Cody Ware reveals level of concern amid 93-mph Chicago wreck: 'Killed on that impact'

We have slowly learned more about the Cody Ware incident with two laps to go in the NASCAR Chicago Street Race. Ware blew a brake rotor and slammed into the Turn 6 tire barrier at 93 MPH. It was more than half a minute until the caution flag was thrown. It was also after leader Shane van Gisbergen had taken the white flag.

NASCAR has taken criticism for not throwing the caution when the incident happened. Officials claimed that they were uncertain as to the severity of the wreck. Throughout the race, the caution was held at various times. It allowed drivers to at least attempt to get going again.

In the case of Cody Ware, it should have been thrown. His latest description of the wreck puts it into perspective.

“Pretty much everything from the interior of the car, as well as my gear, was killed on that impact,” Ware told SiriusXM NASCAR Radio. “So, thankfully, getting a new helmet, a new HANS, you know, there was a crack in the EPS foam inside the helmet, the HANS device was cracked, steering wheel, you know, got bent up pretty good as well. So, I think it’s just a testimony to all the safety people that are selling us helmets and HANS, as well as steering wheels from Max Papis. And then my interior guys and all the guys at RWR who are building these race cars and keeping them safe.”

Cody Ware has had bad wrecks in the Next Gen car. Most drivers have at this point. However, his experience from 2022 puts things into perspective.

Cody Ware compares Chicago wreck to Texas 2022 wreck

During the first season of the Next Gen car, there were injuries. It was a very stiff chassis. Injuries were not uncommon. Wrecks with the rear end of the car were especially dangerous. Kurt Busch had his career cut short when he wrecked in qualifying at Pocono in 2022. Alex Bowman was injured that season as well.

Cody Ware was also among the injured. In fact, Ware broke his foot. He sat out of the Roval race because of the injury.

“You know, unfortunately, this isn’t my first time getting into a gnarly wreck in the Next Gen car,” Ware explained. “I look back at 2022, and that’s all I had in my mind for those five seconds, it felt like the longest five seconds of my life. You know, when I took that frontal impact in the Next Gen car back in 2022 at Texas, that was before a lot of updates in the front clip had been made to make sure that the crush zones were more significant and the chassis would definitely deform a lot more on those impacts.

“So, I just think that’s a testimony to the work that was done between then and now. Because I was pretty worried that whole way to the wall that it was going to be another injury-inducing incident like I had where I broke my foot at Texas. So, I think the progress with the safety of the Next Gen cars has definitely come a long way. Obviously, I don’t want to be the test dummy for that, but thankful to see a dramatic difference in what I felt with the frontal impact at Texas versus what I felt on Sunday in Chicago.”

Thankfully, Cody Ware is not injured. Onto Sonoma.