Matt Kenseth, the driver of the #20 Hurricane Harvey Relief Toyota, has his car worked on after a crash during the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Federated Auto Parts 400 at Richmond Raceway on September 9, 2017, in Richmond, Virginia. Photo – Brian Lawdermilk/Getty Images

A freak accident on lap 255 of Saturday night’s Federated Auto Parts 400 put playoff contender Matt Kenseth on the sidelines. Kenseth was approaching pit road and had to avoid an ambulance stopped near the entrance.

NASCAR Senior Vice President of Competition Scott Miller later said the ambulance failed to follow instructions from the control tower.

The driver of the No. 20 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota was the victim of a chain reaction collision that caved in the nose of his Camry and broke the radiator. Kenseth fell out of the race in 38th place and had to wait until the finish to make sure another unique winner didn’t take the checkered flag and deprive him of a playoff berth.

As it turned out, Kyle Larson won the race and preserved Kenseth’s place in the postseason.

“Well, we were all just kind of coming to pit road, and I saw an ambulance sitting there and so I looked left of the ambulance at the same time (spotter Jason) Hedlesky yelled at everyone to stop, that there was an ambulance just sitting there.

“It was an accordion effect, and I just couldn’t get stopped. Not really sure why pit road was open with an ambulance parked there, but everybody stopped, and I didn’t see it in time and ran into the car in front of me.”

Fortunately for Kenseth, the bizarre accident didn’t cost him a chance to race for a championship in his final season in the No. 20 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota.