Woman whose car was damaged by runaway tire in scary Indy 500 crash given replacement to get home

A terrifying incident in Sunday’s Indianapolis 500 had a somewhat happy ending for the woman whose car was smashed by a flying tire.

With 15 laps remaining in this year’s race, Kyle Kirkwood’s left rear tire was clipped off his car by the sliding vehicle of Felix Rosenqvist.

The tire was sent flying over the barriers and the catch fence – hurtling towards the fans in the grandstands, but thankfully missing them all.

However, the tire went through a gap in the stands and went straight into the parking lot – smashing in the front fender of a Chevy Cruze belonging to Indianapolis woman Robin Matthews.

But in an effort to make up for the damage to her car, Indianapolis Motor Speedway president J. Douglas Boles invited Matthews to walk along ‘The Brickyard’ after the race had ended.

Robin Matthews’ Chevy Cruze was wrecked by a flying tire from the Indianapolis 500 

The left-rear tire of Kyle Kirkwood is seen flying over the catch fence, narrowly missing fans

Speaking to WTHR’s Rich Nye, Matthews said she wasn’t near her car when the incident occurred.

‘We saw the tire go over, because I was in turn two, and they said the tire went over, and somebody said that it hit one of the golf carts. Well, I was parked by the golf cart, and I looked, and I saw the back of my car, and I’m like, okay. Didn’t think of anything. 

‘And then somebody from another suite is like, “Robin, it was your car. And I’m like, “shut up” you know, because I didn’t believe him, he’s a jokester.

‘And he’s like, “it’s your car”. And he showed me a picture. Immediately my stomach dropped, and I was shaking. Just anxious and nervous. Just scared.

‘Just thankful that nobody got hurt. My car’s name is “Snowball”, and she took one for the team.’

No drivers or fans were injured, with ‘Snowball’ the Chevy Cruze seemingly the only casualty 

When she got back to her car, Matthews said, ‘the radiator the lights were on, and then there was fluid leaking from it.

‘It was the left side, the driver’s side. It was totally dented. The tire was messed up, so they towed it away.’

With Matthews stranded at the racetrack, she said Boles arranged for another car for her to drive home.

It’s unclear whether or not the car she’s driving is the silver Chevy Camaro pictured behind her when she got the chance to ‘kiss the bricks’ at IMS. 

Neither driver was injured in the wreck, nor were any spectators. Josef Newgarden won the race for the first time in his career.