Sprint Car Driver Chase Johnson Injured After Alleged Assault by Sonoma Raceway Security

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Sprint car driver Chase Johnson was hospitalized once again, and this time, it stems from an alleged physical altercation with a security guard at Sonoma Raceway during the NASCAR Cup Series event. Johnson, who uses a wheelchair due to a previous racing injury, was reportedly thrown from his chair and suffered a head injury that required immediate medical attention.

According to a now-deleted post from the Chase Johnson Racing Facebook page, the incident occurred as Johnson and his partner were attempting to leave the track through an access route directed by another staff member. The security guard at the exit challenged their credentials and refused to let them proceed, despite others being allowed through with similar passes. Tensions escalated when the guard allegedly used a slur and denied their request to speak with a supervisor.

Shocking Encounter

The situation turned physical when the guard reportedly shoved Johnson in the chest with enough force to flip his wheelchair backwards, slamming his head onto the concrete. Witnesses say Johnson lost consciousness for about 15 seconds. Onlookers and NASCAR officials rushed to the scene to assist. His partner, Hayley, was seen cradling his head while waiting for help.

Medical personnel at the track treated Johnson at the on-site medical center before transferring him to Kaiser Permanente in Santa Rosa, where he remained for more than eight hours. A CT scan revealed a 5-millimeter crack in his C1 vertebra. Additional scans, including an MRI, showed spinal swelling in the C6 and T2 vertebrae. It remains unclear whether these are new injuries or complications from his original spinal damage.

Johnson’s wheelchair was also damaged in the fall, with a broken backrest and visible scrapes from the pavement. The driver was discharged and advised to wear a neck collar for the coming weeks during recovery.

It can be recalled thatJohnson had been on a difficult road to healing after suffering multiple fractured vertebrae in a sprint car crash at Silver Dollar Speedway. That crash left him in a wheelchair, and he had been documenting his recovery process publicly. In a previous social media update, he described the pain as the most intense of his life and noted how hard he had been working to regain strength and mobility.

Despite this recent setback, supporters have rallied around him online, expressing outrage over the alleged assault and concerns about the treatment of disabled individuals at public events. The now-deleted post from his team emphasized that they were directed to use the pit road path to reach a designated handicap parking area, but still encountered resistance and aggression from a second security guard.

Law enforcement did become involved. Surprisingly, Sonoma County Sheriff’s deputies were present at the raceway, and Johnson was taken to the county jail. The reasoning behind this detainment has not been confirmed, and the sheriff’s office has yet to release a statement regarding the incident.

Sonoma Raceway and NASCAR have also not issued official comments as of this writing.