The pace car crashed into the pit road entry sand barrels early in the NASCAR championship race on Sunday at Phoenix Raceway.
Before the restart in stage two, the pace car suddenly veered sharply left toward the pit lane for the resumption of the race after a caution. However, it was too late to commit.
As a result, the pace car driver ended up sliding into the barrels, sending debris flying across the pit lane.
The race needed to be red flagged for 12 minutes.
Chase Elliott was on the front row and nearly collided with it.
“He was not going to make it. That was a late decision,” Elliott said over his team radio.
“Was that Michael Phelps? I thought he was just the pace car driver to start the race,” said Ryan Blaney.
“Does the pace car on the damage vehicle policy clock?”
That was John Hunter Nemechek
“I’ve never seen anything like it.”
Erik Jones
“Do we know who was driving the pace car?”
jimmie Johnson
The pace car driver transferred to a new car and resumed his duties.