Phoenix Raceway has been a regular host to some of NASCAR’s most iconic moments, and 2024 was no exception. It was here that Chase Elliott faced the unthinkable during the NASCAR Cup Series Championship race, a moment that will forever be etched in the annals of NASCAR history for its sheer unexpectedness.
The scene is set in 2020 when a jubilant Elliott, having qualified for the Championship 4 race, was abruptly removed from his pole position following a series of failed technical assessments. Elliott, a Hendrick Motorsports driver, however, turned the tables, starting from the last place and emerging victorious in both the race and the championship.
Fast forward to the 2024 season finale, and Elliott found himself in the midst of another historic drama. The race was already fraught with tension as Joey Logano led both the race and the championship fight, but a shocking turn of events was about to unfold. The official Toyota Camry pace car, in a surprising blunder, veered off course and crashed into the sand barrels at the pit road entry, causing a sandstorm and spinning sideways in front of the entire field.
The crash was so dramatic that NASCAR officials had no choice but to halt the race, throwing a red flag on Lap 69 of 312 to clean up the chaos. The drivers were left stunned. Ryan Blaney humorously quipped on the radio, “Was that Michael Phelps?”, referring to the Olympic legend who had driven the honorary pace car earlier in the day. Denny Hamlin, on the other hand, took a jab at NASCAR, remarking, “This is just so NASCAR.”
Chase Elliott’s team, however, was far from amused. His crew chief, Alan Gustafson, jested that NASCAR had subjected the pace car to its damaged-vehicle policy, giving it a six-minute window to repair itself. Elliott, who had a front-row seat to the chaos, managed to avoid contact but was left in a precarious position. The incident could have been detrimental to his race, and the unusual delay in the championship race left fans at home in disbelief.
Although some speculated that Elliott might have collided with the pace car, replays quickly dispelled those rumors. The consensus was that the incident was a result of the peculiar pit road entry arrangement at Phoenix Raceway. A few years prior, NASCAR had flipped the track layout, necessitating the pace car to exit at Turn 2 instead of Turn 4, a change that might have disoriented the driver.
Pace car incidents aren’t new to NASCAR. One of the most audacious moments in NASCAR history occurred in 1986 when a fan managed to infiltrate the grid and abscond with the pace car before the start of the Winston 500 at Talladega. The rogue driver was apprehended, but the incident left fans and drivers alike dumbfounded.
Another pace car debacle occurred in 2009 during the Kroger 200 at Indianapolis Raceway Park, when the pace car entered the track prematurely, causing a pile-up which changed the potential race result. These incidents, while embarrassing for NASCAR, add to the sport’s vibrant history.
As we look forward to the fourth race of the season at Phoenix, Christopher Bell and his Joe Gibbs Racing team, fresh off two consecutive victories, will be vying for a third. Bell is also the defending race winner at Phoenix. Drivers like Kyle Busch and Chase Elliott will also be eager for redemption. As Phoenix Raceway has proven time and again, it’s a venue that continually delivers historic racing moments. Fans can expect an exciting race at this iconic track.
