NASCAR has seen some pretty horrifying crashes over the years. From Ryan Preece’s flips at Daytona in 2023 and 2025 to Bobby Allison spinning up into the catch fence at Talladega in 1987. However, those are high-speed superspeedways where danger is the name of the game, and drivers brace for wrecks. But what happens when the wreck comes at a time you least expect it?
When the skies threaten rain at Dover Motor Speedway, the tension in the garage is tangible. The recent ARCA Menards Series race at Dover amplified this tension after a horrific crash for Joe Gibbs’ 17-year-old star. Strapped in his #18 Toyota, the kid did not know what hit him and delivered an interview filled with humility after making it out unharmed.
Joe Gibbs’ young driver reflects on Dover crash
The pivotal moment unfolded late at Dover when Joe Gibbs’ star Brent Crews, maintaining a cautious approach because of threatening rain and dense traffic, suddenly lost control coming out of Turn 4. He’d been running steadily, staying out of trouble and not pushing the car aggressively, when his vehicle unexpectedly darted straight toward the wall. Flames and debris followed as safety crews rushed to the scene, highlighting both the speed and violence of the incident.
In the aftermath of the harrowing incident at Dover, the 17-year-old, Brent Crews, emerged from the Infield Care Center, grateful, shaken, but eager to set the record straight. Speaking candidly about the terrifying ordeal, Crews displayed refreshing humility and perspective for a driver still early in his ARCA career.“Yeah, I just wanna thank the Good Lord above for keeping me safe. That was super scary.” He then dropped an 8-word admission on how dangerous racing can get, saying, “We’re tested about every year once or twice if we’re race car drivers, and that was a moment where that freaked me out.”
Brent Crews is okay after a big hit and fire at Dover. pic.twitter.com/QbVnrNVLnA
— FOX: NASCAR (@NASCARONFOX) July 18, 2025
Joe Gibbs‘ star then provided context to the moments before impact, emphasizing that he had been playing it safe with weather looming: “We were kinda just coasting there. I knew there was rain coming, and with a hundred laps to go, I wasn’t gonna risk anything in traffic. … Didn’t wanna push the issue.” When pressed about signs of impending trouble, Brent Crews describes how suddenly things went wrong: “No, that was the crazy thing, and that’s why I’m glad I’m okay… I’ve been loose all day. I got weirdly tight for the first time, and just out of nowhere, I was kinda fighting a little snug all the way to the corner, and then off of four, it just went dead straight.” He speculated the culprit was likely a tire failure, a sobering reminder of the razor-thin margin for error at these speeds.
Brent Crews’ experience at Dover underscores the reality that even the best preparation and talent can be swept aside by racing’s inherent unpredictability. For Joe Gibbs Racing, the primary concern in the immediate aftermath was ensuring the young driver’s safety. The team’s composed response and speed in providing medical assistance highlighted the professionalism and safety protocols that have become the standard in modern motorsports.
Crews’ calm assessment and selfless gratitude resonated throughout the garage, a telling snapshot of both the perils and camaraderie that define stock car racing at its highest levels. However, he is not the first victim of the Monster Mile, as Dover has a reputation for scaring young drivers.
Dover’s challenge: young drivers and the monster mile
Brent Crews’ ordeal is only the latest in a string of near-misses, technical snafus, and dramatic crashes that have greeted young drivers at Dover. The track’s unforgiving concrete surface, tight banking, and rapid transitions have earned it the “Monster Mile” nickname, and even up-and-coming talents frequently find themselves tested.
Lavar Scott, another rising talent, faced significant adversity with his car at Dover. Early in the event, Scott brushed the wall, resulting in tire and fender damage that forced an unscheduled pit stop. Struggling to regain lost laps and speed, Scott’s day was compounded by the ever-changing grip on Dover’s concrete, making his efforts to recover all the more challenging.
During the 2024 General Tire 150, Amber Balcaen, a promising young driver for Venturini Motorsports, was caught up in a fiery sequence while trying to avoid Christian Rose’s stricken car. Balcaen’s No. 22 Camry collided head-on with the inside wall, leaving her limping to a stretcher. Though shaken, she later remarked, “I’m good. Not in perfect shape, but we’ll get there,” after being released from medical care.
Christian Rose, another youthful competitor, faced disaster at Dover in 2024 as his right tires failed, sending him careening into the SAFER barriers. His crash not only shortened his day but also triggered a multi-car incident that reverberated through the ARCA paddock. Race reports year after year highlight how tire degradation, loose or tight conditions, and unpredictable grip levels frequently trip up less experienced drivers at Dover. Mechanical gremlins, shredded tires, and contact with the wall are recurring themes for ARCA’s youth brigade.
Dover’s toll isn’t just measured by crashes. In the end, while the crash added another layer to the lore of Dover, it also reaffirmed the rituals of teamwork, safety, and introspection that help every competitor prepare for the next test whenever and however it might arrive.
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