---
title: "Four Spectators Hurt When Car Flies Off Track at NASCAR Mexico Race"
description: "The small track is \"dangerous for everyone,\" according to driver Santiago Tovar."
date: "2017-06-30"
modified: "2017-06-30"
authors:
  - name: "Kyle Cheromcha"
    job_title: "Editor-in-Chief"
    link: "https://www.thedrive.com/authors/kyle-cheromcha"
url: "https://www.thedrive.com/accelerator/12036/four-spectators-hurt-when-car-flies-off-track-at-nascar-mexico-race"
categories:
  - "NASCAR"
  - "News"
  - "Racing"
tags:
  - "Crash"
  - "Mexico"
  - "Motorsports safety"
  - "road course"
---

# Four Spectators Hurt When Car Flies Off Track at NASCAR Mexico Race

![](<https://www.thedrive.com/wp-content/uploads/images-by-url-td/content/2017/06/nascar-crash1.png>)
*\<em\>www.thedrive.com</em>*

It's usually a treat to see a NASCAR race take place on a [road course with real corners,](<https://www.thedrive.com/news/5097/no-argument-the-nastiest-finish-in-nascar-all-year>) instead of the standard left-turn-only affairs. But there's a reason they mainly stick to the super speedways—the cars themselves aren't designed for the stresses of a short, complex track. And when something does go wrong, the room for error is that much smaller.

A scary scene went down at last weekend's NASCAR PEAK Mexico race at the Autódromo de León when driver Santiago Tovar lost his brakes going into the track's final turn, causing his #26 Pennzoil car to fly off the track, punch through a tire wall, and plow into a group of spectators. Four people were treated for minor injuries at the scene.

https://youtube.com/embed/W3UMtk0pipA

"Obviously I realized only when I reached the next corner that I could not do anything. Unfortunately I became a passenger in the car," [Tovar told *Motorsport.com.*](<https://www.motorsport.com/nascar-mexico/news/santiago-tovar-s-accident-injures-four-spectators-in-mexico-924575/>) "The important thing is that the accident did not cause any major injuries and we are all well."

Tovar went on to say that he believes the Autódromo de León is simply too dangerous for NASCAR Mexico to keep racing there, a sentiment echoed by other drivers. In addition to its short 0.75-mile length—which can quickly cause [brake overheating issues](<https://www.thedrive.com/accelerator/4588/watch-nascars-brad-keselowski-lose-his-brakes-at-165-mph>)—the small track also lacks a proper catch fence.

"The truth is that we should not bring this track, it is dangerous for everyone—drivers and public," he said. "The cars do not fit in this track, the brakes gets very hot and from the lap five you do not know if you're going to brake or not."

[According to *Motorsport.com*,](<https://www.motorsport.com/nascar-mexico/news/santiago-tovar-s-accident-injures-four-spectators-in-mexico-924575/>) the accident was investigated by the series's race director, Mexican motorsport officials, and a representative from NASCAR itself, but no decision has been made on using the track in the future.

## Author
Overseeing an expert staff of writers and editors from his lair in Los Angeles, Kyle shapes The Drive’s singular approach to covering the automotive industry and car culture. He’s been with the site as a writer since 2017, taking over as editor in 2019. On a daily basis, Kyle is responsible for directing The Drive's editorial news and car review content strategies, setting special coverage priorities, managing complex reporting projects, and ensuring what you read on the page meets our high internal standards for quality and trustworthiness. He is also the executive producer of The Drive's YouTube channel, which was relaunched in February 2024 to great acclaim and has accumulated over 14M new views in its first year back on the scene. He hosts a biweekly series on the channel where he breaks down fascinating and complicated stories from the automotive world.

### Author social links  
[Bluesky](<https://bsky.app/profile/kylecheromcha.bsky.social>)  
[Instagram](<https://www.instagram.com/kylecheromcha>)  
[LinkedIn](<https://www.linkedin.com/in/kyle-cheromcha-1550248a/>)