NASCAR is taking a hard look at the layout at World Wide Technology Raceway at Gateway, with officials scheduled to visit the venue within the next week to examine possible changes to pit road.
That planned trip comes directly in the wake of a chaotic chain-reaction crash on pit lane during the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series race on Sept. 12, an incident that saw crewmen struck during the melee.
I think NASCAR is doing the best they can with what they have and everything,
Data from Racing Insights highlights just how cramped the setup is, placing Gateway as the second-narrowest pit lane on the NASCAR Cup Series schedule. Measuring just 25 feet wide from the outer wall to the inner wall, it sits behind only Indianapolis Motor Speedway, which measures 24 feet.
The trouble during the O’Reilly Auto Parts race unfolded on Lap 50. A stack-up blocked pit entry, leaving Rajah Caruth and his No. 88 Chevrolet sitting perpendicular in the lane. The left-rear corner of that car slammed into a tire held by the No. 19 team’s tire carrier, sending it flying. At the exact same time, Nick Sanchez slid and crashed into the right-rear quarter panel of the No. 19 Toyota driven by Brent Crews, making contact with rear changer Bryan Backus. Miraculously, no injuries were reported.
Reflecting on the terrifying moments, Backus admitted he did not immediately feel a redesign was strictly necessary, though he remains completely open to improvements for safety's sake.
“I think NASCAR is doing the best they can with what they have and everything,” Backus told NASCAR.com Thursday. “It is a little tight at certain places. I mean, it’d be great if they could widen it out, but I don’t know if that’s even a possibility. Like, obviously, Gateway’s really tight and Indy’s really tight, but I think they’re doing probably the best they can with what they’ve got.”
While no concrete plans for alterations have been finalized yet, this upcoming study signals a serious look at potentially widening the lane to give drivers and pit crews much-needed room to operate safely.
