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23rd February 2013, 04:34 PM
Maybe it's time to end these dangerous races. If it saves just one life...
Horrific crash mars end of NASCAR’s Nationwide Series race at Daytona Speedway; six fans seriously injured
Large chunks of rookie Kyle Larson’s car landed in the grandstands. The car itself had its entire front end sheared off, with the burning engine wedged through a gaping hole in the fence.
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
Published: Saturday, February 23, 2013, 5:01 PM
Updated: Saturday, February 23, 2013, 6:21 PM
John Raoux/AP
Kyle Larson (32) goes airborne and into the catch fence in a multi-car crash involving Dale Earnhardt Jr. (88), Parker Kilgerman (77), Justin Allgaier (31) and Brian Scott (2) during the final lap of the NASCAR Nationwide Series race at Daytona Speedway Saturday.
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. - NASCAR fans were injured Saturday when large chunks of debris, including a tire, sailed into the grandstands when a car flew into the fence on a frightening last-lap accident in the second-tier Nationwide Series race at Daytona International Speedway.
As emergency workers tended to injured fans and ambulance sirens wailed in the background, a somber Tony Stewart skipped the traditional post-race victory celebration. The crash began as the field closed in on the finish line and sent rookie Kyle Larson’s car sailing into the fence that separates the track from the seats.
Large chunks of Larson’s car landed in the grandstands. The car itself had its entire front end sheared off, with the burning engine wedged through a gaping hole in the fence.
Volusia County spokesman Dave Byron said six people with serious injuries were taken by ambulance to Halifax Health Medical Center in Daytona Beach.
Jonathan Ferrey/Getty Images
Medical personnel remove an injured fan from the stands following the horrific crash. “Those six met the condition of trauma patients,” Byron said, adding one person was taken to Memorial Health in Ormond Beach, and one person was taken to Halifax in Port Orange. Those two were “not serious injuries.”
Byron said the speedway has its own fire rescue, and the county was only involved in the transport of those eight people.
Neither NASCAR nor Daytona International Speedway officials had any immediate details on injuries in the accident in the race held the day before the season-opening Daytona 500.
“There obviously was some intrusion into the fence and fortunately with the way the event’s equipped up, there were plenty of emergency workers ready to go and they all jumped in on it pretty quickly,” NASCAR President Mike Helton said. “Right now, it’s just a function of determining what all damage is done. They’re moving folks, as we’ve seen, to care centers and take some folks over to Halifax Medical.”
Matthew Stockman/Getty Images
The front end of Kyle Larson's Chevrolet is ripped apart in the violent crash. Stewart, who won for the 19th time at Daytona and seventh time in the last nine season-opening Nationwide races, was in no mood to celebrate.
“The important thing is what going on on the frontstretch right now,” said Stewart, the three-time NASCAR champion. “We’ve always known, and since racing started, this is a dangerous sport. But it’s hard. We assume that risk, but it’s hard when the fans get caught up in it.
“So as much as we want to celebrate right now and as much as this is a big deal to us, I’m more worried about the drivers and the fans that are in the stands right now because that was ... I could see it all in my mirror, and it didn’t look good from where I was at.”
The accident spread into the upper deck and emergency crews treated fans on both levels. There were five stretchers that appeared to be carrying fans out, and a helicopter flew overhead. A forklift was used to pluck Larson’s engine out of the fence, and there appeared to be a tire in the stands.
.
Read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/more-sports/horrific-crash-mars-nationwide-race-daytona-article-1.1271718#ixzz2LlgbRFrj
Horrific crash mars end of NASCAR’s Nationwide Series race at Daytona Speedway; six fans seriously injured
Large chunks of rookie Kyle Larson’s car landed in the grandstands. The car itself had its entire front end sheared off, with the burning engine wedged through a gaping hole in the fence.
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
Published: Saturday, February 23, 2013, 5:01 PM
Updated: Saturday, February 23, 2013, 6:21 PM
John Raoux/AP
Kyle Larson (32) goes airborne and into the catch fence in a multi-car crash involving Dale Earnhardt Jr. (88), Parker Kilgerman (77), Justin Allgaier (31) and Brian Scott (2) during the final lap of the NASCAR Nationwide Series race at Daytona Speedway Saturday.
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. - NASCAR fans were injured Saturday when large chunks of debris, including a tire, sailed into the grandstands when a car flew into the fence on a frightening last-lap accident in the second-tier Nationwide Series race at Daytona International Speedway.
As emergency workers tended to injured fans and ambulance sirens wailed in the background, a somber Tony Stewart skipped the traditional post-race victory celebration. The crash began as the field closed in on the finish line and sent rookie Kyle Larson’s car sailing into the fence that separates the track from the seats.
Large chunks of Larson’s car landed in the grandstands. The car itself had its entire front end sheared off, with the burning engine wedged through a gaping hole in the fence.
Volusia County spokesman Dave Byron said six people with serious injuries were taken by ambulance to Halifax Health Medical Center in Daytona Beach.
Jonathan Ferrey/Getty Images
Medical personnel remove an injured fan from the stands following the horrific crash. “Those six met the condition of trauma patients,” Byron said, adding one person was taken to Memorial Health in Ormond Beach, and one person was taken to Halifax in Port Orange. Those two were “not serious injuries.”
Byron said the speedway has its own fire rescue, and the county was only involved in the transport of those eight people.
Neither NASCAR nor Daytona International Speedway officials had any immediate details on injuries in the accident in the race held the day before the season-opening Daytona 500.
“There obviously was some intrusion into the fence and fortunately with the way the event’s equipped up, there were plenty of emergency workers ready to go and they all jumped in on it pretty quickly,” NASCAR President Mike Helton said. “Right now, it’s just a function of determining what all damage is done. They’re moving folks, as we’ve seen, to care centers and take some folks over to Halifax Medical.”
Matthew Stockman/Getty Images
The front end of Kyle Larson's Chevrolet is ripped apart in the violent crash. Stewart, who won for the 19th time at Daytona and seventh time in the last nine season-opening Nationwide races, was in no mood to celebrate.
“The important thing is what going on on the frontstretch right now,” said Stewart, the three-time NASCAR champion. “We’ve always known, and since racing started, this is a dangerous sport. But it’s hard. We assume that risk, but it’s hard when the fans get caught up in it.
“So as much as we want to celebrate right now and as much as this is a big deal to us, I’m more worried about the drivers and the fans that are in the stands right now because that was ... I could see it all in my mirror, and it didn’t look good from where I was at.”
The accident spread into the upper deck and emergency crews treated fans on both levels. There were five stretchers that appeared to be carrying fans out, and a helicopter flew overhead. A forklift was used to pluck Larson’s engine out of the fence, and there appeared to be a tire in the stands.
.
Read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/more-sports/horrific-crash-mars-nationwide-race-daytona-article-1.1271718#ixzz2LlgbRFrj