NASCAR’s event at Kansas concluded with a dramatic and tense moment involving Legacy Motor Club’s John Hunter Nemechek and Front Row Motorsports’ Zane Smith. The two drivers collided during the final restart, resulting in a severe crash that saw Smith’s car flip multiple times before coming to rest on its wheels. Despite the terrifying incident, Smith walked away unharmed. Nemechek later acknowledged his fault in the Zane Smith Nemechek crash, taking full responsibility for the wreck.
Details Surrounding the Collision and Its Immediate Aftermath
The final caution of the race was triggered by the crash between Nemechek and Smith, overshadowing other significant events from the Kansas weekend. One of these was Denny Hamlin’s late-race wreck of Bubba Wallace, which allowed Chase Elliott to win by slipping past the damaged cars. This chain of events dominated headlines, leaving impressive moments like Shane van Gisbergen’s tenth-place finish on an oval track and the Nemechek-Smith crash under-discussed.
At the time of the crash, Smith was performing well. However, on the restart, Nemechek’s car made contact with Smith’s #38, forcing Smith’s vehicle to ride along the wall before climbing the SAFER barrier. The car then flipped multiple times across the track, finally settling upright. Meanwhile, Nemechek’s vehicle bounced off and inadvertently involved Ty Gibbs and Josh Berry in the chaos.
The crash prematurely ended Smith’s race, leaving him frustrated with what might have been a strong finish. Reflecting on the incident, Smith expressed,
“It was a wild ride, no doubt. I had a decent restart going and I just get wrecked by the 42 [Nemechek]. He just drives through me and then I was sliding on the wall. I was just mad at that point from how our day was going and this just pissed me off even more because that’s what really hurt was just flipping down the track.”
Zane Smith, Front Row Motorsports driver
John Hunter Nemechek’s Response and Admission of Error
After the incident, Nemechek was treated at the in-field care center and later reviewed footage of the crash, finding it hard to believe how intense the wreck had been. He stated,
“It was kind of crazy that it happened. I haven’t seen that in a long time,”
reflecting on the rare nature of such a violent crash.
In a detailed interview with NASCAR journalist Bob Pockrass, Nemechek took full responsibility for the accident. He explained the circumstances that led to the collision, saying,
“The entry speed that (Zane) had, I thought he was going to run the very top. So I was going to go try run three-wide middle and ultimately just didn’t have enough room between Zane’s left rear quarter panel and my right front getting into the corner there. I got tight and then kind of got sucked into his left rear quarter and then we’re along for the ride after that…Just a mistake on my part. It’s unacceptable and definitely have to learn from and not let that happen again.”
John Hunter Nemechek, Legacy Motor Club driver
Broader Implications for Both Drivers and Their Teams
Neither John Hunter Nemechek nor Zane Smith are currently in the playoff hunt, so the crash did not directly affect their postseason prospects. However, Smith is under pressure to secure strong finishes moving forward. Front Row Motorsports faces uncertainty due to an ongoing NASCAR lawsuit that could jeopardize the team’s future, particularly if they lose the trial scheduled for December. The possibility of the team withdrawing from NASCAR competition as an open team adds to Smith’s need to impress other owners and maintain his place in the sport.
This accident highlights the fragile nature of racing careers and team stability within NASCAR, where split-second decisions and split-second errors can have ramifications beyond the racetrack. Both drivers will likely take lessons from this incident as they prepare for the remainder of the season amidst high tension and uncertainty.
During a media availability today, John Hunter Nemechek explains what happened in the crash with Zane Smith at Kansas (JHN owned it, saying it was an unacceptable mistake): pic.twitter.com/3tdKRd33Od
— Bob Pockrass (@bobpockrass) October 1, 2025
