Overview
- A welded utility or manhole cover worked loose on the San Diego/Coronado street circuit and lodged in the nose and radiator of Corey Day’s No. 17 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet on the opening lap, forcing him to pit with visible damage.
- Race control ran several laps under caution while crews tried to grind the cover back into place, then red‑flagged the event and brought welders and a welding trailer to secure other covers after further inspection.
- NASCAR permitted Hendrick Motorsports to replace Day’s damaged radiator and work on the car during the red flag, an exception to normal rules about in‑race repairs and component swaps.
- Reports conflict on whether Day was fully restored to the lead lap after the stoppage, and he later nearly met a safety truck traveling against traffic, received a pit‑lane speeding penalty, and recovered to a top‑10 finish in some accounts.
- The incident has raised fan and commentator comparisons to the 2004 Jeff Gordon concrete failure, with critics saying the ad hoc repair decision highlights inconsistent rule application and new safety challenges on street circuits.