At the recent Kansas playoff race, Zane Smith was running strongly within the top 15 and even broke into the top 10 at certain points. However, contact with John Hunter Nemechek caused Smith’s No. 38 car to hit the wall, flip onto its side, and slide along the SAFER barrier. This type of incident is rare in NASCAR, making it a surprising moment in the race’s closing stages. Denny Hamlin, who did not witness the wreck live, discussed the event later in detail to understand how Smith’s car ended up flipping.
Hamlin explained on his Actions Detrimental podcast that the crash appeared to result from Nemechek moving up the track and making contact with Smith, causing a strange banking angle. Hamlin noted,
“That was wild. I had no idea, I had no idea that someone got turned over. Yeah, it looked like John Hunter tried to go to the middle there, got up the race track into Zane. Just one of those weird bank angle type of things.”
Hamlin then compared the incident to historic flips involving similar tire catches on SAFER barriers, saying,
“Probably the right front tire catches the bottom of that SAFER barrier just enough to ramp up and just ride. Like, who was that 38 car? Well, I think Martin Truex [Jr.] had that happen at Richmond once. Then maybe it was Kasey Kahne in the old 38 car, Braun [Racing] car way back in the day?”
Impact of Smith’s Crash on the Kansas Race Outcome
The flip effectively ended Denny Hamlin’s bid for victory at Kansas, as the accident brought out the caution that altered the race’s flow. On the final lap, Hamlin tried to move up the track rather than staying low, but many believe that if Smith had not wrecked, the race would have finished under regulation with Hamlin maintaining the lead despite a power steering problem. Instead, the caution extended the race into overtime, and Hamlin ultimately lost the lead to Chase Elliott.
Hamlin’s reflection on the race highlights how a single incident can drastically change outcomes during high-stakes playoff events. The race was particularly chaotic in its last moments, with Smith’s accident as the catalyst.
Hamlin’s Playoff Status and What Lies Ahead
Despite not securing the win, Hamlin enters the next round of playoffs with a solid points advantage. As he heads to the Roval race, he holds a 48-point cushion above the cutoff line, providing him with a comfortable buffer. Hamlin’s current position means he is well-placed to progress through the playoffs even if he finishes outside the top positions in upcoming events. Consistency in points accumulation remains critical for his championship aspirations.
Historical Context of Flipping Incidents in NASCAR
Flipping during a race is an infrequent occurrence in NASCAR but has happened occasionally under certain track conditions. A similar incident last year at Watkins Glen involved William Byron and Brad Keselowski, where Byron’s tire rode up Keselowski’s car instead of hitting the wall, producing a comparable flip. These occurrences underline the unpredictable nature of racing and the risks involved even for experienced drivers like Smith and Hamlin.
