NASCAR changed the car this year. Its a different shape, it doesn’t drive as well, and drivers have been complaining. The big changes have come in the safety of the cars. Its squat, rather square shape may make it ugly, but it also makes it very safe for a driver. Recently, at Texas Motor Speedway, Michael McDowell proved just how safe these cars are now.

It looked so similar to so many other rolling accidents seen throughout the years — the one in 1993 that left Rusty Wallace with a concussion and a fractured wrist, the one in 1996 that left Bill Elliott with a broken leg, the one in 2000 that left Geoffrey Bodine in intensive care with a broken wrist, facial lacerations and a cracked bone in his back. But Michael McDowell climbed gingerly from the wreckage, and into a guest appearance on Ellen DeGeneres’ show.

Watch the video below, it is really impressive. You can tell the announcers thought this kid was really hurt, if not dead. Really, he’s ok…like ‘raced the next day’ ok. See for yourself:

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Wow, huh? The head-on impact that killed Dale Earnhardt was probably half that hard, AND he didn’t roll. It was a scary moment in racing, but at the same time, how great that they have real-world proof that these cars are the safest thing out there. After watching this wreck and its (non)aftermath, I am much more impressed with the COT than I was before. This makes all the other problems worth it.