Ricky Craven’s Terrifying Talladega Tumble

He came in 99 points out of the lead, riding a wave of momentum. Rockingham? Contender. Darlington? In the fight. Everything was clicking until Talladega. One moment, running mid-pack, the next, airborne, flipping, and slamming into the wall. It was the kind of wreck that changes a career.

• What made Talladega deceptively “easy,” and why did it cost him?
• What terrifying thought crossed his mind mid-air?
• Why was he vomiting inside his helmet when he came to?
• And what made him swear something had pierced through the seat into his back?

The roof had to be cut off. He was flown out. A compression fracture to T3 and T4, a concussion, and a season that was never the same again. Pain, insomnia, and a driver no longer able to perform at full strength. It was a turning point that derailed a promising year. Watch the full story to hear Ricky tell it himself, from the impact to the aftermath, and how a moment at Talladega sent shockwaves through the rest of his season.

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