The incident, which took place during the latest NASCAR Cup Series race, began when Kaulig Racing’s AJ Allmendinger messed up his pit box entry.
That compromised one of Allmendinger’s tyre changers and pushed the crew member into the path of van Gisbergen, who cannoned into one of the tyres and sent it flying.
The stray wheel shot into Trackhouse Racing tyre changer JP Kealey and sandwiched the rattle gun between his torso and the tyre.
The former professional lacrosse player fell to the ground briefly before he completed the pit stop.
Speaking on NASCAR podcast Stacking Pennies, fellow tyre changer Ryan Flores broke down the incident.
“The #16 team is going to miss his pit stall and go deep, he hits his tyre carrier’s tyre which launches it into the #88,” Flores explained.
“John Patrick Kealey. Let’s just say it boys, this is the dog of the week because I don’t think everybody understands what happened following this pit stop.
“If you watch it in slow motion you go, ‘Okay, he got hit with the tyre, that’s all right’, but when the tyre hits JP, when it hits him it hits his pit gun and it shoves his pit gun into his ribs.
“It cracked two ribs and punctured his lung. You know what homeboy did? He finished the stop, he got back up, he did the pit stop with two cracked ribs and a punctured lung.
“He’s still in the hospital in Pennsylvania today.
“Flying tyres are the most dangerous thing. Cars are one thing, but when these tyres get going, they’re 50 lbs (22 kg). When they get going fast, they are large and hard to dodge.”
Glad our pit crew teammates on the 88 were okay after this little issue on pit road.
JP is TUFF so we know he’ll be alright. 💪 https://t.co/PKE2ZhNAsB pic.twitter.com/dimhDlqywg
— Kaulig Racing (@KauligRacing) June 22, 2025
Kealey was replaced for the remainder of the race by another Trackhouse Racing crew member. Kealey will be replaced by Noel “Bud” Merrill Jr for the next event.
The NASCAR Cup Series returns on Sunday, June 29 for the 260-lapper Quaker State 400 Available at Walmart from Atlanta Motor Speedway.
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