McKenna Haase Recovering After Violent Sprint-Car Crash

In the first lap of the first heat of Hard Knox Qualifying Night at Knoxville Raceway Friday night, local sprint-car driver McKenna Haase flipped into the wall, spun, and landed hard on the dirt surface. Haase was carefully removed from the sprint car since she's had a history of concussions in her decade-plus-long career and is recovering at a local Knoxville hospital.

Haase hit the right rear of the No. 24 sprint piloted by Terry McCarl entering turn one. Her sprint went cage-first into the wall and then smashed back into the racetrack. Haase was transferred to a local hospital after being treated in the infield, but it was falsely reported last night that Haase returned. Her iPhone is currently missing and reported to be at the track, and the family has offered a reward if someone at the track finds it and turns it in.

Haase is still at Knoxville Hospital for further evaluation. She would've been transferred to Des Moines, but both trauma centers in the metropolitan were at capacity as of Saturday morning. Currently, she's known to have a collapsed lung, rips in her mouth and tongue, and a bruised body, her mom Kelly Ann shared via Facebook.

Haase's mother updated the community shortly after 11:30 local time that the pneumothorax, or whole in the lung, has grown bigger between scans, and the next scan will be at midnight.

The 63rd running of the Knoxville Nationals will conclude tonight with NASCAR's Kyle Larson on the pole as he defends his 2023 championship and attempts to win the Sprint Car Crown Jewel event for the third time in four years.

Update: Haase has now left the hospital to continue recovery at home. The driver sends thanks to the sprint-car community and fans who prayed and thought of her during her time in the hospital.

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