A bizarre incident during the NASCAR Cup Series championship race at Phoenix Raceway led to a brief red flag. After Stage 1, Joey Logano was leading both the race and the title fight as the field came down pit road. Pit stops were smooth, but things took an unexpected turn when the official pace car, a Toyota Camry, struggled to navigate its position for the restart of the second stage. As the pace car attempted to guide the field, it misjudged its turn onto pit road and made a late decision to veer off, cutting across the path of Chase Elliott, who had just become the race leader.
In a dramatic turn of events, the pace car hit the pit road barrels, spinning sideways and causing significant damage. The car was quickly escorted behind the wall, and a backup pace car was brought in to continue the job. This incident caused the race to be placed under a red flag, halting the action on Lap 69 of 312. While crews worked to clear the debris from the spilled sand barrels, the stoppage lasted only a few minutes.
The unusual moment brought some lighthearted banter from the drivers and teams. Ryan Blaney joked, asking if Olympic swimmer Michael Phelps was behind the wheel of the pace car, referencing Phelps’ role as the honorary pace car driver for the start of the race. Logano and Denny Hamlin also shared their amusement, with Hamlin quipping, “This is just so NASCAR,” reflecting the quirky nature of the situation.
Elliott’s crew chief, Alan Gustafson, humorously noted that the pace car should be on the “damaged-vehicle policy” and had six minutes to make repairs, as the entire field poked fun at the unexpected delay. The incident provided a moment of levity in the otherwise tense atmosphere of a title-deciding race, with the drivers and crews embracing the rare occurrence.
The mistake by the pace car could have been influenced by Phoenix Raceway’s unique setup. The series had altered the layout a few years ago, with the pace car now needing to peel off at the exit of Turn 2 instead of Turn 4, which may have contributed to the confusion. Despite the mishap, the race quickly resumed, and the drivers returned to their championship battle after the brief stoppage.
