NASCAR to Review Mark Martin’s Crash at Michigan

When Mark Martin’s car went sliding off the track at Michigan International Speedway and crashed sideways into a pit road barrier the car was pierced by the short, narrow end of the wall, but fortunately Martin was able to walk away.

''When we see things like that, it's just a reminder to us that the work on safety never stops,'' said Robin Pemberton, NASCAR's vice president for competition.

Pemberton said Monday that NASCAR is ready to take a look at Martin's crash from Sunday's Sprint Cup race. The driver's team will be consulted, and aerial photos will be studied.

Michigan International Speedway president Roger Curtis says he’s ready to follow NASCAR’s lead, but emphasis it’s important not to rush into changes that might solve one safety issue while creating another. MIS track doesn’t have another NASCAR race this year.

''We don't want to make a knee-jerk reaction,'' he said.

The worst of the impact to Martin's car was right in front of the left rear tire, extremely close to the driver-side door.

The problem with the pit row barriers isn’t unique to just Michigan. The end of the pit row barrier is exposed because of a gap in the wall that allows vehicles to enter and exit. That gap is there for race vehicles and safety vehicles