NASCAR driver’s one-handed save without steering wheel

NASCAR might look like a simple sport to a European audience, but in reality the beasts they use in stock car racing are enormously difficult to handle.

Imagine, then, how much more of a challenge it would be if they weren’t equipped with steering wheels.

For Dale Earnhardt Junior, that’s exactly what happened at Talladega Speedway when his wheel detached part way through the Geico 500.

“Oh, it come off,” said the 41-year-old, having crashed out in a separate incident later in the race. “Luckily it was under caution. I just grabbed the shaft and steered the car that way. I ripped the skin off my hand but I wasn't going to let it hit the wall.

“That was just a freak deal. We didn't get the steering wheel on when we got back in the car to get back out there. We're working on something to keep that from happening going forward.”

Smart thinking, that.