In the wake of a fiery crash between Juan Pablo Montoya and a jet dryer truck, NASCAR is looking at banning all texting while driving in the Daytona 500, according to NASCAR spokesperson Dan Lacefield. Speaking by telephone, Lacefield refused to say if texting while driving in the Daytona 500 was a factor in the accident in which Montoya inexplicably skidded into the truck which quickly ignited. However, enhanced video of the incident appears to show Montoya steering with his elbows while tapping rapidly with both thumbs on an iPhone sized object just before making contact.
Lacefield said that with the prevalence of smart phones and social media, distracted driving in the Daytona 500 was an increasing concern. “It used to be, we just had to worry about drivers eating hamburgers or changing a CD or putting on mascara while driving in the Daytona 500. But nowadays, a driver could be sending e-mail or checking a bid on Ebay at 180 miles per hour.”
NACSAR officials are also looking into a lap 2 crash that started when Elliott Sadler bumped Jimmie Johnson setting off a chain reaction that ultimately collected six cars, including Danica Patrick and defending Daytona 500 winner Trevor Bayne. Moments before the incident, a post appeared on Sadler's twitter feed reading “Totally drafting Jimmie Johnson #Daytona#.”
Similarly, Montoya's Facebook page showed that he had just “Checked In at Turn 3”shortly before losing control. Speaking on the condition of anonymity, a source close to Montoya's pit crew said that they privately hoped that the accident was caused by texting while driving in the Daytona 500 because otherwise they're all working for a guy who can't drive for shit.
Lacefield said that NASCAR had considered an all out ban on cell phones in cars but drivers objected since many of them rely on the navigation apps to find their way around the race tracks. “There's nothing, nothing we take more seriously than driver safety,” he said, “except maybe all those sponsors' decals.” Lacefield than added “Merge, jackass, merge! Sorry, I'm in the car.”
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