2001 Steve Park Larry Foyt III Darlington Crash NASCAR Busch Series

[jeanetdun]

Steve Park was my favorite driver in NASCAR during the original DEI era.

[imdan1182]

steve had a promising career,this accident caused brain damage and he was never the same

[winningfreak1]

@imdan1182 This is not entirely true, he retunred to racing but never had the same equipment as he did before the wreck. If he was truly brain damaged nascar would not have allowed him to return.

[vettedude418]

when he put the steering wheel on, the radio cord got wedged between the column and the wheel..when he went to tug it back before the green flag, it fell off because it wasnt all the way locked in

[WeebGilroy]

How many times can Alan Bestwick be wrong in one minute?

[XLValenciaXL]

Did they ever figure out what cuased the car to swerve to the left like that?

[underthenorthernstar]

@XLValenciaXL Park's steering wheel came off in Park's hand, causing the car to veer to the left.

[horsesboy]

@XLValenciaXL I THINK I remember hearing that something broke and that the steering wheel fell off.

[penske13]

god....what a tremendously bad luck guy he is. :(

[1023swag]

Hasn't Steve been racing in the K&N East Series lately????

[osubuckeyes14]

Steve Park, Jamie McMurray, Kenny Schrader.

Those three drivers have had the worst luck in nascar history. period.

[storm24awesome]

@osubuckeyes14  don't forget michael waltrip

[ROBLOXdude95]

@osubuckeyes14 Actually, it's Montoya, Park, Waltrip and Martin.

[osubuckeyes14]

@ROBLOXdude95

park, mcmurray, schrader, martin.

but your wrong about waltrip and montoya.

[ROBLOXdude95]

@osubuckeyes14 Montoya lost the 08 and 09 Brickyard 400s because of pit road penalties.

[likeaprayer111]

@ROBLOXdude95 Pit road penalties arent bad luck, its bad driving on his part in pit road. Mind you im just presuming it was speeding...could be like a loose lugnut or something. But if it was speeding, it was his fault XD

[WWJDBibleStudyTime]

wait till danica patrick is racin next year

[LiveforChrist999]

jrstok1 Elliott Sadler too.

[cbrown51ky]

now thats bad luck

[USAF2409]

freak accident!



[USAF2409]

Thats weird! Thats very rare for someone to get brain injury in a crash like that

[jrstok1]

Poor Steve has the worst luck in Nascar history. :(



[Hlover01]

@jrstok1 i think he might even be ahead of elliot sadler in the bad luck department

[Shanco4688]

this was the beginning of the end of Parks upper teir nascar career.....

[msmithers5238]

I dunno if the wheel came off or not, but steve has been racing his whole life and if he took the wheel off coming off the banked turn with a car that automatically turns left, it's veers that way bc there is so much caster in the front that you have to hold the wheel to the right for it to go straight, then he isnt unlucky. Just a retard. I know he is a nice guy and I dunno if he took the wheel off or if something broke. I'm just saying he should know better than to take the wheel off. I am gl

[machiiniiima]

@msmithers5238 its broke

[dmbbf5]

when i saw this wreck, i thought that park had become #5, after Petty, Irwin,Roper and Dale Sr

[LostHighwayFilms]

that was really bizarre...

[metalligimp]

steve park has GOT to be one of the most unlucky guys in NASCAR history. This wreck was unbelievable.

[mreed91]

one of the most bizarre moments in NASCAR history.

[JLOKEY72]

so did the red neck die they didnt say if he bit the dash bord or not

[XLValenciaXL]

@JLOKEY72 no he didn't die asshole. you one of those limey bastards that assumes every american is a redneck. Steve park is from the north he has not southern accent and is no way a "redneck" He Ended up with a massive brain injury and still has slurred speech to this day.

[kartguy2]

@JLOKEY72 fucking asshole

[8803Dorsey]

@JLOKEY72 hey buddy, there are 75 million rednecks that make left turns and they can kick your ass easy so shut the fuck up before you start hating on real people fucking faggot

[Maxokll]

@8803Dorsey You got that right!!!!

[NYMFan314129]

@JLOKEY72 you are a major asshole Steve Park is from Long Island New York like me and in no freakin way is he a redneck and no he didnt die he has minor brain damage but even if he had major brain damage he would still be smarter then you

you know what forget this you can rot in hell for all i care

[bstnrdsxfrk]

This was one of the scariest wrecks I've seen. They later determined that while Park was trying to scrub off his tires, the steering wheel came off, and it caused him to turn hard left like that.

He probably had the worst luck of any driver I can think of.

[Iliketoskateandbmx]

i was watching this live i was scared for him when then the tarp came out my mom was freaking out bc she thought he was dead he suffered broken ribs and massive brain injury he had slurred speech real bad for a while but he made a slight recovery some say he never really recovered i wish steve could make a comeback

[tj47racer]

oh my god

[tj47racer]

what the hell was that?

[acenace24]

I miss Benny and the real DEI: The boss Earnhardt Sr, Jr in the 8, Waltrip in the 15, and Park in the 1

[DrJohnBecker]

@acenace24 I also miss Benny. The best commentator by far.

[Porygonseizureman]

Two of the most unlucky drivers in NASCAR history crash. As of the tarp, only twice has the tarp appeared and the driver lived. One was Ernie Irvan, and Steve Park is the other. It's sad that Steve seemed to have gotten hurt or released from a contract every year that he appeared in NASCAR.

[Looktowardsthesky]

thank god for hachkins devices now.. R.i.P Dale Sr. , Adam Petty, any one whos passed on doin what they love

[pwnzor3000]

1:54

DAMN, look how bad the front axle broke!

The tire is turned like crazy.

[33kalam]

one of the unlukyiest wrecks i've seen

[ace8855]

larry foyt is my step brother

[Arkayem]

I remember watching this!

[soujourn024]

It was bad. He had "brain-damage" from this incident. They think his steering wheel came off, and he "locked 'em up" whiched explains the tire smoke.  He was very talented and on his way to the top. Afterwards, he can barely hold a conversation and should not be in a race-car.

[anthonystuart69]

@soujourn024 if you'd seen steve racing lately, you would not say that, I was at the last two all star showdowns at Irwindale, and Steve still has "it", whatever "it" is. Steve was never in a top level car in cup, and always looked worse than he was.

[InvisibleTeeth]

@anthonystuart69 He was in the top 10 in points n cup when this wreck happened...

He raced for DEI and RCR..how is that not a top level car?

He was an excellent driver..even tho Michael Waltrip hints that Park sucks thru most of his book. Jackass.

[anthonystuart69]

@InvisibleTeeth I read michael's book, the only negative thing he says about Park is that he didn't understand the draft like Dale, Dale Jr., and Michael, and I don't think there's anyone that can debate that. I honestly don't think DEI ever fielded a top car for anything but plate races. I'm not saying they had bad cars, just not Hendrick or Gibbs or Roush quality. I think if he had a shot in such a ride, he would have many more wins than he does.

[InvisibleTeeth]

@anthonystuart69 I still have a problem with that statement. At least for that race because a lap or 2 before the big one Steve was leading that race...and was drafting right behind Dale Sr. when it happened and we all agree how incredibly lucky(or unlucky in retrospect) Dale was not to be in that wreck.

[talladegajunkie1439]

Damn. What unlucky timing there

[mar4eloser4e]

Injured?

[JohnCronin103]

was this the one that made him seem a little slow? A brain injury?

[OldSchoolNascar]

the devil wanted him to die. or at least stop racing. the dude has the worst luck in motorsports and i really feel sorry for him

[barneynward]

What were Steve Park's Injuries?

[Blizfam]

@barneynward I heard it was a bruised brain. Not sure what the other injuries were though.

[Miracleman1986]

I met Steve a couple years ago i'm glad we didnt lose him that day he's a super nice guy who deserves to be in the cup series more than most that are there know. I just wish he could have a chance at it today i loved seeing him start at daytona this past july it was like old times a familiar name and a real racecar driver.

[jolocke90]

you can see foyt slams on the brakes in the last shot you can see his black marks. and i heard that steve's steering locked up or his steering wheel got disconnected and stripped the locking mechanisms that keep the wheel on.

[505197]

@jolocke90 I heard a steering component failed, this is from a kid in Mass who drove Park's back up car summer before last, a 16 year old who I can't recall his name. My undrstanding is Park was kept in a race car after this crash by the company that made the part, I heard Steve was supposed to move into the trucks this year, I don't keep up with it enough to know if he did or not.

[fuckoffah]

They think he was checking his wheel by pulling on it to make sure it was latched, but it wasn't and when it came off in his hands the car took that hard left down the banking.................Bad luck for sure

[AutoRockinRacing94]

Atlanta 1998

Sonoma 1999

This One in 2001

Pocono 2002

...I feel bad for him and I was glad that he drove at Daytona and actually wished that he finished in the top 10.

[marlinfan14]

@jasonagavin

Steve park has been running in the NASCAR

west series for a few years now. He just hasn't been In a cup car for awhile. Bad crash though.

[clintcheif2009]

@marlinfan14 He raced in this years coke zero 400 and finished 13th

[mzxrules]

@clintcheif2009 I can't believe he's still racing.

[StoogeWatcher]

Park was never the same after this crash.

[InvisibleTeeth]

Finished 13th last in his first cup race in 7 years and the first time in a CoT. Was so happy for him.

[MortifiedPenguin275]

Park is the most unlucky driver ever.

He was never the same after this crash.

[barneynward]

Weirdest Nascar crash ever!

[MrBadCompany29]

wow they went 100 laps under caution...Throw the red flag! lol

[Addrum1]

@MrBadCompany29 hahh thats wat i was thinkingg 

[RobRokken]

I still can't believe the cars are still going around.. like what? lol, yeah, miss ya BP...

[lakelandchief]

Does anybody have the full race on here?

[KissMyASSembly]

Wow that place is empty.

[d0re]

@KissMyASSembly it was the backstretch... they pretty much never sell backstretch seats for NW/Busch races

[zkknorth]

i was there

[ilikepepsi3883]

It's true. Steve showed the he had potential by winning a couple of races. His win at The Rock in 2001 is still one of my favorite moments. It just seemed like every time he got going, he got into some of the worst wrecks of any driver I've ever seen. It's a damn shame that he never got to try to become a consistent contender.

[sstroh08]

@ilikepepsi3883 this weekend at daytona he is gonna race cup again for the first time since this accident

[tiki2188]

This is one of the most bizzare things I ever saw.

Under a caution....the car just breaks loose and shoots left, exactly as Foyt was just getting there while catching up to the front.

Just...wtf?

[QuikdrawlMcgraw]

his steering wheel came off teh column he was seriously injured with head injury an never the same again he still drove later in his carreer but you could tell he has slurred speech an just didnt have his reflexes anymore

[burtonfan2]

I've seen all of the flips and blowovers and big ones there are, but this is the most unbelievable of all of them.

[evilwatermelon]

steve park had the worst luck in nascar. he won a few but he had a few bad accidents that ruined it for him.

[chevymadman5]

steve park was really good in cup that year to bad this happened i remember he was really different after this i remember he coudl barely talk in the interviews later that year it was sad

[DanielKy82]

I met Steve Park, along w/ Michael Waltrip, and Jr. 5 days before this incident in Bowling Green, KY @ the Corvette Museum. He never was the same person after this crash, but still one of the nicest driver(s) i've ever met....Jr was a prick!

[TheCougarFrom1983]

Larry Foyt was one of the suckiest drivers ever to come along in NASCAR but man! This was without a doubt odd. If Steve's car had snapped any second but that one in this race, he wouda been ok

[tvspnd1228]

i still miss Benny

[sstroh08]

@tvspnd1228 me too...

[Scrivener86]

Wally is a very good announcer. He picked up on everything here. I'd really love to see Dallenbach and Kyle Petty in the booth every week for a full season. They are great in the booth together for TNT.

[PhilipTheBigOne]

@Scrivener86: I'd really rather listen to Wally and Kyle than the ESPN "commentators"!!! Of course, FOX is my favorite, but I really don't mind TNT at all... Even though I do miss BP...

[nascarpenny]

@Scrivener86 that would be awesome!! but dont forget DW hes so awesome to

[antz350]

@Scrivener86 kyle petty cldnt speak to save his life, every 5 seconds hes sayin u know what i mean...either that or fuckin telling some jackass story no one cars about ... i liked tnt back in the day now.. it blows.

[TheFwr45]

@antz350 you blow

[jeffreysnydr]

This was a freak accident, plain and simple.

[FooFan0001]

Steve Park took hi steeringwheel off and the car jerked left

[jwill239]

first time a blue tarp has been rolled out and the driver lived..the tarp is never a good sign

[Sunoco]

Why did they need the tarp?

[RCRgoodwrench]

@Sunoco They don't want to news media or anyone with camera's or just people in general to see what's happening...well that's part of it at least.

[sstroh08]

@Sunoco what ended up happening is that he has a serious head injury im pretty sure it was a cracked skull or something like that so im sure blood and brains was everywhere all over the inside of the car and no one needs to see that so they put the tarp up so no one could, the good news is that he was ok and this weekend [7-3-10]he is going to race cup again for the first time since this accident

[joek01211]

@sstroh08 he actually raced cup two years after this. This weekend is just his first time back at Daytona.

[sstroh08]

@joek01211 o rly i didnt know that, well one way or another i hope he can make it big again

[ghettobird14]

@sstroh08 oh nevermind somebody already put that

[ghettobird14]

@sstroh08 it wasnt the first time was it? Didnt he race in 2003 in cup in the #30 AOL car and 6 races in the #1 in 2002? this crash is from 2001

[orlandorays]

@Sunoco Because Steve Park almost died. If he had died, they would need to impound the wreckage, just like they did with all the drivers who died in NASCAR in the preceeding year, not just Dale Earnhardt.

[bgcatfan]

@orlandorays That tarp is a scary thing to see. I didn't see this live, but if I did, I would have been so worried to hear he had been fatally wounded. Fortunately that wasn't the case.

[MannyZtheWolfWarrior]

He just has had nothing but bad luck in NASCAR. I swear, as if Fate itself were looking down on him, one of the first races he came back in (Pocono, June '01 or '02, I don't remember), he got sideways and went into the guardrail. Nasty crash...

[sethcorn]

I wonder what the drivers were thinking doing pace laps as they drove by that wreck lap after lap, especially after the brought out the blue tarp

[MyDylan23]

WTF?!? that thing snap into his car

[anthonystuart69]

i'd been waiting for someone to post this...

park always had the worst luck, he really could have been great

he still is great, but...he could have been a champ

[UltimateEEnEFan]

This is bizzare. I wish Park would come back to NASCAR Truck, Nationwide, and Sprint Cup racing. He was just a cool guy to watch race.

[ochs42thethird]

Kind of like Dario Franchittis crash at the 2008 Aarons 312.

[JakeTV370]

true, but dario's injuries weren't as bad...

[KingCuervo88]

and this was under caution the patrick sheltra crash at daytona this year was at like 150 and he was sitting still. odd things

[tboneplyr1545]

im speaking for all park fan were glad hes ok let hope he wins n the camping world east tour in the #35 waste managment  go steve

[BJC20199]

he did well in the truck series in 04 and 05 until he got booted out of the 62 truck...Tell you the truth I though he was dead after watching this on TV.

[mar4eloser4e]

injuries?

[LukeL007]

I remember this race and remember feeling sick about it. It seems he has fully recovered minus some speech issues. Just remember that just because someone talks with a lisp or slowly doesn't mean they have any other brain damage or defect.

[Montoya42Fan]

Some of his injuries were brain damage. Fortunately, it was very slight and only affected his speech a little.

[t20stewartfanjg]

if u watch the dale movie on CMT when they talk to him he says some words wrong and he pauses alot and sometimes stutters

[drzchulo1993]

he never really made a full recovery. he was adjusting his steering wheel and it veered left.

[jonboy1822]

I was at this race and has anyone noticed that after this crash that steve's speech so a lot slower. I know he made a full recovery but he always talked a lot slower after this.

[tdiharold5265]

he got hurt like twice a year at least

[Dimage25]

did they find out what actually caused Park to crash??

[clintcheif2009]

he took off his steering wheel to ajudst it and he just lost control of the car.He may nit have fully recovered

[dickstraten]

From what I had read, the coupler on Steve's steering wheel failed. So when he went to scrub his tires, it came off in his hands.

[bob999999999900000]

Steve Park had the worst luck ever. Got this horrible wreck, his wreck at Pocono, and that wreck at Atlanta.

[fatriani]

this really messed steve park up, i remember hearing him talk and he was definitely slower and slurred his speech. i didnt think he survived it at first

[sparkietour]

What a sad day for Steve Park fans. Steve has made a full recovery and is having the time of his life now racing in a division that has awesome racing. Just watched him win the pole and dominate the field for over 3/4 of the race on July 10 2009. What a great guy and a great driver.

[tboneplyr1545]

all steve park fans feel free to add me lets hope he gets a nascar ride soon from the camping world touring series

[bc1271]

Won the pole and finished 2nd tonight at Thompson Speedway (CT)

[insanebackflip199]

dei should put him back in the 1 with truex leaving

[osubuckeyes14]

unreal timing. how many times does a guy spin like that on the caution flag, and he does it right when larry foyt is coming to smack him in the driver side door.

[countryfan368]

Isn't it kinda strange how Steve Park's car broke right as Larry Foyt was going by. Just seems a little odd to me.

[88ownsnascar]

coincidences happen

[shoobathelemur]

The cause of this crash was actually that the steering wheel came off in Steve's hands. The fact that Foyt was coming at that exact moment may be the biggest example of bad luck I've ever seen.

[tiki2188]

It suddenly broke right because the steering wheel came off. As for Foyt coming well, that is just some very shit luck.

What are you implying that it was some conspiracy?

[countryfan368]

So I'm saying its just bad luck how Foyt was coming right as Steve's steering wheel came off.

[HomerhollicA]

i think they should have red flagged it. steve used to be one of my favorite drivers

[Alexander032691]

I agree with you about the red flag part, I just don't understand why it wasn't thrown out for this crash.

[RCRgoodwrench]

Well...NASCAR has made some poor decisions in the past.

[Schwarz2448]

yup, still making some now for example THE CHASE

[PYLrulz1984]

And yet if NASCAR did nothing to make the end of the season relevant, people would still complain.

I swear, NASCAR fans can sometimes be the most ungrateful

[PYLrulz1984]

Also to add, unless the track is near blocked, I don't believe historically, even for something like this, most racing series would throw a red flag.

[roadgeek09]

I think it was because the caution they was under was for a rain shower anyway, and they were afraid more rain might be coming.

[tonip420]

@Alexander032691 park was injured very badly in this crash...that is probably the reason for the red flag....

[jeffdale24]

When they put the tarp up I was scared as hell. I was only 11 at the time and it was damn scary. It also didn't make sence they kept the cars circulating around the track.

[InvisibleTeeth]

This should be the example of why you don't run in a lower series if you're a cup driver.

Ruined Park's very good career.

[24jeffgordan88JRfan]

if u luv racing.... u just race it come natrul

[IamTheShermanator]

Man, Steven had the worst of luck in NASCAR

[justushayes]

Ya, Steve took many hard hits in his career

[burtonfan2]

thank god someone put this back up. it was here, then gone for like a year.

[RCRgoodwrench]

He was a good driver, he just never got to develop, because he had all of those terrible crashes, 1998, 2001, and 2002.

[JasonAGavin]

@RCRgoodwrench It was great to see him racing again at Daytona last week. Top 15 finish: not bad at all for a lad who hasn't been in a race car for 7 years.

[legonascar88fan]

poor park.... he shouldnt of raced this day and if he didnt he would probabley be a great driver with a great carrear