While attending motorsports events can be an exhilarating experience for most, it’s easy to forget just how dangerous the sport is beyond the barricades. Unfortunately, one owner of a Chevy Cruze was reminded just how fast things can change when high speeds are involved.
According to a report from IndyStar, during the Indy 500 race last weekend, a collision between two racers caused a wheel to be ripped off of one of the IndyCars. After bouncing off the track and flying over the crowd at turn two of the race track, the rogue tire found its way into a parking lot and hit a Chevy Cruze.
“I didn’t see it come down,” Cruze owner Robin Matthews was quoted as saying, “I came down and they said, ‘Robin, its your car!’ I thought, ‘No.’ I thought somebody was pranking me. It’s a car. It’s fine.”
“I was in this turn,” one fan was quoted as saying. “Hugely relieved everyone appears to be ok. Watching a wheel fly over my friends at 150 miles per hour is not an experience I’m anxious to repeat.”
Here’s where that flying tire impacted in turn 2
@IMS #indy500 pic.twitter.com/MLexGcUu5q— Andrew Kossack (@AndrewKossack) May 28, 2023
Thankfully, no one was seriously injured as a result of the flying tire, albeit one spectator did receive treatment at the infield medical center with minor injuries related to flying debris.
So what of the smashed Chevy Cruze? Well, Penske Entertainment has stated that it will provide Matthews with a new vehicle.
In regard to the Indy 500 itself, this incident occurred with less than 20 laps to go. After a red flag that halted the race following the crash – and another two red flags after that – Josef Newgarden managed to take home the win by beating Marcus Ericsson in a one-lap shootout.
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Comments
Penske is a classy guy!
Unfortunately, Penske’s dealership in Cerritos California has one of the highest mark ups in the area for a C8 Stingray and Z06. Presently, Penske is asking for a 50k mark up on a base 1LZ Z06. They were asking 40k above MSRP for a Stingray. Classy guy?
Saw that happen and thought for sure somebody got killed?! Thankfully only the car got hurt. Fine print on your ticket usually has disclaimer about injury to ticket holder. Maybe Cruze owner can get a Camaro Festival Car?
Yeah just cause someone writes a disclaimer on there doesn’t mean it’s legally valid….. The disclaimer is probably just gonna cover them for ‘normal’ race events. Like if your ears a ringing after. Or you had some gravel kicked up at you in the front row. If someone did get seriously hurt or killed as a result of this tire, there would’ve been a large settlement.
Fortunatly all turned out well and they seem to be handling it correctly
Hold out for the pace car!
mr Penske is a decent classic person and i.m sure he will see that the right things are taken care of this Lady.s vehicle .
The only thing is that he’ll probably replace it with a Ford.
i never gave that a thought about Penesky being a ford person .i guess all we can do is hope that he may replace that lady.s cruz with a chevy Trax .
ol’ Dan B. will say But that’s not a CAR…. A TRAX IS NOT A CAR!!!
What is a car Dan B? He don’t know.
Maybe the tire that flew will be a souvenir ?
good afternoon the only reason i said about a trax is because the cruz is small and don.t know what GMhas now other than the Malibu and the suv.s
2012 Cruze
1.4L Turbo
6-speed manual
Black Granite Metallic
1LT RS
All Star Package
35 mpg
Original Owner
I don’t know what was the biggest piece of junk here…The Cruze or the loose tire
It’ll buff out. LOL