During the recently concluded United Rentals Driven to Serve 250 at the San Diego Street Course, several drivers fell prey to a massive wreck on Lap 35. Among as many as 25 cars, Anthony Alfredo was one of them.

In the violent crash, Alfredo injured himself in the legs and was subsequently carried out to the infield care center on a stretcher.

While battling for fourth place, Alfredo got involved in the multi-car wreck after Sam Mayer misjudged the corner entirely and clipped the inside wall at the entry on Turn 1.

As a result, Mayer's car ricocheted directly into Alfredo's car, pushing both vehicles into the concrete barrier. After the crash, Alfredo called it by far the biggest hit of his life, as he banged up both his legs.

He suffered temporary numbness in the legs and was taken to the care center on a stretcher. When he came out of it, Jeff Gluck tweeted on X that he was limping.

"I don't even know what exactly happened, but he [Sam Mayer] said it was his fault, so I trust that it was. Initially, I just thought he got shoved in there or something. I don't know how," Alfredo told Bob Pockrass after the race.

"Like I said, he shot into me like that, but we hit super hard, and if the hit to the wall wasn't hard enough, when I bounced off of it, someone clobbered me in full throttle, and then I got hit about three or four more times, so I felt like a pinball."

Having started his race in third place, Anthony Alfredo was in full contention for the race win. He finished Stage 1 in fourth place and improved to third in Stage 2. However, in the final stage, the wreck turned everything upside down for him.

Sam Mayer on causing the wreck

"I have to be one of the worst race cars drivers to ever touch this sport. I'm so sorry. Embarrassing,” said Sam Mayer immediately on his radio after the crash.

Though Mayer left the crash unharmed, he was quite upset and disappointed in his performance, and fully took the blame for the crash.

“First off, I just need to apologize for everybody in the field and everybody in the garage,” Mayer said after the crash. “I cannot be making mistakes like this, and I’m just heartbroken right now. I mean, I can’t be doing that. That’s just irresponsible, it’s embarrassing. I’ve got to be better.”

A total of 25 cars were involved in that Big One, including Sheldon Creed, Brent Crews, William Sawalich, Sammy Smith, Jeb Burton, Preston Pardus, Brennan Poole, Blaine Perkins, Jeremy Clements, and more.

Austin Hill eventually won the race, as he came home ahead of Taylor Gray. Sheldon Creed, Carson Kvapil, and Sammy Smith finished the race in the top five.

You can read more on the Daytona Racing Digest!

Written by

Sabyasachi Biswas

Edited by

Suyashdeep Sason