Sprint racing star McKenna Haase experienced a shocking accident during the Knoxville Nationals weekend on Friday, August 9, at the FVP Hard Knox party. While she did manage to get through the ordeal, her mother has shared that Haase is still feeling significant pain.
The top sprint car drivers converged in Iowa for the Knoxville Nationals this weekend. Haase, a native of Des Moines and a two-time winner of the Knoxville 360 Sprint Car event, was right in the thick of the competition until a mishap during Friday’s qualifying turned her weekend upside down. On the very first lap of Heat 1, Haase collided forcefully with the wall in Turn 2 after making contact with Terry McCarl, which led to a red flag situation. Haase’s car struck the right rear wheel of McCarl’s vehicle, causing McCarl to crash into the wall.
Following the intense collision, Haase’s car spun out of control before ending up on its roof, severely damaging the chassis. She was assisted by the security team as she exited the event and remained conscious throughout the incident. An ambulance then transported her to the hospital for further evaluation.
Terry McCarl faced a tough blow when he crashed into the wall, resulting in damage to his front axle. Tanner Holmes emerged victorious in the first race, while McCarl and McKenna Haase found themselves at the back of the pack, finishing last among the 12 competitors.
In a heartfelt update, Kelly Ann Haase, the mother of 27-year-old McKenna Haase, shared news about her daughter’s condition following the devastating accident at the Knoxville Nationals. In a post on Facebook, she revealed that McKenna is enduring significant pain, having suffered from chest discomfort, a pneumothorax (collapsed lung), as well as injuries and cuts to her mouth and tongue.
Ann Haase shared that her daughter needed to be taken to the trauma center in Des Moines, but due to both centers in the city being at capacity, she remained under observation at the Knoxville hospital. She mentioned that the runner’s vital signs are stable at the moment. “We are grateful to everyone who has reached out. Your prayers mean so much to us. McKenna is experiencing significant pain, including chest discomfort, a pneumothorax in her lungs, and injuries to her mouth and tongue, along with severe sickness in her neck and body. Although she was meant to be transferred to Des Moines, both Mercy and Methodist trauma centers are full. Knoxville Hospital is keeping her there and is closely monitoring the pneumothorax with X-rays and a CT scan. We hope a chest tube won’t be necessary. Currently, she is stable. Additionally, McKenna lost her phone at Knoxville Raceway on Friday night. The motorsport community has rallied around her, sending prayers for her swift recovery after the accident.
What led to the incident involving McKenna Haase in Knoxville? Here’s a detailed look at the concerning crash.
