Two pit crewmen were injured Friday during a frightening incident on pit road at Pocono Raceway. The crewmembers were working for Gus Dean in the ARCA Racing Series. Jon House working as a jackman, and Pedro Martinez were both struck as Dean’s car slid into the pit stall. Both crewmembers were sent flying onto pit road. Martinez got up almost immediately but House lay on the ground not moving.
An ARCA official and another crewman ran out and stood in front of House as he lay on the pavement. Both waved other racecars around the prone House. Medics soon arrived on the scene and after a few moments, House was able to stand and left pit road with assistance.
House later tweeted a picture thought to be from a local hospital. He was wearing a neck brace but smiling. His wife later tweeted that House had a possible concussion and possibly a small bleed. She also said doctors expect him to make a “close to, or full recovery”. Martinez was checked and released at the track’s infield car center.
No Bueno pic.twitter.com/ubqU3ujegM
— Jon House (@jonhouse233) July 30, 2016
@gusdean Update Jon House Dr. feels he should make close to or full recovery. Further scans to come, possible small bleed. Concussion.
— Cyndy House (@houseshouse24) July 30, 2016
Driver Dean later reported that he lost the brakes on his car and that’s what caused the accident.
The issue on pit road was due to brake line failure as I was entering the pit stall. My only concern is the health of the jackman involved
— Gus Dean (@gusdean) July 30, 2016
House was the subject of a Fox Sports report in 2015 detailing his fight with cancer on the road to becoming a crewmember in racing. Last week House tweeted that he was
Greg is the author of "The Nuts and Bolts of NASCAR: The Definitive Viewers' Guide to Big-Time Stock Car Auto Racing" and has been published in major publications across the country including the Los Angeles Times, the Cleveland Plain Dealer and the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. He was also a contributor to Chicken Soup for the NASCAR Soul, published in 2010, and the Christmas edition in 2016. He wrote as the NASCAR, Formula 1, Auto Reviews and National Veterans Affairs Examiner for Examiner.com and has appeared on Fox News. He holds a BS degree in communications, a Masters degree in psychology and is currently a PhD candidate majoring in psychology. He is currently the weekend Motorsports Editor for Autoweek.
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