Four laps into the August Sprint Cup race at Pocono Raceway last season, Kasey Kahne went for a wild ride that ended with a hard hit into the inside wall of pit lane. The impact of the No. 5 Chevrolet sent helmets of crew members flying and people scattering from the pit stall. No one was injured.
The early crash was the third time that weekend a vehicle spun off Turn 3 and slid onto pit road. The first came Saturday in practice with Jeb Burton. Then Ray Black Jr. hit the inside wall in the Camping World Truck Series. Kahne’s crash caused damage to the wall that needed to be repaired, leading to the race being red flagged.
NASCAR and track officials said last year they were working on extending that wall.
Pocono Raceway President and CEO Brandon Igdalsky tweeted a picture to show such an accident won’t happen again.
The picture shows a longer wall has been installed at the entrance to pit road, right where Kahne’s car went sliding through. The tire marks from the accident remain visible five months after the race. Pocono Raceway would not reveal Friday how long the addition is but planned to make an announcement about it and other changes next week.
.@kaseykahne @JebBurtonRacing going 2 be tougher 2 visit @MikeLingerfelt & the crews @poconoraceway w ur shortcut pic.twitter.com/d4K5662PVG
— Brandon Igdalsky (@bigdalsky) January 6, 2016
Both Kahne and Burton tweeted responses to the wall’s installation.
I like the new wall and I don't plan on entering pit road that fast again. #outonlap3 #pissedoff #carjunk #aquafina https://t.co/LKaQtAy7CA
— Kasey Kahne (@kaseykahne) January 6, 2016
@bigdalsky @kaseykahne @MikeLingerfelt @poconoraceway That wasn't any fun. Nice work.
— Jeb Burton (@JebBurtonRacing) January 6, 2016
The Sprint Cup Series returns to Pocono on June 5 for the Axalta “We Paint Winners” 400.