We're heading to Talladega Superspeedway in Alabama for today's motorsport photo of the day.
The 2009 Aarons 499 was the ninth round of the Sprint Cup season, with Jeff Gordon and Jimmie Johnson occupying the top two positions in the standings respectively. A packed Talladega speedway would witness a thrilling, yet equally frightening finish to the 500 mile race.
As the field approached the finish line on the 188th and final lap, the race leader, Carl Edwards (pictured), attempted to block Brad Keselowski from making a race winning pass. Keselowski made contact with the rear of Edwards’ Ford Fusion, which sent it spinning into Ryan Newman’s bonnet. The impact lifted the Roush Fenway Ford into the catch fencing, with spectators lucky not to be seriously injured.
When the wreckage of Edwards’ Fusion came to a halt at the bottom of the track, the popular pilot climbed out of the car and proceeded to jog over the finish line, reminiscent of the comedy film “Talladega Nights”. He received a standing ovation from the crowd as he crossed the line, and thankfully did not sustain any injuries from the heavy collision.
It's not a pretty image for Carl Edwards’ fans, but an iconic moment in modern NASCAR history nonetheless.
Image: Zimbio
