The World Wide Technology Raceway (formerly Gateway) became the stage for a frightening pit lane collision during the O’Reilly Auto Parts Series race weekend. A sudden stack-up on the narrow pit road forced a red flag and left the rear-tire changer for the No. 19 Joe Gibbs Racing team, Bryan Backus, inches from being crushed between two out-of-control cars.
What triggered the pit road disaster
While the field was under caution after completing the first stage, a large group of cars entered pit lane. The congestion turned chaotic when the No. 88 JR Motorsports entry driven by Rajah Caruth began to spin, clipping the No. 87 Peterson Racing car of Nick Sanchez. Both machines careened toward the right side of the JGR pit where Backus and his teammates were servicing the crew chief’s Toyota.
Matt Wilps, who was changing the right-front tire, was struck by the spinning No. 88, while Sanchez’s car slammed directly into the rear of the JGR pit box. Backus, kneeling on the ground to change the right-rear tire, found himself sandwiched between the two vehicles for a breath-taking instant. The impact forced him onto the jack, and the entire pit lane was blocked, prompting officials to halt the race.
Despite the violence of the crash, none of the crew members, including Backus, Brad Donaghy, and Wilps, suffered injuries. The incident also left the pit road unusable for several laps, and NASCAR announced plans to send representatives to the Illinois venue to review safety protocols.
Behind-the-scenes reactions from the drivers and crew
Both drivers involved offered candid remarks shortly after the chaos. Caruth radioed, “I saw it before you said something, but before I knew it, I was off the ground,” illustrating how quickly the situation unfolded. Sanchez, whose No. 87 car bore the brunt of the impact, explained, “It’s too fast. You can’t even process it, right? It’s a shame, but I’m glad everyone is okay.”
The quick thinking of the JGR crew helped prevent further danger. Bozi Tatarevic, a pit crew member who also covers racing media, praised the rapid positioning of Backus, Donaghy, and Wilps as they moved to shield the driver and protect the equipment while the wreckage cleared.
A unique reminder of the close call
One week after the incident, during the pre-race show at Bristol Motor Speedway, the JGR crew received an unexpected gift. Sanchez and his crew chief, Jody Measamer, presented Backus with a panel ripped from the damaged No. 87 car. The battered piece, still bearing a fresh dent, became a tangible reminder of how narrowly the crew escaped serious harm.
Backus smiled as he recounted the moment: “I figured I put a dent in it, so I might want to get something there,” he said. He added that reviewing the video repeatedly made the severity of the crash even clearer. “Looking at the footage over and over, it gets worse each time. I saw the dent, thought it would be cool to hang in the garage, and they were generous enough to let me keep it.”
When asked how he could return to his duties after such a frightening experience, Backus emphasized the role of preparation. “It’s definitely a tough thing to do, but if you let anything besides your job occupy your mind, you won’t perform correctly. We train for these scenarios, repeat the drills, and that muscle memory tells us what comes next.”
In addition to the JGR crew, several other competitors were caught up in the pit lane melee, including playoff drivers Brandon Jones and Rajah Caruth, as well as seasoned hands like Harrison Burton, Dean Thompson, Jeb Burton, Ryan Sieg, Patrick Staropoli, Jeremy Clements, and Anthony Alfredo. Despite the high-impact nature of the crash, all drivers were reported to be safe.
The incident has sparked a broader discussion about pit road safety in the O’Reilly Auto Parts Series. NASCAR’s decision to dispatch safety officials to Gateway signals a willingness to reassess pit lane layout, barrier placement, and procedural guidelines to protect the men and women who keep the cars running at breakneck speeds.
