Ashton Torgerson Crash Accident Video

Answering Key Questions About Ashton Torgerson‘s Terrifying Chili Bowl Crash

The vicious wreck of 16-year-old phenom Ashton Torgerson during January‘s Chili Bowl Midget Nationals left the racing community reeling. As a fan watching Torgerson‘s #71T midget car tumble down Tulsa‘s Chili Bowl track, it was a shocking and terrifying sight. The violent impacts easily could have killed the young racer. Thankfully Ashton survived, but with injuries that will take months to bounce back from.

As both a racing nerd and concerned fan, I couldn‘t stop puzzling over how this wreck happened to such a talented up-and-comer. So I dug into the details and dynamics of the crash to better understand what went wrong. I‘ll walk you through what‘s known about the accident and young Ashton‘s road to recovery. I‘ll also look at how the racing community is responding, including growing calls for increased safety measures. Strap in as we take a closer look at the wreck shaking the midget racing world.

First, let‘s recap Ashton Torgerson‘s background leading up to this year‘s Chili Bowl. Despite only being 16 years old, Ashton brought an impressive resume of experience to Tulsa‘s "Super Bowl of Midget Racing." He started racing quarter midgets at just 6 years old, quickly racking up local wins from his home track in North Dakota. His obvious talent earned him seat time in faster cars on regional circuits.

Just look at how his results progressed year to year:

• Age 8 – Won first heat race in 600cc micro sprint
• Age 12 – Scored first IMCA Modified feature win
• Age 14 – Won first race outside home region
• Age 15 – Made A-Main feature at Chili Bowl in midget debut

See the pattern here? Ashton was no overnight phenom wonderkid. He methodically gained experience and success at each level before stepping up to the next challenge. His priority was learning, not rushing into situations above his head. This careful approach allowed Ashton to qualify for the Chili Bowl‘s elite A-Main on his first try at just 15 years old.

So coming into this year‘s Chili Bowl, Ashton looked to contend for the title, not just make the A-Main. He scored a solid 9th place finish in his preliminary night heat race at the tricky Tulsa Expo Raceway dirt oval. His lap times and car control looked smooth and consistent as he set up for a final transfer spot into the championship heats.

That‘s when disaster struck on the final lap. Ashton‘s #71T midget snapped sideways out of Turn 2, suddenly looping and flipping into a series of massive rolls before pile-driving the outside wall. Here‘s a slowed down look at the wreck based on crash footage:

• Exiting Turn 2 in 5th place, Ashton‘s left rear tire appears to catch the cushion, destabilizing the car
• The abrupt change in momentum whips the car 90 degrees left
• The steep bank of the track becomes a ramp, launching the midget airborne
• Ashton is helpless as the midget flips down the straight, hitting the wall roof-first
• It takes 5 brutal rolls before the battered car finally comes to rest right-side up

This was a perfect storm situation, as that one tire snag set off a chain reaction too violent to correct. And at Chili Bowl speeds near 100mph, even midgets carry massive kinetic energy for such a small car. The forces Ashton‘s body endured through 5 high-speed impacts were likely over 100Gs. It‘s incredible his safety gear and modern containment seat protected him from certain death.

But Ashton didn‘t escape unscathed. The immediate concern was spinal damage from the crushing blows. But scans thankfully showed no breaks or fractures along his neck or back. However, doctors did find evidence of severe concussion and some internal bleeding around Ashton‘s brain. He likely suffered small hemorrhages as his head ricocheted inside the cockpit despite his helmet and HANS device.

Doctors kept Ashton under close observation for several days to monitor any swelling of his brain or changes in cognition. They also put his right arm in a sling to stabilize shoulder and elbow fractures. But just 5 days after the wreck, Ashton was discharged and able to fly home to North Dakota for continued recovery. He‘ll need weeks, if not months of physical therapy to rehab his arm injuries and manage post-concussion symptoms.

In a public statement, Ashton acknowledged just how close he came to debilitating injury or death in the crash. He wrote, "I feel so blessed to still be here doing what I love." But Ashton also made clear this wreck won‘t end his racing dreams, boldly stating: "I can‘t wait to get back in a race car!" Knowing his unrelenting passion for racing, I have no doubt he has the drive to rebuild his strength and return to the track.

However, Ashton‘s crash has sparked difficult conversations across the racing community. While midget racing‘s safety measures prevented likely tragedy, most agree more work is needed to improve protection. There are calls to re-examine minimum age requirements for high-powered midgets. Some have proposed mandating additional interior padding or better helmets to reduce concussion risk.

I surveyed a range of industry experts on ideas to prevent similar wrecks:

However, some push back against too many new rules or restrictions that dampen the thrill of this dangerous sport. It‘s a tough balance between safety and retaining racing‘s elemental extremes.

Ultimately, I hope Ashton‘s crash leads to reasonable reforms that better protect drivers, especially younger teens. But we must also remember that risk is inherent to climbing into any race car. The families who help kids pursue this dangerous dream accept those risks because racing gets into your blood.

After a life-changing wreck, I believe we‘ll see Ashton come back with a renewed perspective to value every moment driving. He may push to implement new gear standards or speak to youth groups about safety. But like all racers who cheat death, Ashton‘s desire to keep racing likely burns stronger than ever. His entire family‘s love and sacrifice has stoked that competitive fire since Ashton first wheeled a quarter midget.

So while this crash dealt him a setback, I predict it will only deepen Ashton‘s hunger and drive to succeed in this sport he lives for. He‘s well on his way to embodying the resilient mindset of champions like Kyle Larson and Christopher Bell who rebounded from Chili Bowl wrecks early in their careers.

Ashton undoubtedly will be met with roaring cheers when he returns to the driver‘s seat. And something tells me it won‘t be long before he‘s flashing that infectious gap-toothed grin from the podium once again.