Noah Gragson out at Sonoma with concussion-like symptoms
Legacy Motor Club ruled Noah Gragson out at Sonoma and named Grant Enfinger to drive their No. 42 NASCAR Cup Series Chevrolet.
Gragson hit the wall in turn one on lap 197 with the rear of his car. Medics treated and released him from the infield care center.
Then, the team said, Gragson began experiencing concussion-like symptoms midway through the week. He is now seeking treatment.
Halfway through the Gen 7’s second season, Gragson is the third driver sidelined by concussion-like symptoms experienced after a crash.
Alex Bowman missed five playoff races after a crash last September at Texas. Meanwhile, Kurt Busch remains sidelined after a crash last July at Pocono.
In the wake of those crashes, NASCAR took steps to ensure the Gen 7 car absorbs energy away from the driver during a crash.
Enfinger will replace Gragson at Sonoma and get to make his first Cup Series start. He failed to qualify the 2011 Ford EcoBoost 400 – his only Cup Series attempt to date – but will be locked into the field Sunday.
Enfinger has nine wins, 54 top-5 finishes, 96 top-10s and five poles in 162 career Truck Series starts. In six full-time seasons, he has four playoff appearances, including a Championship Four appearance in 2020.
Currently, he sits fourth in the Truck Series points with two wins, five top-5 finishes and seven top-10s after 12 races so far.
Discover more from The Racing Experts
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
Jonathan Fjeld View All
Jonathan Fjeld is the co-owner of the The Racing Experts, LLC. He has been with TRE since 2010.
A Twin Valley, MN, native, Fjeld became a motorsports fan at just three years old (first race was the 2002 Pennsylvania 500). He worked as a contributor and writer for TRE from 2010-18. Since then, he has stepped up and covered 24 NASCAR race weekends and taken on a larger role with TRE. He became the co-owner and managing editor in 2023 and has guided the site to massive growth in that time.
Fjeld has covered a wide array of stories and moments over the years, including Kevin Harvick's final Cup Series season, the first NASCAR national series disqualification in over 50 years, Shane van Gisbergen's stunning win in Chicago and the first Cup Series race at Road America in 66 years – as well as up-and-coming drivers' stories and stories from inside the sport, like the tech it takes for Hendrick Motorsports to remain a top-tier team.
Currently, he resides in Albuquerque, N.M., where he works for KOB 4, an NBC station. He works as a digital producer and does on-air reports. He loves spending time with friends and family, playing and listening to music, exploring new places, being outdoors, reading books and writing among other activities. You can email him at fjeldjonathan@gmail.com