NASCAR driver Aric Almirola suffers compression fracture in his back; released from hospital

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NASCAR driver Aric Almirola was released from a Kansas hospital Sunday morning and was headed back to North Carolina after suffering a compression fracture to his T5 Vertebra after a multi-car accident at Kansas Speedway Saturday night.

The crash happened just after a restart on lap 197. Joey Logano and Danica Patrick were racing for a spot just outside the top 10 entering turn 1. Something appeared to happen to the right front of Logano’s car on lap 200 and it immediately turned left and down into Patrick.

Both cars hit the wall hard and burst into flames. Almirola running about 10 car lengths behind was unable to avoid the two cars and hit at near full speed, launching his car into the air.  NASCAR immediately threw the red flag.

Almirola was awake but stayed in the car and soon rescue crews were working on getting him out. The crews took the roof off the car to remove Almirola. He was eventually lifted out on a backboard and taken away in an ambulance from the scene.

Logano and Patrick were both seen and released at the infield care center. Almirola was later airlifted to the University of Kansas Medical center.

His Richard Petty Motorsports team released a statement Sunday morning confirming the injuries adding that Almirola is mobile and will follow-up with his doctors in Charlotte.

Greg Engle
About Greg Engle 7421 Articles
Greg is a published award winning sportswriter who spent 23 years combined active and active reserve military service, much of that in and around the Special Operations community. Greg is the author of "The Nuts and Bolts of NASCAR: The Definitive Viewers' Guide to Big-Time Stock Car Auto Racing" and has been published in major publications across the country including the Los Angeles Times, the Cleveland Plain Dealer and the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. He was also a contributor to Chicken Soup for the NASCAR Soul, published in 2010, and the Christmas edition in 2016. He wrote as the NASCAR, Formula 1, Auto Reviews and National Veterans Affairs Examiner for Examiner.com and has appeared on Fox News. He holds a BS degree in communications, a Masters degree in psychology and is currently a PhD candidate majoring in psychology. He is currently the weekend Motorsports Editor for Autoweek.