VIDEO: When Bubba Wallace Froze on Live TV & Almost Fainted in a Very Scary Sight

Over the last few years, we saw drivers such as Bubba Wallace and Kasey Kahne among others, almost pass out from extreme exhaustion and dehydration. The drivers race in compact cockpits with high temperatures for such long periods of time that it takes a toll on their health.

In an interview, after Bubba finished 21st at Atlanta back in 2020, we see him briefly trying to answer the question by somehow saying “yeah”. Although almost immediately afterward, it seemed as if he lost consciousness.

Someone had to hold him from behind to stop him from falling off the wall he was seated on. The entire ordeal on camera looks really scary at first. But later on, the medical team intervened and let everyone know that he was okay.

We also saw Kasey Kahne suffer from exhaustion back in 2017 after he won the Indianapolis Brickyard 400 race. During his post-race interview, we saw him answering questions almost out of breath.

After a few questions, he couldn’t seem to stand anymore and decided to sit down, leaning on the car. Then, his team took off his jacket and gave him the water bottle. Kahne retired from the sport the following year, citing health concerns.

Read More: WATCH: The Key Piece of Advice Bubba Wallace Gave Chase Elliott About the Power of His Voice

Driver exhaustion has been a long prevalent issue in the sport, mostly due to the demanding amount of time spent per race and the high heat in those cockpits. This has a severe health impact on drivers.

Are drivers now retiring earlier due to exhaustion?

Driver exhaustion isn’t a new̉ phenomenon. Over the last 19 years, we’ve seen the average age of drivers hanging up the helmet drop from 38 to 33.

According to Larry McReynolds, earlier teams wouldn’t hire young drivers in the cup series. So by the time drivers arrived in the cup series, their average age would be in the 30s. But over time, with a rise in driver sponsors and salaries, drivers can retire early with complete financial security.

Watch This Story: Aaron Rodgers Reveals Ex-Girlfriend Danica Patricks Role in His Viral First Tattoo

According to him, back in the day, the seasons also used to be shorter as well.