What’s Happening?
Coming to the green flag for a restart in Stage 2, both lanes checkup causing chaos mid-field. Christopher Bell, Ryan Blaney, and others get involved in a multi-car wreck.
Need To Know:
- Drivers Aric Almirola, Christopher Bell, Tyler Reddick, & Ryan Preece are out of the race.
- Drivers Ryan Blaney, Brad Keselowski, Justin Haley, Todd Gilliland, Cody Ware and Ty Dillon were able to make repairs to continue.
- Cup stars are not starting off the West Coast Swing as well as they hoped.
BIG TROUBLE ON THE RESTART IN FONTANA pic.twitter.com/gmu49JS0to
— FOX: NASCAR (@NASCARONFOX) February 26, 2023
In The Stands
Others can’t decide to put blame on driver Joey Logano or the restart zone change.
It all started with Logano not going
— Abraham (@AGO_8834) February 26, 2023
I guess a consequence of a larger restart zone
One fan hit the record button at the perfect time.
sometimes you get lucky when hittin dat record button pic.twitter.com/9jIsea9bBQ
— Diego Alvarado (@DiegoxAlv) February 26, 2023
From The Pressbox
Jamie Little with Fox catches up with Tyler Reddick outside of the infield care center to get his reaction on the crash.
Talking with @TylerReddick outside the infield care center after he was collected in the big restart crash at Auto Club Speedway. pic.twitter.com/hlxyjRvxBJ
— Jamie Little (@JamieLittleTV) February 26, 2023
Bob Pockrass caught up with Christopher Bell to get his thoughts on the pile-up on the restart.
Christopher Bell said he doesn’t know where that wreck started on the restart, but assumed it was from drivers laying back and then an accordion effect. pic.twitter.com/JA7yiEONMW
— Bob Pockrass (@bobpockrass) February 26, 2023
Brock Beard got some awesome close-up shots of the aftermath of the SHR cars involved in the crash.
.@RyanPreece_ and @Aric_Almirola. @AutoClubSpdwy pic.twitter.com/8lkrnRKgEW
— Brock Beard (@LASTCARonBROCK) February 26, 2023
Claire Lang shares her thoughts on some restart mind games with the leader causing the incident.
" I think the leader was just playing games, trying to prevent the runs coming from behind & they stopped in the middle of the restart zone was right about where they should have been accelerating. It was just a huge accordion effect." @Aric_Almirola @SiriusXMNASCAR
— Claire B Lang (@ClaireBLang) February 26, 2023