NASCAR Crew Chief Frankie Kerr Returns to Work After Car Falls on Him in Pit – Bleacher Report

Rick Scuteri/Associated Press

Frankie Kerr, the crew chief for Monster Energy Cup driver Cole Whitt, suffered a broken scapula, bruised ribs and a bruised sternum Friday after a car fell on him at Bristol Motor Speedway. 

Despite those serious injuries, Kerr was back at the track Saturday with the Bass Pro Shops NRA Night Race scheduled for Saturday night. 

“It never entered my mind [to go home],” he said, according to ESPN.com’s Bob Pockrass. “I just won’t be able to help on the car as much. I’ll do what I can and call the race and go home and thank God we have a week off [next week].”

Kerr said the car fell on him when he went to inspect it on pit road. 

“It must not have been high enough, and they hit it again with the jack and that’s when it fell over and the jack stand wasn’t in. It landed on me and basically squeezed the air out of me.”

As Whitt’s crew chief, Kerr will try to help facilitate a return to form for the No. 72 Chevy on Saturday night. 

Whitt hasn’t recorded a top-10 finish since February’s Can-Am Duel, and he’s finished outside the top 20 in three straight races. 

In five events at Bristol since February 2015, Whitt has recorded an average finish of 27.80.