NASCAR Cup Series star admits 'unacceptable' mistake led to terrifying wreck

NASCAR star John Hunter Nemechek has conceded that an unacceptable error on his part led to a terrifying wreck at Kansas Speedway on Sunday.

On the lap 267 restart, Nemechek, driving the No. 42 Toyota for Legacy Motor Club, made contact with the left rear of Zane Smith's No. 38 Ford, sending the Front Row Motorsports driver up the track and into the wall side on.

Nemechek himself then also moved up the track, bumping the No. 38 once again side by side, sending Smith into a terrifying ride.

The No. 38 had been flipped onto its side, but due to the speed it was carrying, it was now riding around the outside wall for the entire turn. Eventually, it came to a halt, but then barrel-rolled twice down the banking before landing right-side-up.

Thankfully, Smith was able to leave the vehicle under his own power.

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Nemechek holds his hands up for Smith wreck

Reacting to Sunday's incident at NASCAR's production facility on Wednesday, Nemechek held his hands up completely, admitting he had made a mistake and that the incident should not have happened.

“Just made a mistake on my part,” Nemechek admitted. “I owned up to it.

“Coming off of Turn 2, I was three-wide top. Had a run down the back straightaway. I was locked onto Zane down the back straightaway, pushing him. Ty [Gibbs] gave me a shot from behind, helping push the line.

"When I got that shot, it turned me a little bit sideways, and when I kind of moved the steering wheel to correct, I ended up between Zane and Todd [Gilliland] getting into Turn 3, and thought they were going to run completely different lines with [Chris Bueshcer] in front of Zane.

“The entry speed that [Smith] had, I thought he was going to run the very top. So I was going to go try run three-wide middle and ultimately just didn’t have enough room between Zane’s left rear quarter panel and my right front getting into the corner there.

"I got tight and then kind of got sucked into his left rear quarter, and then we’re along for the ride after that.

“Just a mistake on my part. It’s unacceptable and definitely have to learn from and not let that happen again.”

Zane Smith exited the vehicle under his own power after this incident late at @kansasspeedway. pic.twitter.com/vbF4OXvROl

— NASCAR (@NASCAR) September 28, 2025

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Smith: It was a wild ride

Speaking after the incident happened, Smith himself admitted that it was a wild ride, and called the wreck impact 'violent', but was more concerned with missing out on a strong result for his team.

“It was a wild ride, no doubt,” Smith told NBC Sports after being evaluated and released from the infield care center.

“I had a decent restart going and I just get wrecked by the 42. He just drives through me and then I was sliding on the wall. I was just mad at that point from how our day was going and this just pissed me off even more because that’s what really hurt was just flipping down the track.

“It was violent, no doubt, but we had such a fast Speedy Cash Ford today. It’s just a bummer. Right before that caution came out, we were gonna have a top-10 day, racing up inside the top 10 a majority of the day and it’s a shame that it has to come to an end that way.”

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