NASCAR Cup Sonoma

Pit road confrontation erupts after close call during Sonoma Cup race

NASCAR teams RFK Racing and Joe Gibbs Racing were at odds over a close call during pit stops at Sonoma Raceway, escalating into a confrontation during the race

Nick DeGroot

Nick DeGroot

Edited: Jul 14, 2025, 2:53 AM

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A pit road scuffle

Photo by: TNT Sports

In the middle of the NASCAR Cup race at Sonoma, things were getting heated between drivers and even pit crew members.

Near the end of Stage 2, several drivers pitted early to gain track position ahead of the final stage. Ty Gibbs and Brad Keselowski were two of those drivers. Their pit stalls where right next to each other, and the tire carrier for Keselowski was already standing in the box as he prepared for the car to arrive.

Gibbs was ahead of Keselowski both on the track and in the pits, and as he approached his stall, he cut directly through the RFK Racing stall, getting extremely close to tire carrier, Telvin McClurkin.

McClurkin later told NASCAR on TNT that the tire in his hand got clipped by the car, twisting his wrist. However, he was able to carry on with his duties for the rest of the day.

Immediately after the incident, a furious McClurkin confronted crew members from the Joe Gibbs Racing team. Some words were exchanged, and it quickly escalated into some pushing and shoving between them.

RFK Racing later released video from their pit box, showing what happened to cause the scuffle. 

 

NASCAR reviewed the incident and felt there was no reason to penalize Gibbs as drivers are permitted to drive through (at most) three pit boxes when approaching their own, stating that the No. 54 did nothing wrong.

Gibbs went on to finish seventh while Keselowski ended the race in 11th.  "Going in, I have the right of way," Gibbs told NASCAR on TNT, pointing out the orange lines in the pit stalls. "They're on the wall for a reason. They jump for a reason. Those guys like to push it and that's kind of the consequence you pay."

 

Photos from Sonoma - Race

Shane van Gisbergen, Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet

2025 Sonoma - Sunday

Shane van Gisbergen, Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet, Chase Briscoe, Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota

2025 Sonoma - Sunday

Daniel Suarez, Trackhouse Chevrolet, Kyle Busch, Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet, Zane Smith, Front Row Motorsports Ford

2025 Sonoma - Sunday

Katherine Legge, Chevrolet

2025 Sonoma - Sunday

AJ Allmendinger, Kaulig Racing Chevrolet

2025 Sonoma - Sunday

Ryan Blaney, Team Penske Ford

2025 Sonoma - Sunday

Joey Logano, Team Penske Ford

2025 Sonoma - Sunday

William Byron, Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet

2025 Sonoma - Sunday

Ty Gibbs, Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota

2025 Sonoma - Sunday

Carson Hocevar, Spire Motorsports Chevrolet

2025 Sonoma - Sunday

Zane Smith, Front Row Motorsports Ford

2025 Sonoma - Sunday

Alex Bowman, Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet

2025 Sonoma - Sunday

Erik Jones, LEGACY MOTOR CLUB Toyota

2025 Sonoma - Sunday

Tyler Reddick, 23XI Racing Toyota

2025 Sonoma - Sunday

Ty Gibbs, Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota

2025 Sonoma - Sunday

Shane van Gisbergen, Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet

2025 Sonoma - Sunday

Ross Chastain, Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet

2025 Sonoma - Sunday

Shane van Gisbergen, Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet

2025 Sonoma - Sunday

General view

2025 Sonoma - Sunday

Shane van Gisbergen, Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet, Chase Briscoe, Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota

2025 Sonoma - Sunday

Ryan Blaney, Team Penske Ford

2025 Sonoma - Sunday

Shane van Gisbergen, Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet

2025 Sonoma - Sunday

William Byron, Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet

2025 Sonoma - Sunday

Brad Keselowski, Roush Fenway Keselowski Racing Ford

2025 Sonoma - Sunday

Shane van Gisbergen, Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet

2025 Sonoma - Sunday

Ryan Blaney, Team Penske Ford

2025 Sonoma - Sunday

Shane van Gisbergen, Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet

2025 Sonoma - Sunday

Shane van Gisbergen, Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet

2025 Sonoma - Sunday

General view

2025 Sonoma - Sunday

Ryan Blaney, Team Penske Ford

2025 Sonoma - Sunday

Shane van Gisbergen, Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet

2025 Sonoma - Sunday

Joey Logano, Team Penske Ford

2025 Sonoma - Sunday

Todd Gilliland, Front Row Motorsports Ford

2025 Sonoma - Sunday

Denny Hamlin, Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota

2025 Sonoma - Sunday

Katherine Legge, Chevrolet

2025 Sonoma - Sunday

Shane van Gisbergen, Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet

2025 Sonoma - Sunday

Cole Custer, Haas Factory Team Ford

2025 Sonoma - Sunday

Ryan Blaney, Team Penske Ford

2025 Sonoma - Sunday

Justin Haley, Spire Motorsports Chevrolet

2025 Sonoma - Sunday

Ryan Preece, Roush Fenway Keselowski Racing Ford

2025 Sonoma - Sunday

Ryan Preece, Roush Fenway Keselowski Racing Ford

2025 Sonoma - Sunday

Shane van Gisbergen, Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet

2025 Sonoma - Sunday

Chase Briscoe, Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota

2025 Sonoma - Sunday

Shane van Gisbergen, Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet

2025 Sonoma - Sunday

Kasey Kahne, Red Bull Racing Toyota

2025 Sonoma - Sunday

Shane van Gisbergen, Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet

2025 Sonoma - Sunday

Shane van Gisbergen, Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet

2025 Sonoma - Sunday

Shane van Gisbergen, Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet

2025 Sonoma - Sunday

Shane van Gisbergen, Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet

2025 Sonoma - Sunday

NASCAR Cup

49

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