How does a small-town racing team recover when its entire livelihood is reduced to scrap metal overnight? Just hours after the catastrophe on I-80, on Saturday morning, August 2, 2025, Alex Clubb’s club-level ARCA Menards Series effort brought that question home. The trailer containing their No. 03 racecar flipped as the driver dozed off on the way back from Iowa Speedway to their base in Morris, Illinois, and multiple semis crashed into the debris. The team posted, “everyone involved is ok,” but Clubb Racing Inc. lost nearly everything else.

After a long day at Iowa Speedway, Alex Clubb, the team owner and full-time driver, brought his No. 03 entry home in 20th place. Meanwhile, Colby Evans, making his ARCA debut in Clubb’s No. 86 car, finished 23rd. For Clubb, every finish matters. Since joining the series in 2015, he’s built a reputation for grinding it out on limited resources, currently sitting sixth in the national driver rankings. His team is a true family-run operation, held together by used parts, self-repairs, and determination more than dollars. But when your entire program hinges on a single racecar, a trailer, and a tow truck, losing all three in one night threatens more than just a race weekend — it jeopardizes the entire season.

In an account to Frontstretch, Clubb said, “My buddy fell asleep driving it [the trailer]. He hit the median, flipped it, and then about five semis kept hitting us. We’re now down one trailer, one truck, and one racecar.” With the next race at Watkins Glen looming on August 8, Clubb admitted, “I have no idea. We’re not even home yet.” Determined not to give in, Clubb Racing launched a crowdfunding campaign, stating:

“We don’t typically ask for help, but unfortunately, we need it. We have worked so hard to get a decent program together, and now half of that is gone. If you can help, we would greatly appreciate it.”  Clubb’s comeback could be a real test of whether community support and enthusiasm can repair more than just metal. Can they continue to pursue their ambition of racing?  The internet had already weighed in before the team could decide what to do next.

 Fans’ reactions to the incident were quite mixed, as it was first reported by Clubb Racing’s own X updates before being picked up by websites like Frontstretch. Here’s what the fans had to say about it.

Fans have mixed reactions to Clubb Racing’s highway disaster and fallout

Some fans responded with immediate empathy. “Hate to see this. Especially to the only full-time Ford team in the series,” one wrote, acknowledging both concern and admiration for what Clubb Racing represents in an increasingly manufacturer-thin ARCA field. Others focused on the team’s potential to bounce back: “They still have the ’86 car. They can renumber it as the 03, and there’s a new car being built for Bristol.” In that corner of the internet, the tone was pragmatic and solution-oriented. But not everyone was willing to overlook how the crash happened.

After Clubb admitted the driver had fallen asleep at the wheel, some users pointed to a tragic precedent. “This is how James Hylton and his son died,” one noted, referencing the 2018 crash that shook the same racing community. “They’re lucky they only lost equipment.” Others called the accident preventable, with one blunt reply summing it up: “Glad everyone’s okay. But this should’ve never happened.” Criticism extended beyond the crash itself.

A vocal minority questioned the team’s decision to fundraise publicly, casting doubt on the optics and intent behind the appeal. “Car looks fine, insurance? Or just lazy, looking for handouts?” one comment read. Another added with biting sarcasm, “Our driver risked people’s lives by driving while tired, but please donate to our campaign.” Even dark humor crept in, with remarks like “Hey, you can’t park there” and hashtags like #ArcaBrakes blending mockery with concern over repeated safety lapses in the series. For some, the line between perseverance and poor judgment felt uncomfortably thin.

Still, support continued to roll in. Some fans urged other teams to step in, even suggesting NASCAR-level operations might lend a hand. “NASCAR teams help each other when needed. Hopefully someone steps up here.” Whether that kind of unity materializes remains to be seen.