Gateway pit lane under review as NASCAR studies widening for safety
NXTbets Pro | Published On: September 20, 2026
Gateway pit lane
NASCAR officials planned to visit World Wide Technology Raceway at Gateway next week to explore possible changes to the track’s pit-road configuration. The review followed an incident during the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series race at Gateway, and the governing body had not announced any specific changes yet. Gateway’s pit road measured 25 feet across, which made it the second-narrowest pit road on the NASCAR Cup Series schedule. Indianapolis Motor Speedway was narrower at 24 feet and held the distinction of having the narrowest pit road on the Cup Series circuit. NASCAR was studying whether widening pit lane could improve safety for competitors and pit crews.
Recent Gateway incident
The pit-road review follows a Lap 50 crash that began when Rajah Caruth’s car turned sideways in pit lane. That moment set off a chain-reaction wreck that involved Nick Sanchez and Brent Crews, and crewman Bryan Backus was struck in the crash. No injuries were reported from the incident. The sequence highlighted the safety concerns behind NASCAR’s review of the pit-road configuration.
Hamlin warning
Denny Hamlin said Gateway’s pit road was “way too tight.” He argued that concrete pit-wall changes should be made before someone was injured, and he cited his own past pit-road contact with a tire changer as evidence of the risk. Hamlin’s comments provided a veteran driver’s perspective on NASCAR’s review and connected the discussion to the Gateway incident.
