Danica Patrick, Matt Kenseth unhurt in violent crash at Talladega

Danica Patrick and Matt Kenseth both escaped injury in a violent accident that saw Patrick slam into a SAFER barrier and Kenseth flip upside down during Sunday’s NASCAR race at Talladega Superspeedway.

The incident began as the majority of accidents do in a restrictor-plate race with Kenseth and Patrick both in a pack of cars and little room to maneuver when Michael McDowell tagged bumped Patrick in an effort to push her forward. But Patrick’s car veered left into Kenseth’s sending both spinning down the back stretch and towards the inside wall.

“I can’t quite remember exactly what started it,” Patrick said. “I know I got drilled from behind and turned sideways and hello wall.”

Kenseth’s Toyota became airborne and it appeared Patrick’s car went underneath as Kenseth floated through the air. Patrick then went nose-first into the energy-absorbent barrier protecting a concrete wall and proceeded to catch fire. After coming to a stop, she quickly scrambled out of the car and walked the wall where she put her hands on her knees in attempt to catch her breath.

As for Kenseth, his car nearly landed roof-first on the same wall Patrick hit before ultimately landing on its wheels.

“Somebody must have gotten turned out of the top lane and just collected me,” Kenseth said. “I was just going straight and saw a car come from the right side and cleaned our clock.”

Patrick and Kenseth were transported to the infield medical care facility for evaluation and released. Patrick said she had a “pretty decent” bruise on her arm and foot, and underwent X-rays on her chest as she felt slight pain when breathing. The X-rays were negative.

Patrick, who raced Indy cars from 2005-11 and moved fulltime to NASCAR in 2012, called the impact with the wall the hardest she’s ever experienced.

“I’m okay, I got an X-Ray so that was a concern,” Patrick said. “... I have hit the inside wall at a superspeedway I think like four times now, and that was the hardest.”