Jerry Nadeau's Near Fatal Crash

[TheHoodedCreature]

Anyone know the speed he was going when he hit the wall?

[MnMRacingProductions]

How many Gs was that crash, I'm pretty sure that it was the hardest until Sadler's crash last year

[vitorhs120596]

he almost died for it?

[nana94533]

On a happier note, Jerry has returned to the pits. Jerry, you rock!!!

[xJohnx228x]

It's amazing how the little crashes that don't look fatal can be! Thank god for NASCAR safety

[mohawkman251988]

I wonder what the difference was between this wreck and the wreck Jr. had at Dover that same year? They both looked the same.

[Nascarking24]

This may have been the closest we have come to losing another driver since 01.

[TheWho58]

Haha nadoo I have friend and his last name is nadeau too and we pronounce it nadow.

[Roushfan5]

Anyone that has anything bad to say about the COT car ought to watch this clip.

[ChrisBChronisterJr92]

What year was this? I remember this happening live! my dad just turned it on and i remember it i was young.

[Justin1992patsfan]

Two words safer barriers...

[TeamHKSR33]

his pontiac got too excited excuse the pun

[KerrCo1]

what year id this happened

[gobackto82]

@KerrCo1 2003

[vectorvtec73]

Wow it's hard to believe as tough as Cup cars are now that a hit like that dealt Nadeau career ending injuries. Man he was goin' somewhere too.

[USAF2409]

Nascar was really unsafe in that time frame!

[frogg5197]

I remember that. I was on the same floor when he came in to the hospital.

[shiny3801]

I was in the stands at the start finish line

[81senna]

А че этот урод в новостях лыбится ?

[Revengegirl100]

I just cracked open a nut with 3 peanuts in it :3

[jrfan07]

Of all the videos to have a fight/racist arguement, they had to pick this one...

[FREAKNIZZLE100]

now he's retarded haha

[montelee]

@FREAKNIZZLE100 he hit a wall, whats your excuse,asshole?

[FREAKNIZZLE100]

@montelee my excuse is the same as urs 

[montelee]

@FREAKNIZZLE100 A stupid comeback, from a stupid asshole

[FREAKNIZZLE100]

@montelee You shouldn't say that. I'm black, and arguing with me makes you a racist fuck. You got a Klan meeting to go to tonight you white trash inbred faggot?

[montelee]

@FREAKNIZZLE100 LMAO! You stupid fuck! Im black too!!. You dumbass, ignorant, cocksucking,race card pulling, peice of shit!!! your the ultimate racist dumbfuck! Pulling the race card on the same race!! hahahah,what a stupid fuck! I said it before, I say it again, you are a STUPID ASSHOLE! This proves it,just deal with it.

[FREAKNIZZLE100]

@montelee lol yea, yea. i'm sure your black. Keep saying that white boy. Your probably in your 40's, no life, no job, just wasting away arguing wit people on youtube. Do yourself a favor and get offline

[montelee]

@FREAKNIZZLE100 Well,its a new day and some things never change. Im still black,and your still a stupid asshole.

[FREAKNIZZLE100]

@montelee looks like i've already won the argument. I win. Your white, and your a racist.

[montelee]

@FREAKNIZZLE100 lol okay you win im white( dont tell my folks that though) you win the argument that im white if thats what makes you feel better. Since i had no idea ( and dont care) what race you are when i call you a stupid asshole, it just goes to show how big of a stupid asshole you are by making this a race issue. Unfortunetly,that now makes you a stupid racist asshole. Btw dumbass,if you had enough sense to pull up my profile,you'd see how "white" i am. Jeez ur a stupid racist asshole.

[gobackto82]

@montelee ...

[Altamonteric]

There's a rumor going around that Jerry Nadeau may race the 2011 Rolex 24 in the GT Class (He already co-owns the entry)

Would be awesome to see him race again

[jrfan07]

@Altamonteric that would certainly be a crowd pleaser if he does :D

[legolordman]

i miss him

[rdtli]

GOD BLESS THE SOFT WALLS NOWADAYS....CHEERS FROM BRASIL

[Vulpecia]

It's really too bad, Nadeau was probably my favorite up-and-coming driver at the time... shame that his career ended like that. But hey, at least he's still alive.

[friskycurtain]

Do you have the 2003 Pontiac Excitement 400? I am looking for when Harvick took out Jeff Green.

[rockypc24]

@friskycurtain me too man

[EaAddict360]

@nascarfan789 And whoops. lol

[Dunnybrusher]

That's 'Pontiac Excitement' for you.

[GamingPoison]

Hey, I was there!

[Buggy1Boy]

@GamingPoison What was it like in the grandstands when that happened?

[GamingPoison]

@Buggy1Boy Nah man I was like 8 and I was in the pits when it happened.

[StanBennet]

@Buggy1Boy If he wasn't injured, it would've been like anything else that hit the wall.

[EaAddict360]

He races on iRacing alot now. Does he still race?

[SaintBEEP]

@EaAddict360 probably still races, just not in any major leagues

[00andJoe]

@SaintBEEP Actually, I'm pretty sure Nadeau is permamently retired from any on-track competition, as it would be too risky. :(

[v10mclaren]

Jerrys throttle stuck open, he didnt take it too hot like the reporter said. I was sitting near there at the time and saw the whole thing. Iv never seen a car hit that hard at RIR before. the video doesnt do it justice. the stands shook a little when he hit. Nadeau was one hell of a driver. i hate it for him.

[F2pSkill99]

jerry is the man! hes always improving nascar safety

[99boyz]

i heard his helmet went out the window

and hit the wall

[montyth]

yep. the way the roll cage was shaped in the car of yesterday (with the bottom bar the farthest out, and the highest bar closest to the driver) it allowed the car to "roll up" the wall upon impact (like kyle busch at the coke zero 400 in 2009, but much less noticable). The roll cage in the COT has the highest roll bar the farthest out, which prevents this from happening. With the exception of superspeedways where spinning fast enough can cause the car to tip.

[cheby110]

Holy damn. I just read every comment on this video. 'Took 'bout 30 minutes.

[1nm1]

guess it goes to show once again that looks can be deceiving, ie the crash didn't look super bad, though it obviously was. Glad he survived :-)

[racingformusic]

That was a cryin' shame, Nadeau had a very bright future in the sport. Hate to see a rising star's career cut short in a crash like that. But happy that he is okay.

[jawsflounderace]

i heard this hit was 60x stronger than gravity fron nascar's website. These types of wrecks are scary because where the impact is being absorbed is basicly where u are sitting as a driver.

[vulpalasar]

Back in my newspaper days, I had the opportunity to interview Jerry Nadeau once for a piece for kids, talking about the basics of what it's like to be a race car driver. Jerry was new to whatever they were calling the cup back then, (still Winston, I think), and was excited about the whole thing. I thought at the time he had a hell of a career ahead of him ... I thought he'd be one of the best. I remember, he was just a nice guy having the time of his life. I wish like hell this hadn't happened.

[nascarsignore]

i remember when David Gilliland won the 2006 Busch Kentucky race in an upset, Jerry was David's driving coach, and was at the track when he won. TRIVIA-Anyone know the team he won for? CLUE- #84 HYPE Chevy

[BigBob8824]

WAS IT RICHARD CHILDRESS RACING?

[v10mclaren]

@BigBob8824 no. MBV, now part of EGR i think.

[coldv1]

Clay Andrews Racing

[BigBob8824]

@nascarsignore I KNOW the ANSWER IT IS CLAY ANDREWS. WHAT DO I WIN?

I BETTER WIN SOMETHING OR ELSE I WILL COME TO YOUR HOUSE AND BLOW IT UP. SO WHAT DO I WIN?

[Nitehawk770]

Jerry was poised to become a good driver if this had not happened....it's been rumored that he was gonna come back for the '10 season, but what I hear is he's done for good......what a shame. good guy, great racer. thankful he didnt die from his injuries

[USCGC130]

i was there when it happend it didnt look like a bad crash at all, actually that night that was the bush race a car hit the wall and burst into flames and that wreck looked a lot worse. itss sad because i saw him on the stretcher being taken into the ambulance. Then i saw the helicopter going up transporting him...it was sad when the race announcer came over the intercom saying that nadue was seriously injured..this was a very sad day in racing history

[legolordman]

i have a rare car that has been signed by jerry nadeau car it is called team calliber dark crome, only 180 were made, and it has been signed too.

[BENSCREATION]

jerry nadeau is actually my uncle i know most don't belive it but i am benjamin tyler nadeau my dad's dad's brother's son is jerry nadeau i know it is hard to belive but it is actually true

[33skoalbandit]

You are a liar, and a faggot.

Die.

[theMstanglover]

I don't believe you

[quasiphatpaul]

If this were true then youd know that your dad's dad is your grandpa... your grandpas brother's son is your great uncle... not your uncle... so you fail

[jss2043]

@quasiphatpaul actually it would be his first cousin once removed

[TeamAutoBots]

she never have kids cuz she's been racing ever since she was young n she's like almost my age but she's married tho so how in the world she's ur mom(bmak07) she's only 27 or 28 years of age

[GuitarMan027]

and of course there's always video so one can get a "thrill" out of the crash!! pathetic...

[SportsfanDude161292]

didn't they start putting SAFER barrier back like in '04 or '05 or something?

[XxPunk1995xX]

Indy had it in '02, but by 2005, all tracks had it

[TeamAutoBots]

it was installed after Dale Sr. died at Daytona n NASCAR director sayin they should install safety walls in every single tracks thats before RIR havin safety walls n hans device

[vidEvWill]

I'm glad he's mobile and active, If Jerry's your uncle I am happy that he is still active. With injuries, one may not be able to do the thing they once did but being able to walk and live in society as human being that is an accomplishment.

[TOPGUNCANADA00]

when i saw this wreck at first i use to think how could anyone get hurt that bad at richmond... but that was my first nascar track i went to in may 2008 and i stood at the wall when i first walked in the track as they go in to turn one and they really fly going into that turn so the first thing i thought of was nadeau's wreck and how luckey he was to come out alive

[dalejr88and8]

yea and my grandfather is Richard Petty.

Why are you talking like Jerry Nadeau is dead?

"He was an incredible racer, i only met him for 15 mins."

[bmak07]

nice try ur uncle isnt jerry nadeau im dale earnhardt nice to meet you nitwit

[Ultrajuiced]

Looks so unseriously, almost can't imagine he nearly died! o.O

[BMB5150]

It was 2001 before the SAFER barriers became popular.

[astatslpvids]

And as far as the rib/lung injuries go, there's been a lot of innovations in new, more forgiving seat designs over the past few years. Jerry's crash came before most of them though, so that may have been a contributing factor.

[astatslpvids]

I'm purely speculating here, but I have a feeling Jerry's head injuries were caused by his helmet (he's a spokesman for helmet safety now, which seems to indicate as much). He was wearing a HANS, but helmet technology hasn't changed much in a long time. Just because the helmet is anchored to the HANS doesn't mean that your head can't still move around inside it if it's not snug enough. The new helmets made by Impact! (Bill Simpson's new company) are a step forward for sure.

[BluesMan9teen69]

The crash doesn't look that bad to cause those injuries. wtf.

[3fan4eva]

Well it may not of looked bad......but basically from what I understand the entire left side of his body slammed into the roll cage....which included his head slamming into the roll bar

Nadeau's crash was the final straw that led to the start of the devlopment of the COT

[BluesMan9teen69]

nice man :] thanks

[Flakman129]

not the final straw,

but one of the straws that was greatly looked at.

pardon my grammar but im sure you know what i mean

[vidEvWill]

yeah, warnings to do something about it.

[rvdfamilyguy]

@3fan4eva yeah people say the cot dosent look good but its not the point.The point is of people doing a sport they love and knowing they can be safe.

[3fan4eva]

@rvdfamilyguy Absolutley, Look at Micheal McDowell, David Reutimann and Elliott Sadler's accidents. They could have been hurt very badly in those accidents. They may not be the best looking things....but they are keeping the drivers safe

[insanebackflip199]

@3fan4eva without the hans elliot sadlers crash could have easily been fatal

[Porygonseizureman]

@3fan4eva Same with Carl Edwards, and the two Ryan Newman flips at the superspeedways. Newman's roof lower down quite bad and they ended up using the jaws of life device to extract dead or critically injured drivers. Newman escaped uninjured but if that Talladega wreck was even two or three years earlier it would have been similar to Nadeau's or even worse.

[BADASSED88]

@3fan4eva nadeau's crash wasn't the beginning of the developement of the cot it was safer barriers

[ScoRASC]

On May 2, 2003 Nadeau was practicing at Richmond International Raceway for the Pontiac Excitement 400 when Nadeau spun off turn one and hit the wall drivers side first at high speed. It ripped the door off the car, grinding the left side of Nadeau's body against the barrier. Nadeau suffered complete immobility of the left side of his body, a skull fracture, concussion, and several broken ribs. Nadeau has not raced since.

(source: Wikipedia)

[Stanley35T]

so it ripped off the frame as well as the body panels? Sounds a little hard to believe to me. I always thought that he slammed his body into the side and it caved in on him a little bit. I had a friend racing legends cars that had the car's frame cave in on him and they had to use the jaws of life to get him out. Suffered a broken pelvis, puntured bladder and countless ribs and bruised other areas

[racing202]

Not too bad of a crash, but it caused such big injury!

[snowddoogg]

wow it did not even look that bad either thats to bad good driver

[darksideart68]

With the injuries he received in this accident, Nascar will not allow him to race again, its just the severity of the head injury, jerry was a very good driver.

[rubixcubeguy3]

that ended his carrer

[NASCARWWEclubpenguin]

he will never race a cup car again he said check Wikipedia plus he is a retired race car driver after that wreck and Check Wikipedia for that too

[Team48Lowes]

Its best not to worship Wikipedia, anyone can edit it.

His quote from a recent interview. "I'm just a racer, I love to race and if I can come back in some capacity, I'll do that."

In the same article it says he still experiences numbness on the left side of his body resulting from the crash, but said he is cleared medically to race. "Ive kind of come accustomed to it. It's just something that I have to life with," Nadeau said. "But Im fine. I can race and I still do my simulator all the time."

[NASCARWWEclubpenguin]

look i know it's not the best but mostly Wikipedia is right but don't think im weird for always commenting about Wikipedia but u know u will never know the future and hes still numb?

[XxPunk1995xX]

Wikipedia is WRONG!!!

[NASCARWWEclubpenguin]

mostly right =D

[montyth]

It's a blessing that he is still around today! Although he survived, life hasn't been easy for him. He still has no feeling in the left side of his body (last I heard). Also, his father passed away, and he also went through a divorce. There was rumor that he was going to test and possibly race an ARCA car a few years back, but I assume thats not gonna happen.

[charlestherock13]

oh shit!!!!!

[RaisedOnRadio92]

It's crazy how that wreck caused so much damage. It didn't look severe at all. It's a blessing he survived his injuries, though.

[jamespic]

We'll He Ever Race Again?????!!!!!

[VadiaRotor]

I doubt that

[YodasGreenBallz]

He wont race again but is in the pits mentoring drivers like joey lagano! helps alot of arca drivers and teams out!

[frankisfunny2007]

ha hasn't raced since then (2003)

[dsmcclellan]

Jerry has become a big spokesman for helmet safety since his accident. At least he's staying active in racing for the good of the sport. Hell of a driver, just never had the equipment under him to prove how good he was.

[rlhul45114511]

i was at this race and was in the pits at the time and the impact noise was loud you just knew it wasnt good

[carnrkie1]

He was a hell of a good driver. But things happen and never know wats gonna come at ya

[chip4949]

Best self taught racer in that relm of racing. Back in the day Nadeau had them all scared at every go-kart race, Formula Ford race...or even if you were racing shopping carts for Christ's sake. Just one hell of a loss......for all of us..(He was a true great).

[XxPunk1995xX]

danica patrick hasnt had a kid u fuckin retard

[bmak07]

no duh asshole who said i was freakin talkin to you mind ur own business

[Lakotahope]

Danica never told me I had a son? WTF

[19trouble92]

That is when NASCAR put safer barriers at every track.

[FamousNateNat138]

Its a shame because it wasnt that bad of a crash and no one remembers him. He was a great driver

[Smorris40]

I remember him, he was a great driver, I loved watching him

[timduncan21spursfan]

I remember him. He had so many heartbreakers before this crash:

1. 2001 NAPA 500: Runs out of fuel running 1st on the final lap.

2. 2002 Dodge Save-Mart 350: Rear end breaks coming to the white flag, running 1st.

3. October 2002: Injured in a Go-Kart accident.

Although he missed the rest of the season, the EA Sports game "NASCAR Thunder 2004" was programmed before the crash & Nadeau was still featured in the game.

[NASCAR90]

I was at that race in may of 03 i wasnt at there practice

[yankeesrule12390]

what ever happened to that guy

[Harvickfan04]

jerry nadeau is currently a driver coach and he still races go-karts. iv'e also heard him tell reporters that he would most likely never drive a cup car again.

[westftballstar31]

thats what no-can-do means, he can win it but oops no can do on that one

[e521soediv]

the host was waaaaaaaay to "commercial" about the story.

[Brett140]

richmond is speed prefection, but hard crashes too

[thebleau]

that sucks had to happen to one of the good drivers should have happen to like kyle pettye or something

[jraybay]

lol

[SSkinner901]

There has to be more to this. I know that some bad accidents don't look that bad, but this was a truly tame accident at a harmless angle and low speed. Head injuries I can see, but chest injuries are more rare. Could he not have been buckled in?

[3fan4eva]

I belive he hit his head on the roll bar....I think this is where the made the HANS device to help prevent side to side head movement

[Twelve5s]

they made the hans device after earnharts crash. but some drivers refused to use it. that could very well be it

[girlcandream]

The HANS device was manufactored before Earnhardt was killed. It was mandated after Blaise Alexander was killed in an ARCA race later in 2001. Therefore Jerry WAS wearing a HANS. He would have been dead if he wasn't.

[panicxitsxbrea]

Yep.

[3fan4eva]

Idk...maybe hitting his mellon caused a cardiac arrest but I never heard that as one of his injuries....Idk....definatley a freak accident like Steve Park in 2001 at Darlington

[jraybay]

he got that injured at richmond??...... I never knew. plus it's not a speedy track. safer barriers definitly woulda helped. poor jerry :\ .

[BadBooking]

It would have certainly, but going into turn one at 150 MPH driver side first does not help, no matter what construction of wall. Heck, if that was a gate, Nadeau would have landed outside the track.

[jraybay]

I think the c.o.t and the safer barriers would have almost certanly let him walk away. to bad his accident occured when it did. he was on the rise :\ .

[MichaelMyers43]

To alot of people, those kinds of crashes look weak, but to the drivers, it hurts. When you hit the wall on the drivers side, let me remind you that the driver is right there and could possibly hit his head on the wall like John Nemecheck did in his fatal crash. Just keep that in mind.

[FallenAngels92]

it was more than his head, if it was his lungs and ribs, something was wrong with his seatbelt, or the angle of the crash jerked his body very hard

from the 2nd view it looks pretty hard, its because he hit it at such a direct angle, alot of his speed was going directly towards the wall, not down the track

[montyth]

There was rumors a year or 2 ago that he was gonna test a car for, i think it was an ARCA team, and possibly do a couple races but I assume that they didn't go through with it.

[jmoney11]

I miss Jerry Nadeau :(

[nascar0]

he did race at the 2002 Tropicana 400,for MWR(Michael Waltrip Racing) (#00 Chevy) Nadeau qualified 34th but finished 37th after suffering a steering failure.

[nascar0]

wrong year!

[nascar0]

Jerry Nadeau signed with the Clay Andrews Racing Busch Series team as a consultant for the David Gilliland car in 2006.

Nadeau said in a Speed Channel interview in May 2006 that he will "more than likely not race in a Cup car again."

[m309m]

Man I really feel bad for him, who knows what he could have accomplished. That wreck doesnt even look that bad, I cant believe he was injured.

[nascarfanatic24]

It didn't look bad, but neither did Dale Sr.'s fatal crash. If they had safer barriers back then, Nadeau wouldn't have gotten hurt.

[thebleau]

he would not have gotten hurt and he be winning more races

[nascarfanatic24]

Dang right. At least this crash wasn't fatal though.

[BadBooking]

Winning races. I'm sorry, but there's a reason why (exception being that Atlanta race in 2000) he was called "No-can-do".

[nascarfanatic24]

It's hard to say, though. It all depends on who he drove for. And I guess how much he'd have left. He may never drive again, but it's sure a dang good thing he made it if you all know what I mean.

[BadBooking]

That would definitely be a good comeback story, and with the SAFER barriers and the COT being technological marvels, Jerry could come right back in.

And the "No-Can-Do" thing is an tease, because there were many races that Nadeau could win, but he didn't close the deal.

[nascarfanatic24]

Yeah, but like I said, it's hard to say. Maybe Jerry will be able to race again one day. More than likely not, though. Yeah, NASCAR is definetly safer than in it's past. The question is, "If Jerry Neadeau was to come back, who will he drive for and how good will he be?" Now I'm pretty sure he'd be a little shakey in his first couple of races because he'd be trying to get his rythym back, but I'm sure he'd give today's stars a run for their money.

[NAVGFan]

Jerry had the worst luck of probably any driver. He easily would have had at least five wins if it were not for situations like this.

[nascarfan48and29]

steve park imo, he had alot of bad wrecks

[Mayfieldrockz36]

Steve Park is lucky, but I feel bad for Jerry, if he did not crash, he would of won in the 01 car.

[kingofrunescapepking]

he practiced by playin nascar video games evry day just in case he would return but its sad he didnt :(

[rustyshackleford01]

man I wish that didn't happen to him, he would've been a great spokesman for the army