“One hell of a headache,” groaned Tony Stewart after his wild NHRA top fuel crash at Maple Grove Raceway on September 14, where the safety crew had to scramble into action. And it is no less than a miracle to see him up and about three days after his wreck. Race car drivers, like football players, have reason to be concerned about brain injuries because a history of concussions can lead to chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), an untreatable brain disease characterized by toxic proteins accumulated in the brain. And Rico Abreu spotlights these very deep, long-term dangers of the sport.

At Eldora Speedway’s 2017 4-Crown Nationals, Rico Abreu’s night went from green flag to horror show in a heartbeat. Charging into turn one on the first lap of his heat, his car smacked the wall and catap

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