The Top 10 Most Bizarre Wrecks In NASCAR History

It can't be denied that a significant part of the appeal of auto racing is for the wrecks. Every driver knows that they could be in danger every time they get behind the wheel, and there's a certain thrill in watching a car take a nasty barrel-roll or ignite into flames -- just as long as we can all cheer along when its occupant emerges unscathed.

Then, there's also the wrecks that leave us all going... "Huh???" -- and that's what this list will be focused on. Not necessarily the most violent impacts or the most damaged vehicles, but rather the accidents in which all one can do is shake one's head.

10. Quin Houff (Texas, 2020)

Getting onto pit road can sometimes be a bit tricky in NASCAR. It can be even trickier when there's a car on your inside while you're trying to merge off the racing surface, as was the case for Quin Houff in the 2020 O'Reilly Auto Parts 500 at Texas. Houff tried to cut across the nose of Christopher Bell and ended up spinning hard into the wall , bringing out a caution in the middle of a green-flag pit sequence that significantly altered the race.

9. Austin Wayne Self And Matt DiBenedetto (Bristol, 2022)

This one was certainly one of the more unique incidents NASCAR has ever seen. During the 2022 Bristol Dirt Race in the Truck Series, Matt DiBenedetto and Austin Wayne Self's vehicles tangled and became literally fused together , unable to separate. At first, it looked as if Self was trying to retaliate against DiBenedetto following some earlier contact, but that was not the case. It was simply a freak incident that couldn't be accomplished again, even if they'd tried.

8. Derrike Cope (Watkins Glen, 2016)

Usually when people say a driver's engine has blown up, they don't mean that the car literally blew up. That's what happened to Derrike Cope at Watkins Glen in 2016, though -- his car stalled in an area of the track away from the racing surface, and then something seemed to explode underneath his hood as if a grenade had gone off inside his car. Thankfully, Cope was unhurt.

7. Kyle Busch (Daytona, 2014)

In the 2014 Coke Zero 400 at Daytona, Kyle Busch experienced the slowest, weirdest, dumbest flip in NASCAR history. His car had slid down to the apron of the track rather harmlessly after being involved in a massive pileup but was then hit by Cole Whitt at such an angle that it awkwardly turned over onto its roof. Busch was okay and even playfully joked around to his crew that he was just "Hangin' around."

6. Alex Kennedy and Kevin Swindell (Dover, 2011)

Driving straight into oncoming traffic is never a very smart idea. After Alex Kennedy crashed in a Nationwide Series race at Dover in 2011, he decided to attempt to refire his car, only to realize that he was unable to turn. That was very unfortunate for Kevin Swindell, who was approaching the scene and had nowhere to go . A furious and likely confused Swindell was inquired by the team as to what happened and responded, "He drove straight across the (expletive) race track!"

5. Dave Blaney (Daytona, 2007)

The 2007 Daytona 500 is known for a massive crash coming out of turn four on the final lap in which Clint Bowyer came across the finish line on his roof. There was also this wreck , though, in which Dave Blaney escaped to pit road to avoid contact in front of him and then, for reasons unknown, decided to come barreling back out to the racing surface at 150 miles per hour and hit Ken Schrader. Blaney was parked for the remainder of the race.

4. Michael Waltrip (Bristol, 1990) and Mike Harmon (Bristol, 2002)

It's always important for a track to ensure all its exit gates are sealed properly before cars enter it at upwards of 100 miles per hour. After all, what's the worst that could happen? This could happen, as it did to Michael Waltrip in Bristol in 1990 when he collided with an opening and his car split open into pieces, amazingly leaving him uninjured.

Lesson learned though, right? Nope. The same thing then happened to Mike Harmon, at the same track, in the same place, twelve years later. Harmon was then additionally t-boned by Johnny Sauter, though he too was very lucky to escape from his vehicle.

3. Donnie Neuenberger (Daytona, 2011 and 2015)

For all beginning drivers out there, the brake pedal is on the left. Someone should have told that to Donnie Neuenberger before he wiped out a handful of trucks in the 2011 Truck Series race at Daytona while slowing down (or, rather, not slowing down ) to avoid an accident in front of him. Announcers speculated that his brakes failed, but then, four years later, he did the exact same thing again! That seems more like -- as the kids say today -- a skill issue.

2. Kevin Lepage (Talladega, 2008)

It's never a good thing when your name is turned into a verb used to describe a boneheaded mistake. That's what happened to Kevin Lepage following this completely senseless accident in the 2008 Aaron's 312 at Talladega, when he pulled up in front of the field while merging off of pit-road and caused a massive pileup . To make matters worse, he then blamed everybody else for not being able to avoid his car instead of owning his actions. Ever since that day, anytime a driver makes an unsafe track entry it is known by fans as "Lepaging" the field.

1. Juan Pablo Montoya and the Jet Dryer (Daytona, 2012)

What else could it possibly be? The strangest, most bizarre wreck in NASCAR history -- and there's not even really a close second -- occurred when Juan Pablo Montoya collided with a track-drying vehicle under caution during the 2012 Daytona 500, igniting a massive fire. The race had to be postponed for several hours and nearly ended prematurely.

Despite being one of the most decorated all-around drivers of his generation, this wreck remains a running meme for NASCAR fans anytime Montoya's name is brought up. It's not fair to Montoya, who suffered a parts failure that caused his car to snap loose and hit the vehicle, but nevertheless, it's one of the most facepalm-inducing moments NASCAR has ever seen.

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