CHICAGO — JP Kealey simply adopted via with what his father taught him as a younger athlete who performed hockey and lacrosse when a flying tire nailed him within the chest throughout a race two weeks in the past at Pocono Raceway.
Kealey, the rear tire changer for Shane van Gisbergen, picked up his air wrench and carried out his pit-stop duties.
That was his final cease of the day. A damaged rib and collapsed lung made him reluctantly go to the infield medical middle after which ultimately to the hospital for an in a single day keep to verify his lung reinflated by itself and his damaged rib wasn’t at risk of puncturing it.
“Ever since I used to be a child, my dad at all times informed me, ‘Except your leg is damaged or one thing, you higher rise up off the ground of the ice and get again to the bench,’” Kealey mentioned. “That is simply form of the usual for who I used to be, and what my dad instilled in me.
“It doesn’t matter what occurs, you’ve acquired to be sure you end your job after which fear about what is going on on later. It was form of simply instinctual. As quickly because it occurred, I picked up my [air] gun and I knew I had a job to complete, so I went on the market, completed it, after which handled no matter’s occurring after.”
Kealey is again this weekend, able to work the Cup race on the Chicago avenue course, prepared to alter tires for the race favourite in what he hopes is his second win of the season.
“I really feel fairly good,” Kealey mentioned. “I can do absolutely anything aside from bench heavy [lifting], however nothing that is going to have an effect on me out on pit highway. I’m able to go and get after it this week.”
Kealey is aware of what it’s prefer to carry out at a excessive stage on a sports activities stage. A Google seek for him will deliver up highlights of him as knowledgeable lacrosse participant. When the league didn’t play throughout COVID, Kealey was recruited to change into a pit-crew member.
He’s been hit by hockey pucks and lacrosse balls. However by no means a tire, which is comparatively uncommon. AJ Allmendinger had clipped the tire being held by his tire changer when coming in to pit, and he hit the tire — which flew within the air into Kealey, who was working round his automotive within the adjoining pit.
“You form of get used to the concept of perhaps getting hit by a automotive,” Kealey mentioned. “I noticed AJ blow via his field, and I form of checked up, as a result of as I used to be leaping off the wall, he acquired form of near me.
“So once I checked up, I used to be wanting down at his automotive to verify it did not hit me, and as quickly as my eyes popped as much as get to my method to the rear of our automotive, the tire simply hit me immediately. I did not actually have a complete lot of time to react. I didn’t see it coming. I positively felt it as soon as it acquired there.”
Kealey mentioned he was completely happy the tire didn’t hit him in his head.
“When the tire hit me, I form of knew I broke my rib,” Kealey mentioned. “I felt a pop.
“However the very first thing that got here to thoughts was ending the cease, so I acquired again on the market and completed the job. … As soon as I discovered some shortness of breath and was struggling to breathe a bit of bit, that is once I knew one thing was improper.”
Most of the pit crew members on the elite groups are former faculty or skilled athletes. NASCAR groups like them as a result of they’ve expertise performing beneath excessive strain and the flexibility to grasp a job due to repetition after repetition in observe — whereas additionally having the ability to improvise within the second if want be.
Kealey was not allowed to fly residence from Pennsylvania after the harm, so he needed to drive again to North Carolina. He acquired the OK to fly to Chicago this week and had no hesitation about going again to work.
When he performed faculty lacrosse, Kealey mentioned he performed with a torn ACL and meniscus for eight months.
“It’s a part of it, proper?” Kealey mentioned. “We’re all athletes. The hazard of it is a part of what makes it enjoyable. You’re taking hits in any sport. Stuff occurs in any sport that you simply play. … It does not change something for me. I’ll go on the market and proceed to do my job.
“It isn’t something that is going to be behind my thoughts. I’m nonetheless going to leap over the wall and have the identical depth and identical drive to go on the market and succeed.”
Whereas crew members put on fire-retardant garments and a helmet in case they fall or get upended by a automotive, Kealey is aware of there actually isn’t a solution to defend himself from a flying tire.
“Individuals have been joking and asking if I’ll put on a flak jacket, stuff like that,” Kealey mentioned. “However I am not too anxious about it.
“I will not put something on that is going to sluggish me down. … I am not likely anxious about it. It was only a freak accident. I’m going to go on the market and simply proceed to do my job.”
Bob Pockrass covers NASCAR and INDYCAR for FOX Sports activities. He has spent a long time protecting motorsports, together with over 30 Daytona 500s, with stints at ESPN, Sporting Information, NASCAR Scene journal and The (Daytona Seashore) Information-Journal. Observe him on Twitter @bobpockrass.
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