Talladega Superspeedway played host on Saturday to a nine-car crash during the closing laps in which Eric McClure, a Virginia born NASCAR driver who finished 19th in 2011, was injured and subsequently airlifted to UAB Hospital, where he will stay overnight.

Public relations representative for McClure, Emily Brandt, issued a statement in which she said:

“Eric is awake, alert, and talking to family members. He is being kept overnight for further observation.”

McClure’s No. 14 Toyota slammed hard into the SAFER barrier on the inside wall after Michael Annett hit Kevin Harvick’s No. 33 Chevrolet in the rear on the backstretch and caused a multi-car wreck.

After emergency workers cut the roof off of McClure’s race car, he was placed onto a stretcher, and immediately airlifted to the hospital. NASCAR spokesman Kerry Tharp stated:

“I’m told he was conscious, alert and talking to the attendants when he was transported down.”

Annett divulged some insight into the mindset of NASCAR drivers as he was quoted by NASCAR having said:

“We were sitting there in fifth on that final restart and got a really good push from the No. 18 [Logano] and we shot the middle. Everyone is doing what they have to do at these races. The No. 33 [Harvick] came over to try to block us and we had such a run going that if I slammed on the brakes it was going to turn me so I just stayed in the gas and tried to shoot the hole. When it closed it was too late to do anything. Unfortunately we tore up a bunch of race cars. Everybody is trying to get everything they can on those last two laps. It is just the way this racing is.”

A team statement released Sunday afternoon indicated that McClure is currently in stable condition. McClure’s sister and team publicist, Emily Brandt, was quoted by Sporting News having said:

“McClure and his family would like to express their thanks to the NASCAR community for their thoughts, support and concern.”

Eric McClure Crash Video:

Eric McClure Crash: Airlifted To Hospital After Wreck At Talladega [Video] is a post from: The Inquisitr