Shane van Gisbergen faced a challenging weekend at Pocono, not due to the race itself but because of a serious injury to a key member of his pit crew. During a green flag pit stop, AJ Allmendinger slid into his pit stall ahead of van Gisbergen, inadvertently dislodging a heavy rear tire (estimated over 50 pounds) from van Gisbergen’s crew. This tire flew into Jonpatrick ‘JP’ Kealey, the rear tire changer for van Gisbergen’s No. 88 Trackhouse Racing team. The impact forced Kealey’s air gun into his rib cage, knocking him down. Remarkably, Kealey managed to finish the pit stop before attending to his injuries.
Kealey was immediately taken to a hospital where scans revealed two broken ribs and a partially collapsed lung. Shane van Gisbergen updated the NASCAR community, confirming Kealey’s condition and that he was now resting at home. Van Gisbergen, who has personal experience with broken ribs from a 2021 mountain biking accident, empathized with Kealey’s pain and emphasized the importance of taking time to recover properly. Kealey is expected to be out for a couple of weeks. Meanwhile, his role as rear tire changer on the No. 88 team will be temporarily filled by veteran crew member Bud Noel Jr., who had previously filled in during a suspension period earlier in the season.
This incident was a stark reminder of the dangers involved in pit stops, which are not only technical but can be physically hazardous. The injury occurred amid a chaotic moment when Allmendinger’s misjudged pit entry caused a chain reaction that led to the tire striking Kealey and pushing the air gun into his ribs. Fellow tire changer Ryan Flores described the severity of the incident, noting how the tire’s impact shoved the air gun into Kealey’s ribs, causing the injuries.
Earlier in the season, Trackhouse Racing had faced a penalty at Martinsville Speedway after a loose wheel incident involving van Gisbergen’s car. This had resulted in suspensions for Kealey and jackman Aslan Pugh for two races under NASCAR’s safety rules. During that time, Noel Bud Merrill Jr. stepped in as rear tire changer, so his current role filling in for Kealey is not new to him.
Returning to the track, van Gisbergen recently competed at EchoPark, qualifying 35th and finishing just ahead of rising NASCAR rookie Connor Zilisch. Although not a top result, it marked progress for van Gisbergen as he continues to prove himself in the Cup Series. Zilisch, an 18-year-old phenom praised by Cup veteran Denny Hamlin as “more Cup-ready than SVG,” represents a growing rivalry within the Trackhouse Racing development pipeline. Both drivers will soon face off again in the Xfinity Series at the Chicago Street course, driving for JR Motorsports. This event will mark van Gisbergen’s first Xfinity start of the year and his defense of the Chicago NXS race title he won in 2024.
In summary, the Pocono pit stop mishap was a painful setback for van Gisbergen’s crew, particularly JP Kealey, who suffered serious injuries but showed resilience in completing the stop before seeking medical help. The team has adjusted by bringing in a capable replacement while van Gisbergen focuses on his driving and maintaining his competitive edge against emerging talents like Connor Zilisch.
