the evolution of safety as well as NASCAR, the work that they've done throughout the years with the seats and the HANS [Head and Neck Support] device and our restraints and everything," he said.

"I think there's certainly always room for improvements. And any facility you go to, I feel like there's room for improvement. Seeing those done here at Daytona was really good."

EYE ON CHASE

Busch won last week's road-course race at Sonoma Raceway to fulfill one of NASCAR's requirements to qualify for the season-ending Chase for the Championship.

Despite missing 11 races, he still faces a difficult challenge of finishing among the top 30 in points to make the cut.

He is 37th heading into Sunday's race.

Being back at Daytona was a necessary part of Busch's recovery. He now can look forward to the rest of the season knowing most of the demons from his crash are gone.

"I look forward to this weekend and getting back here to Daytona, just kind of being able to get back out there on the racetrack and, of course, have the opportunity to be back and to race this weekend," he said.