The NASCAR Cup Series Championship Race at Phoenix Raceway saw an unexpected twist. This time, it wasn't a battle between drivers that stole the spotlight but rather the pace car itself, which lost control and crashed as it approached pit road. Taking place during Sunday's race, no one was physically hurt, with the only damage being to the car and its driver's ego.
As the field prepared to enter pit road, the pace car unexpectedly spun, turning what should have been a routine bit of driving into a viral moment.
Earnhardt Jr. addressed the crash on his podcast, "The Dale Jr. Download" (above).
Drawing from his own experience, he recalled the days when broadcasters would describe the pace car "diving" onto pit road.
"The pace car doesn't just gradually ease to pit road. It dives onto pit road. Well, listen—I appreciate the effort. It needs to be a deliberate move. But you also need to know how to drive a car," he laughed.
The crash immediately captured attention across social media, with fans and analysts sharing footage of the incident. Even teams got in on the action as the video was edited for social media. This rare moment quickly became a topic of lively discussion, as viewers reacted to the mix of shock and amusement.
Earnhardt Jr. offered his perspective on the mishap, humorously pointing out that the driver may have been unprepared for the handling of the pace car.
"It was like — the guy is no stranger to driving cars, but it was like he was driving that one for the first time. It seemed like he was just taken aback by — he expected more. The car just didn't deliver. I think, you take that car — they've got all kinds of weight in the back, all those batteries and stuff for those lights and everything.
"There's a bunch in that car — it's not going to drive exactly like a stock car. So, seriously man, you've got to take that thing out and drive a little bit so that doesn't happen again. ... This can't be the way we are with the pace car. Does he need to go and do some donuts in the parking lot, just to get his confidence back?"
Thankfully, the incident did not lead to any significant interruptions, and the race carried on as planned. The crash, however, provided fans with a memorable and light-hearted story.
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