10 NASCAR Screw-Ups That Turned into Total Blessings

NASCAR Screw-Ups That Turned into Total Blessings

Jimmie Johnson and Jeff Gordon

10. Kyle Larson’s 2020 Suspension

Larson’s career looked finished after his suspension, but it forced him to reset, refocus, and rebuild. The result? A comeback with Hendrick Motorsports and one of the most dominant seasons in modern NASCAR.

9. Jimmie Johnson Spinning Out in His First Cup Start (2001)

Johnson wrecked while leading at Charlotte, embarrassing him in front of the garage. But that incident caught Rick Hendrick’s eye — and it helped secure the partnership that led to seven Cup titles.

8. Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s 2004 Daytona 500 Pit Road Penalty

Junior’s speeding mistake cost him the race lead, but it changed the way he approached race management. It turned him into a smarter, more mature driver — and he went on to win six races that year.

7. Tony Stewart’s 2013 Sprint Car Wreck

The crash shattered his leg and nearly ended his career, but it also forced Smoke to reevaluate everything. That perspective shift led to his emotional 2016 Sonoma win and his transition into one of the sport’s top team owners.

6. Joey Logano Getting Fired from Joe Gibbs Racing

Logano wasn’t living up to expectations and losing his ride was humiliating. But the move to Team Penske transformed his career — turning him into a Cup champion and one of the sport’s most consistent threats.

5. Kevin Harvick’s 2002 Roval Crash

Harvick blew a huge opportunity with a messy mistake at the Roval, but it pushed him to drastically elevate his mental discipline. That turning point later fueled his 2014 championship and long-term dominance with Stewart-Haas.

4. Kurt Busch’s Meltdowns That Got Him Fired (Multiple Times)

Kurt’s temper torpedoed two major rides, but each firing forced him to rebuild and reinvent himself. The result was a calmer, smarter, more respected veteran who became a champion and top-tier leader.

3. Brad Keselowski Wrecking Carl Edwards at Talladega (2009)

Keselowski became the villain overnight, but the backlash toughened him and cemented his identity as a fearless, aggressive driver. That edge later powered him to a Cup championship.

2. Chase Elliott’s 2020 Coca-Cola 600 Pit Mistake

Elliott stayed out when everyone else pitted, costing him the win and making him the internet’s punching bag for a week. But it sparked a fire — and he came back to win the All-Star Race and his first championship that same year.

1. Jeff Gordon Missing the 1993 Indy 500 Tryout

Gordon thought he’d screwed up his open-wheel dreams forever when the Indy path collapsed. But that “failure” pushed him toward NASCAR — where he became one of the greatest drivers of all time and reshaped the sport’s future.