Harraka makes embarrassing rookie mistake even before Sprint Cup race debut
Now, if they could only have hit the rewind button instead of each other.
Harraka, who comes from New Jersey, the same state as Sunday’s race winner, Martin Truex Jr., couldn’t have had a more embarrassing start to his Cup career.
Harraka didn’t even wait to make the mistake on the race track. He plowed into the rear of Kennedy’s stopped car – while both cars were still on pit road, waiting to roll out onto the track for the two parade laps prior to the start of the race!
To be fair, it might have been rookie jitters. Or maybe Harraka confused the gas pedal with the brake.
That, or maybe Harraka was texting and didn’t look up until it was too late.
After all, there’s not much of a better explanation, given how Harraka put the pedal to the metal at the worst possible time, causing major damage to both drivers’ vehicles.
Because cars were bunched up rolling off pit road, David Reutimann was forced to stop as the parade of cars in front of him slowed down abruptly.
Kennedy stopped, too.
But like someone who rear-ends a driver stopped in front of him at a red light, Harraka just kept on going until BAM!
Kennedy’s car definitely was worse for the wear. After repairs were made, he managed to complete just 30 laps of the 110-lap event before calling it a day with a 40th-place finish.
Harraka’s crew, meanwhile, was able to repair much of the damage on his own car and he wound up finishing 39th in the race, 21 laps off the lead lap.