A pit stop gone wrong turned into a harrowing experience for an IndyCar crew member, who is now recovering from serious injuries suffered during a race weekend. The tire changer, whose role is often one of the most physically demanding and dangerous on pit lane, has spoken out about the moment that left him with a broken rib and a collapsed lung.
The incident occurred during a routine stop when a slight miscue in timing caused the car to clip the crew member as it pulled into the box. What is normally a choreographed, high-speed ballet of mechanics and machine became chaos in an instant.
“I’ve done thousands of stops in my career, and in this sport, we all know there’s a risk,” the crew member said from his hospital room. “But nothing prepares you for the feeling of the impact, the sound of air leaving your chest when you realize something is wrong.”
The accident was the result of what team officials described as a “split-second miscommunication.” With cars coming in hot at more than 50 mph, even a fraction of a second can mean the difference between a clean stop and disaster.
Track medics were on the scene within moments and quickly transported the injured crew member to a local hospital. Doctors diagnosed a broken rib and a pneumothorax — a collapsed lung caused by air leaking into the space between the lung and chest wall. He underwent a procedure to re-inflate the lung and is expected to make a full recovery after several weeks of rest.
In a sport where pit stops often decide races, crew members accept that they operate in one of the most dangerous environments in motorsport. Still, the injured tire changer emphasized the importance of safety protocols.
“We’re all pros out there, and the team did everything right to get me help quickly,” he said. “I just want this to be a reminder for every team to keep practicing and stay sharp, because it can happen to anyone.”
The team has not announced whether he will return to pit duties this season, but his determination remains clear. “I’ll be back when I’m cleared, stronger and even more focused. This is what we love to do, and we all know the risks.”
The incident has sparked conversations in the paddock about whether additional measures — such as improved pit lane speed limits or mandatory protective gear upgrades — could help reduce injuries in the future.
As the IndyCar season rolls on, the paddock will undoubtedly be keeping a close eye on their colleague’s recovery — and using it as a sobering reminder of the split-second dangers they face every time the pit boards come out.
