Cup Series Driver Says Michigan Crash Was “As Violent as it Gets”

What’s Happening?

Front Row Motorsports driver Zane Smith recently gave his take on the crash involving Christopher Bell and Chase Elliott at Michigan, describing the incident as both frightening and violent. He also offered a glimpse into what runs through a driver’s mind when a wreck of that magnitude unfolds right in front of the field.

Zane Smith explains what goes through a driver's mind when they see a wreck like Christopher Bell and Chase Elliott's…

Catch the full Inside the Race episode on the NASCAR Channel this Wednesday pic.twitter.com/iXvbBEOFTB

— Steve Letarte (@SteveLetarte) June 8, 2026

This past weekend’s race at Michigan International Speedway received the stamp of approval that NASCAR would have hoped for. Nearly 26,000 fans participated in the weekly “good race” poll conducted by Jeff Gluck of The Athletic, and a staggering 82.6% answered “yes” to the question.

Was Michigan a good race? 82.6% said Yes.

— No. 4 Michigan race out of 16 in the poll. The top five Michigan races are the five Next Gen races there (all above 80%).

— With Fontana included, seven of the top eight races on 2-mile tracks in the poll are with the Next Gen car.…

— Jeff Gluck (@jeff_gluck) June 9, 2026

Denny Hamlin’s victory certainly helped fuel that sentiment, while home state favorites Carson Hocevar, Brad Keselowski, and Erik Jones gave local fans plenty to cheer about. Yet when it all ended, one moment towered over the rest. The crash involving Christopher Bell and Chase Elliott became the image many fans carried home from Michigan.

Front Row Motorsports driver Zane Smith saw a crash while in the infield care center, speaking with NASCAR on Prime Analyst Steve Letarte about the Bell-Elliott wreck that occurred during the closing stage of the race, Smith gave his perspective on just how violent the collision was for both drivers.

“I saw that crash on TV when I was in the infield care center. That is as violent as it gets, that is just a bad angle. And then, man, just on top of that is how the No. 9 like ricocheted off of them. That’s super underrated of how that feels, sometimes when the heavy impacts into the wall, they look super violent and are super violent, but man, just as violent as when it’s car to car, because it’s like two energies meeting at one. So, yeah, I know he [Bell] also wasn’t feeling good after that, and hoping the best for him.” — Zane Smith

Smith continued by emphasizing just how remarkable it was that both drivers managed to climb from their cars under their own power.

“Just that he’s [Bell] able to walk away from that is insane,” Smith said. “I don’t even know the corner speed at that point and I know from watching that wreck it looked like the nine just got loose.”

While discussing the incident, Smith also pointed out that television cameras often fail to capture the full scale of what drivers or fans witness from inside the garage or on the racetrack. According to him, crashes can look severe on television, but the reality at track level often leaves an even deeper impression on drivers.

“It was extremely violent,” Smith said. “I talked to a few of the guys that were out there, and man, they said that was the most violent thing they’ve ever seen.”

Smith also referenced past incidents involving Michael McDowell. He recalled moments when McDowell’s car became airborne at Daytona in the fall of 2024, admitting that all he could do was hope and pray that the driver would emerge unharmed.

At the same time, Smith acknowledged the reality every racer accepts when they strap into a race car. The sport carries risks, and crashes remain part of the bargain drivers knowingly accept when they choose this profession.

What Exactly Happened at Michigan Between Bell and Elliott?

The incident happened on Lap 148 during the final stage of Sunday’s NASCAR Cup Series race at Michigan International Speedway.

Moments after a restart, Elliott was battling Christopher Bell side-by-side when his No. 9 Chevrolet bobbled. The loss of control sent Elliott climbing into Bell’s No. 20 Toyota as both cars hurtled through the corner at nearly 200 miles per hour.

Both drivers slammed the outside wall, and the rear section of Bell’s Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota burst into flames. Elliott then slid back across the racing surface before crashing into an inside tire barrier.

The crash instantly became one of the most violent incidents witnessed during the Next Gen era (something later to be factually confirmed by NASCAR). In the seconds that followed, a hush settled over the grandstands. Even the Prime Video broadcast booth fell silent as everyone waited to see movement from the two wrecked cars.

Fortunately, both drivers exited their vehicles on their own and signaled to safety workers that they were okay.

Before being loaded into ambulances for transport to the infield care center, Elliott walked over to Bell. The two drivers embraced beside the wreckage.

Bell remained in the care center for nearly an hour before doctors evaluated and released him. He declined requests for interviews afterward.

However, according to Joe Gibbs Racing, Bell suffered a broken left wrist during the accident in Turn 4 at Michigan. Despite the injury, doctors cleared him to compete this weekend, preventing any complications that could have arisen had he been forced to miss a race.

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