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Photos, Videos: NASCAR Crash Injures 33 Fans At Daytona International Speedway
By
Jen Chung
Published Feb 24, 2013
Modified Feb 24, 2013
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By
Jen Chung
Published Feb 24, 2013
Modified Feb 24, 2013
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Last night, at least 33 spectators were injured when cars going 200 MPH crashed during the final lap of the Nationwide NASCAR race at the Daytona International Speedway. The AP reports, "The victims were sprayed with large chunks of debris — including a tire — after rookie Kyle Larson's machine careened into the fencing that is designed to protect the massive grandstands lining NASCAR's most famous track."
The crash, which occurred on the eve of the Daytona 500, had different effects on fans. One told the AP, "I love the sport. But no one wants to get hurt over it," while one man, Terry Huckaby, whose brother was injured told ESPN that they "were attempting to go to every race -- Sprint Unlimited, Budweiser Duels, Truck Series, Nationwide Series and Sprint Cup -- during Speedweeks for the first time... 'It was the year we tried to do the entire Speedweeks. Now we're going to be one short.'"
About half the injured were taken to hospitals—including a 14-year-old boy in critical condition and a man with a life-threatening head injury— while the others were treated at the track. Huckaby said, "Stuff was flying everywhere... It was like you was in a war zone or something. Tires were flying by and smoke and everything else. When I say war zone, there was smoke from a motor. You've got to realize a motor was sitting in the stands. A wheel -- I don't mean a tire -- a wheel with a hub hanging onto it and debris everywhere ... and smoke and people upset. It was kind of scary."
The front of Larson's car was gone. Driver Regan Smith told NASCAR.com that it was his fault, "I threw a block. I'll take the blame for it. But when you see the checkered flag at Daytona, you're going to block, and you're going to do everything you can to be the first car back to the stripe. It just didn't work out today. Just hoping everything is okay, everyone who was in the wreck and all the fans."
Larson told ESPN, "I was getting pushed from behind, it felt like... By the time my spotter said, 'Lift,' or to go low, I believe, it was too late and I was in the wreck. Then I felt like it was slowing down, and it looked like I could see the ground, and had some flames in the cockpit. Luckily, I was all right and could get out of the car quick."
Workers were scrambling to fix the fence and grandstand in time for today's race. Daytona International Speedway officials will work to move any spectators uncomfortable with sitting in the stands.
Indy 500-winning driver Dario Franchitti Tweeted, "it's time @Indycar @nascar other sanctioning bodies & promoters work on an alternative to catch fencing. There has to be a better solution."
Tagged
car crash
car racing
daytona
daytona international speedway
Nascar
Jen Chung
Jen Chung is a former WNYC and Gothamist editor.
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Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
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