Watch: Pace car wrecks under caution in NASCAR championship race

 NASCAR immediately threw the red flag in order for officials to hit the barrels. The Toyota Camry being used as the pace car suffered minor damage on the right rear of the car. 

A backup pace car was brought out to be used for the remainder of the race.

The pace car isn't often involved in incidents, but it's not all that unusual for an accident of the sort to occur every so often. 

During the 2014 Sprint Unlimited at Daytona International Speedway, the pace car — a Chevy SS during that particular race — caught on fire under the yellow flag. The fire originated in the trunk of the car. 

Perhaps the most famous incident involving a pace car came at the Talladega Superspeedway in 1986. A fan, likely inebriated after a long weekend of partying in the Talladega infield, stole the pace car, taking it around the track for nearly an entire circuit before a blockade of civilian vehicles allowed law enforcement to stop the car and take the perpetrator into custody. 

Sunday's race was already going to go into the history books due to the championship implications, but this incident ensures the pace car driver will forever be enshrined along with the championship contenders.