‘My fault’ – John Hunter Nemechek admits he was the reason Front Row Motorsports’ Zane Smith crashed into the Turn 4 wall at nearly 200 mph, sparking controversy at Kansas race

KANSAS CITY, Kan. – In a stunning admission that has ignited fierce debate across the NASCAR paddock, John Hunter Nemechek took full responsibility for the harrowing crash that left Front Row Motorsports driver Zane Smith barrel-rolling through the air at nearly 200 mph during the closing laps of Sunday’s Hollywood Casino 400 at Kansas Speedway. The incident, which unfolded in overtime and drew a red flag, not only derailed what promised to be a top-10 finish for Smith but also amplified tensions in an already high-stakes playoff environment.

The Hollywood Casino 400, the second race in the Round of 12 of the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs, was shaping up to be a thriller under the lights at the 1.5-mile intermediate track. Chase Elliott ultimately claimed victory, edging out Bubba Wallace and Denny Hamlin in a photo-finish restart, but the spotlight quickly shifted to the multicar melee that preceded it. As the field bunched up for a green-white-checkered finish, Smith, piloting the No. 38 Ford for Front Row Motorsports, was aggressively charging the high line into Turn 3, running side-by-side with teammate Todd Gilliland. Positioned just behind in the No. 42 Toyota for Legacy Motor Club, Nemechek dove low, seeking to capitalize on the momentum.

What followed was chaos captured in heart-stopping clarity on NBC broadcasts. Nemechek’s front bumper clipped the left-rear quarter panel of Smith’s car, sending the No. 38 into an uncontrollable slide up the banking. At speeds exceeding 190 mph, Smith’s Ford slammed into the SAFER barrier at the exit of Turn 4, the impact so severe it flipped the vehicle onto its left side. For several agonizing seconds, the car skidded along the wall on its door, sparks flying like fireworks, before lifting airborne and executing two full barrel rolls down the track. It landed right-side up with a thud that echoed through the grandstands, coming to rest perilously close to the racing groove.

“That was a wild ride, no doubt,” Smith said moments after climbing unaided from the wreckage, his fire suit singed but his demeanor composed as he addressed reporters outside the infield care center. Medical personnel gave him a clean bill of health, but the emotional toll was evident. Over the team radio, Smith’s frustration boiled over immediately: “He drove in there and f***ing cleaned us.” The 26-year-old, a rising star who clinched the 2022 Truck Series championship, had been mired in a frustrating season with Front Row, his best prior finish a ninth in the opening stage at Kansas. A potential top-15 run evaporated in an instant, leaving him credited with 31st place.

Nemechek’s involvement didn’t end there. After the initial contact, his own car spun down the track, collecting Ty Gibbs in the No. 54 Joe Gibbs Racing entry and Josh Berry in the No. 21 Wood Brothers Ford. Berry, fresh off a runner-up at New Hampshire the previous week, spun into the inside wall, while Gibbs limped away with minor damage. Both drivers, like Nemechek, were evaluated and released from the care center without injury. The red-flag period stretched over 15 minutes as AMR safety crews swarmed the scene, and track officials later confirmed the crash gouged a visible scar into the asphalt, underscoring its ferocity.

As the adrenaline faded and the garage area buzzed with post-race analysis, Nemechek stepped forward with uncharacteristic candor. In a brief statement to USA Network reporters as he packed up his hauler, the 32-year-old veteran – son of former Cup Series driver Joe Nemechek and a playoff contender himself – owned the mishap outright. “My fault,” he said flatly, his voice laced with regret. “I got too aggressive on that restart, tried to make a move that wasn’t there, and it took us all out. Zane didn’t deserve that; he’s been fighting hard all year. I’ll reach out to him and the team – no excuses.”

The confession was a rare moment of accountability in a sport where on-track aggression often blurs the line between hard racing and recklessness. Nemechek, who finished 32nd after limping to the checkers, has long been dogged by a reputation for wheel-banging tactics, a byproduct perhaps of his journeyman career spanning trucks, Xfinity, and now Cup. Critics pointed to similar incidents earlier in the season, including a tangle with Martin Truex Jr. at Sonoma that drew boos from the crowd. “It’s always the same story with Nemechek,” tweeted one prominent NASCAR podcaster. “Aggressive is one thing; dangerous is another.”

Smith, for his part, tempered his initial ire as the night wore on. Speaking to Front Row owner Bob Jenkins, who watched the flip from the team’s war wagon with white-knuckled grip, Smith reflected on the broader implications. “I’ve never flipped a stock car before – not like that,” he admitted, shaking his head. “It was violent, sliding on the door at that speed. But NASCAR’s safer than ever; I walked away thinking about how far we’ve come since Dale [Earnhardt]. Still, it’s a shame it has to come to an end like this. We were gaining track position, and poof – gone.”

The crash’s timing amplified its sting. Occurring on the penultimate lap, it robbed Smith of precious playoff points at a critical juncture, widening the gap to the cutline for drivers like Berry, who dropped to 33rd. Front Row Motorsports, the scrappy Arizona-based outfit known for punching above its weight, now faces an uphill battle in the Round of 12 finale at the Charlotte Roval next weekend. Teammate Michael McDowell, who advanced to the playoffs via a regular-season win, finished a respectable 12th but couldn’t offset the setback.

Fan reactions poured in on social media, with #NemechekFault trending briefly amid a mix of support for Smith’s resilience and calls for NASCAR to review the incident under its “clear and convincing” penalty guidelines. While no fines or suspensions were announced Monday morning – the last notable on-track penalty being Ricky Stenhouse Jr.’s $75,000 slap for punching Kyle Busch in May – the controversy lingers. Some veterans praised Nemechek’s maturity in admitting fault, likening it to Tony Stewart’s post-wreck mea culpas in the 2000s. Others decried it as too little, too late, arguing that playoff pressure shouldn’t excuse endangering lives.

As the series packs up for Charlotte, where the Roval’s tight confines promise more close-quarters drama, Smith’s words from Kansas resonate: “We race hard, but we race clean.” Nemechek’s apology, sincere as it seemed, serves as a reminder of NASCAR’s razor-edge balance – where split-second decisions at 200 mph can forge heroes or villains overnight. For now, the No. 38 team turns its focus to repairs and redemption, hoping to channel the fury into fuel for the playoffs’ final push. In a sport defined by redemption arcs, Zane Smith’s story is far from over.