Ty Gibbs had a hectic experience in the pit stop, but despite that, he finished in 11th place.
Ty Gibbs collides with his tire changer (Images via IMAGO and Screenshot via @Fox/X)
NASCAR enthusiasts had an exciting show at the Enjoy Illinois 300, which had some thrilling moments. The defending champion lost the race after running out of fuel and crashing, were the highlights of the day. Meanwhile, the most surprising moment in the pits was starred by the young JGR driver, Ty Gibbs.
Ty Gibbs made a pit stop to change two tires and it almost turned into a nightmare. The Toyota Camry No:54 team quickly entered the pit area and changed the front and rear left tires. However, when the front tire changer was exiting the pit area, Gibbs had already been released and was in motion.
It was a close call 👀 pic.twitter.com/jRb2nmwRVN
He collided with the team member who was almost run over. The team member was seen sitting next to the pit area with his head resting on a tire after the minor collision. Fortunately, JGR did not report any injuries to the tire changer and he seems to be okay despite the impact. Taking significant risks is part of his job description at the end of the day.
This was not the only notable action in the pits that occurred this week. The Xfinity Series race in Portland also witnessed an impressive moment involving the Richard Childress Racing team and their Chevy No:2.
After an accident, Love entered the pits with his damaged Chevy that needed immediate repairs. The first thing the team had to fix was the car’s deformed hood and, without wasting time, a team member climbed on the hood when the car stopped and used his weight to fix it.
#NASCAR pic.twitter.com/DSDE80q75A
These two incidents from NASCAR race week demonstrate the demanding nature of a NASCAR team member’s work. They take risks just like the drivers during pit stops and deserve more recognition and respect for the work they do.
