What was supposed to be a routine pit stop turned into a heart-stopping moment during Saturday’s NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series race in Atlanta.
Driver Taylor Gray brought the No. 54 Joe Gibbs Racing car into the pits for service when things suddenly went sideways.
As the crew changed tires, one wheel rolled out of the pit box — a major no-no that can trigger a penalty. A crew member sprinted after it to try to save the team from losing position.
At that exact moment, the jack dropped — the universal signal for the driver to go.
Gray hit the gas.
The car lurched forward and struck crew member Alex Morgan in the leg, sending him tumbling to the ground in front of stunned fans and TV cameras.
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Race control quickly stepped in, penalizing Gray and sending him to the rear of the field for a safety violation. Under NASCAR rules, officials can issue penalties anytime pit road becomes unsafe. In this case, the crew member was still in front of the car and not fully inside the protected area when the vehicle exited the stall.
Despite how bad it looked, Morgan later confirmed he was okay.
“Oh, I’m fine,” he told CW Sports. “I signed up for it. I was just trying to get it back. I guess I need to do a little better.”
Morgan said he’s had a few close calls before — but nothing quite like this.
“Not like that, not on the exit of pit road,” he said. “On the entry, I’ve had a couple clips. Nothing like that before.”
He even managed to joke about it afterward, saying, “I’m just glad the car is okay.”
Gray’s penalty cost him valuable track position, but it didn’t end his day. He managed to claw his way back to a ninth-place finish, while Sheldon Creed ultimately took the win.
Because the contact happened during an active pit stop — not at full racing speed — officials treated it as a procedural safety infraction rather than reckless driving.
Still, it was a sobering reminder of just how fast things can go wrong in NASCAR’s high-pressure pit lane.
What's Up Today Editorial Team