JP Kealey, the rear tire changer for Shane van Gisbergen’s NASCAR Cup Series team, is back at work just two weeks after a terrifying accident at Pocono Raceway left him with a collapsed lung and a broken rib.
The incident happened during the Great American Getaway 400 when a loose tire struck Kealey during a chaotic pit stop.
Shane Van Gisbergen’s Tire Changer Talks About His Injury Ahead of the Chicago Cup Race
The accident occurred when fellow Trackhouse Racing driver AJ Allmendinger slid into his pit box too fast. In the process, he knocked a tire out of a crew member’s hands. That tire went flying and hit Kealey hard.
The force also drove his air gun into the side of his body. Despite the hit, Kealey finished the pit stop before walking away in pain.
We’ve said it before and we’ll say it again: Nobody’s tougher than the pit crews. pic.twitter.com/bDlvtkZrVV
— FOX: NASCAR (@NASCARONFOX) June 23, 2025
Kealey was taken to the infield care center and later transported to a hospital. Doctors found a broken sixth rib and a partially collapsed lung. He stayed overnight at the hospital so his lung could re-inflate naturally. He was not allowed to fly home to North Carolina and had to make the trip by car instead.
Shane van Gisbergen went on to finish 31st in the race, but the team’s focus shifted quickly to Kealey’s health. The former pro lacrosse player was cleared to return to racing duties this weekend and is now on the track in Chicago for the Grant Park 165.
Speaking with Bob Pockrass of FOX Sports ahead of the July 6 race, Kealey said (via X) he feels ready to go:
“I collapsed my lung, and then I broke my sixth rib. Yeah, I mean, I feel pretty good, I can do just about anything other than bench heavy, but nothing that’s gonna affect me out on pit road. So yeah, I am here and ready to go, would have been last week in Atlanta if the doctors will let me, but you know, they wanted to keep me up for a little bit, but as I said, I am ready to go get after this week…”
He suffered a broken rib and collapsed lung at Pocono, but Shane van Gisbergen rear tire changer JP Kealey is here in Chicago ready to change tires. The former hockey and pro lacrosse player speaks about getting hit by the flying tire and completing the stop. @NASCARONFOX https://t.co/P09xGcq3m3 pic.twitter.com/w6Ri6m8mnW
— Bob Pockrass (@bobpockrass) July 5, 2025
Kealey added that he realized something was wrong when he started having trouble breathing. “When the tire hit me, I kind of knew I broke my rib. I felt a pop. But the first thing that came to mind was finishing the stop, so I got back out there and finished the job… Once I found some shortness of breath and was struggling to breathe a little bit, that’s when I knew something was wrong.”
Kealey joined NASCAR after his lacrosse career was paused during the COVID shutdown. He has since worked his way into one of the most physically demanding jobs in the garage. Despite the risk, he’s fully committed to his role on pit road.
The Grant Park 165 is scheduled to begin at 2:00 p.m. ET on Sunday. Kealey is expected to perform his full duties on Shane van Gisbergen’s crew.