This Indy 500 Fan Is Getting A New Car After a Rogue Tire Crushed Her Old One

Indy 500 fan Robin Matthews poses with Track Team 13

The Indy 500 is known for being one of the biggest racing events in the world that is full of speed, noise, and excitement where literally anything can happen. Unfortunately for one fan, that included having a rogue tire fly past the grandstands and into her parked car.

How Did A Rogue Tire Strike This Indy 500 Fan’s Car?

The incident occurred when a tire flew off Kyle Kirkwood’s vehicle during a late-race crash, sending it into the parking area outside of Turn 2. From there, it proceeded to strike a white Chevy Cruze that belonged to Indy 500 fan, Robin Matthews. “We saw the tire go over because I was in Turn 2, and they said a tire went over,” Matthews told 13News. “Somebody said that it hit one of the golf carts. Well, I was parked by a golf cart. I looked, and I saw the back of my car, and I’m like, ‘OK,’ I didn’t think anything. Then, somebody from another suite was like, ‘Robin, it was your car.'”

Don’t Worry, This Has a Happy Ending

Upon realizing what had happened, Matthews admitted to feeling emotional and shaken up, but also thankful that nobody was hurt by the rogue tire. As for her car, which she nicknamed “Snowball”, it needed to be towed away due to the amount of damage it sustained. “She took one for the team,” joked Matthews. Certainly an unforgettable memory for any Indy 500 fan.

Even though it is good news that nobody was injured following this incident, a spokesperson for the Indianapolis Motor Speedway confirmed that they will replace Matthews’ damaged car with a new set of wheels. According to Matthews, she just wants something she can use to drive to work without any payments, as she had worked hard to pay off Snowball.

This is Robin Matthews of Indy. Her white Chevy Cruze she calls “snowball” was the car hit by the wheel that flew over the fence in a crash at #Indy500. The car had to be towed. @IMS President @jdouglas4 brought her to the yard of bricks & getting her a ride home. #TrackTeam13 pic.twitter.com/Ba4GN8w4bP
— Rich Nye (@RichNye13) May 28, 2023

What About the Crash That Happened on the Track?

As for Kirkwood’s car, IndyCar says they are investigating what could have caused the wheel to break off the vehicle, and to ensure that it doesn’t happen again in the future. IndyCar has been using a high-performance Zylon material for its mandated wheel-suspension tether for the last 24 years. It is capable of withstanding 22,000 pounds of force and IndyCar was the first sanctioning body in the U.S. to make it a requirement in its racing series.

According to IndyCar, the tether did not fail in Kirkwood’s crash, so it is still unclear how the wheel was able to break free from his car and off the track. All that we know that in Robin Matthews’ case, this incident was a blessing in disguise.