Shane van Gisbergen provided an update on his pit crew member JP Kealey, who was injured last week at Pocono Raceway. Kealey, the rear tire changer for the #88 Trackhouse Racing team, sustained broken ribs and a partially collapsed lung but is now back home and recovering.
The injury occurred under caution on lap 16 of the Great American Getaway 400, when AJ Allmendinger accidentally struck a wheel carried by his tire changer. The wheel hit Kealey as van Gisbergen entered the pits. Despite the impact, Kealey managed to finish the pit stop before seeking medical attention.
Van Gisbergen discusses Kealey’s health and temporary replacement
During an interview at EchoPark Speedway, Shane van Gisbergen spoke about Kealey’s condition and recovery timeframe. He explained that the severity of the injury requires Kealey to take some time off, emphasizing the painful nature of broken ribs.
“He had a fractured rib, I think, and a partially punctured lung… so he has a couple weeks off. Back home now. I’ve done ribs myself, it’s not real fun. So he got to take it easy for as long as he needs and come back when he’s good to go,” SVG said (via Steven Taranto on X).
In the meantime, Noel “Bud” Merrill Jr. has stepped in to fill Kealey’s role on the pit crew. Van Gisbergen expressed confidence in Bud’s abilities, noting his prior experience with the team during a penalty situation a few months earlier.
“We have Bud. When the guys had the penalty a couple of months ago, Bud was on our car then. He’s really capable, too, so it should be good,” he added.
Impact on Van Gisbergen’s recent performance and upcoming races
Following the 160-lap race at Pocono, van Gisbergen finished in 31st place, a significant drop from his strong showing in Mexico City where he earned his first victory of the season. Despite the challenge, he remains playoff-bound alongside teammate Ross Chastain, as the regular season moves forward with nine races remaining.
The next event on the schedule is the Quaker State 400 at EchoPark Speedway. This race will kick off the inaugural In-Season Challenge, a five-race tournament featuring 32 drivers competing for a $1,000,000 prize and prestige. Unfortunately, van Gisbergen did not qualify for the event due to his finishes over the last three races, including his recent results at Michigan and Pocono. Other full-time drivers missing the tournament include Cole Custer, Riley Herbst, and Cody Ware.
Van Gisbergen reflects on his current season and future focus on road courses and ovals
Following his win in Mexico City, Shane van Gisbergen shared how the victory has eased some pressure during road races. He expressed a more relaxed outlook on trying different strategies since securing one of the 16 playoff spots for the season.
“It was always our goal to win. There’s probably less pressure on road courses now, and we can play with our strategy if we want to try and get playoff points now and stuff like that, but probably less pressure, we can enjoy the road courses a bit more.” [2:03 onwards]
Still, van Gisbergen highlighted the importance of maintaining focus on oval track races, stating the need for continued effort and improvement in that area.
“But the ovals, we just need to keep doing what we’ve been doing and keep our head down, keep improving every week.”
The 2024 NASCAR Cup Series schedule includes four more road course events starting with the Chicago street race in July, followed by Sonoma, Watkins Glen, and the Charlotte Roval. These races will provide further opportunities for van Gisbergen to capitalize on his strengths and gather additional playoff points.
