Jeff Gordon Getting Blindsided, Jimmie Johnson Getting Launched: Five of the Worst NASCAR Crashes at Watkins Glen

The Watkins Glen International Circuit is a tricky track to master. This venue is a 5.5-kilometer race track with 11 turns, and it is located in Watkins Glen, New York. It is safe to say that this track can be unforgiving and has borne witness to a number of huge accidents in its day. Fortunately, fatalities have been very few and far between. Among the many drivers who have wrecked there, victims included the likes of Jeff Gordon, Jimmie Johnson.

Some of the wrecks are fairly grizzly. There was just one NASCAR fatality, and that was JD McDuffie in 1991, during a crash on the fifth lap of the race. As it happened, he collided with Jimmy Means and the impact broke the left front wheel spindle. With no way to stop the car, and no gravel trap to save him, this was going to be nasty. McDuffie skidded across the grass and hit the outside retaining wall with such force that the car shot into the air, rotated, and then came to rest upside-down. Luckily, every other driver involved in these accidents was able to walk away mostly unscathed.

Geoff Bodine plowed nose first into the barrier

During the 1989 race at Watkins Glen, Bodine was battling with Dale Earnhardt for 3rd place. Unfortunately, he locked up hard and it looked like he had some brake issues. Since there were just a couple of laps to go, he thought that he could hang on and made it to the end. Unfortunately, his #5 car had other ideas and it decided to give up the ghost.

Heading into the corner, his right front tire practically shredded itself to pieces. Needless to say, it pitched him into a spin, performing a full 360 degree and smashing headfirst into the barrier. Bodine was practically a passenger and bracing himself for a painful impact. The good news was that once it was over, he was able to extricate himself from his car, under his own power.

Jeff Gordon got the shock of his life in 2009

During the 2009 Cup race at The Glen, Jeff Gordon was simply driving along when it happened. Ahead of him, another car had slid off the track, and under normal circumstances, he wouldn’t be bothered. Little did he expect that same car to hit a tire barrier and bounce back onto the middle of the track.

Wouldn’t you know it, that car rejoined the track right in front of a startled Jeff Gordon. That driver was none other than Sam Hornish Jr, and he speared off after a tussle with Kasey Kahne. His #77 car then ricocheted back and smashed into the unsuspecting Hendrick Motorsports car. The impact also wiped out an innocent Jeff Burton in the #31 car. Luckily, all three drivers were able to exit their cars in one piece.

Jimmie Johnson got launched in the air at The Glen

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Back in 2000, Jimmie Johnson was competing in a Busch Series race when he crashed out. While heading down the straight, the then #92 driver evidently realized that he had no brakes and they had failed long ago. So, he somehow managed to come up with a split-second conclusion to make the impending impact less painful.

The future 7-time Cup Series champion elected to cut across the chicane and go on the grass to slow the car. Unfortunately, it only resulted in his car getting launched over a grassy bump and getting some air time. The car skittered across the gravel and plowed nose-first into the catch fence. Fortunately, Johnson was quick to exit the car and show the stunned fans that he was completely alright.

READ MORE: Video: From Cars Catching Fire to Dale Earnhardt Jr Flipping Drivers—5 of the Worst Crashes in Pocono

David Reutimann and David Ragan destroy their cars

In 2011, there was a particularly nasty accident and it involved David Ragan. It all started when Ragan’s #6 car got bumped off the track and he headed straight for the wall. Upon hitting, his car bounced back onto the track, side-swiping the #00 of David Reutimann. The latter pretty much had nowhere to go, because he was in a group of 6-7 cars, and couldn’t slow down.

Reutimann slid over to the other side of the track and hit the barrier, sending his car airborne. The car then flipped over and tore itself to shreds. Somehow, the #00 car landed on all four wheels. Fortunately, both drivers were able to exit their cars without any serious injuries. Though one would imagine that they would be awfully sore for a while.

Sam Hornish Jr misses the pit road

In 2008, Sam Hornish Jr was part of a massive accident that took place with eight laps to go. Michael McDowell and David Gilliland collided with each other and the latter bounced back onto the track. That resulted in more cars ramming into the stricken Gilliland. It is also worth mentioning that Sam Hornish Jr spun and crashed into the yellow barrels that signified the pit entry.

Owing to this massive wreck, the race had to be halted for 45 minutes, and all drivers were okay. In the end, Kyle Busch went on to win the race, ahead of Tony Stewart and Marcos Ambrose. Juan Pablo Montoya was fourth, and Martin Truex Jr rounded out the top 5. Finally, Kevin Harvick, Jimmie Johnson, Denny Hamlin, Carl Edwards, and Kurt Busch completed the Top 10.

Watch This Story: Watch: Horrific Footage of Former IndyCar Champion Toppling Across Helplessly During Scary Crash