Over the weekend at Pocono, Indy 500 winner Ryan Hunter-Reay was in a violent wreck during qualifying that destroyed his car. He hit two walls and his tires came flying off, and the video is terrifying.
Now, Reay has a simple message:
"I'm just happy to be here," the battered and bang-up driver said, as per the Indianapolis Star.
The Star said he hit the wall at the force of 138Gs, but was still able to walk -- well, limp -- away. Credit improved side protection for Reay escaping more serious injury.
He suffered a bruised hip and knee -- you can hear him, on the audio, say, "my hip" when he's asked if he's alright -- and still managed to race (he finished eighth).
"I'm so thankful for the safety of this car and the safety team -- they're the best in the world," Hunter-Reay said.