The danger of intervention vehicles on the track is not a new concern in NASCAR history, which has evolved its safety protocols through the painful lessons of past incidents. While modern safety systems drastically reduce the chance of cars encountering stationary objects, the risk of a fast-moving race car colliding with a recovery vehicle has loomed. One of the most famous, albeit non-fatal, instances involved the pace car itself: at the 2012 Daytona 500, a jet dryer truck was struck by Juan Pablo Montoya under caution, resulting in a massive fireball and a lengthy red flag as jet fuel spilled across the track.

In response to past tragedies, NASCAR has implemented a rigid and layered approach to safety that dictates exactly how a scene is managed after a crash. In the top-tier Cup Serie

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