Daytona recovering after dozens hurt when crash debris hits stands
By Mark Long | The Associated Press
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — With the start of the Daytona 500
just hours away, NASCAR officials still have some cleaning up to do amid growing questions about fan
safety.
The season opener will go off as planned Sunday less than 24
hours after at least 33 people were injured when a car flew into the fence during a NASCAR race at
Daytona International Speedway, sending a tire and large pieces of debris sailing into the
stands.
"Just seeing the carnage on the racetrack, it was truly
unbelievable," driver Justin Allgaier said.
The final-lap accident Saturday
marred the second-tier Nationwide Series race on the eve of a spectacle often called the Super
Bowl of motorsports. Late into the night, track workers were scrambling to repair a huge section
of fence that separates fans from the high-speed track.
Speedway
President Joie Chitwood III has a news conference scheduled for Sunday morning to give the latest
update on repairs and any safety changes that could be made before the "Great American
Race."
The 12-car crash began about 200 feet from the start-finish line as
the front-runners approached the checkered flag. Leader Regan Smith attempted to block Brad
Keselowski for the win, triggering a horrific pileup that could have been much
worse.
The front end of Larson's No. 32 car was sheared off, and his
burning engine wedged through a gaping hole in the fence. Parts and pieces of his car sprayed into
the stands, including a tire that cleared the top of the fence and landed midway up the spectator
section closest to the track.
The 20-year-old Larson stood in shock a few
feet from his car as fans in the stands waved frantically for help. Smoke from the burning engine
briefly clouded the area, and emergency vehicles descended on the
scene.
Ambulance sirens could be heard wailing behind the grandstands at a
time the race winner would typically be doing celebratory burnouts.
"It
was freaky. When I looked to my right, the accident happened," Rick Harpster of Orange Park said.
"I looked over and I saw a tire fly straight over the fence into the stands, but after that I
didn't see anything else. That was the worst thing I have seen, seeing that tire fly into the
stands. I knew it was going to be severe."
Shannan Devine of Egg Harbor
Township, N.J., was sitting about 250 feet from where the car smashed into the fence and could see
plumes of smoke directly in front of her.
"I didn't know if there was a car
on top of people. I didn't know what to think," she said. "I'm an emotional person and I
immediately started to cry. It was very scary. Absolutely scary. I love the speed of the sport.
But it's so dangerous."
Chitwood said 14 fans were treated on site and 14
others were taken to hospitals. Local officials said 19 people were taken to neighboring
hospitals, including two who were in critical but stable
condition.
STEWART HOLDS OFF
CELEBRATING
Because of potential injuries, race winner Tony
Stewart skipped the traditional victory celebration.
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 is going on on the frontstretch
right now," said Stewart, a 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."
There were at least five stretchers carrying injured
people out of the stands, and a helicopter flew overhead.
Officials turned
their attention to the track and the wreckage after injured were
treated.
A forklift plucked Larson's engine out of the fence, and workers
carried the tire out of the stands.
HOW IT
HAPPENED
It was a chaotic finish to a race that was stopped for
nearly 20 minutes five laps from the finish by a 13-car accident that sent driver Michael Annett
to a hospital. His Richard Petty Motorsports team said he would be held overnight with bruising to
his chest.
The race resumed with three laps to go, and the final accident
occurred with Smith trying to hold off Keselowski through the final
turn.
"It's Daytona. You want to go for the win here," Smith said. "I
don't know how you can play it any different, other than concede second place, and I wasn't
willing to do that today. Our job is to put them in position to win, and it was, and it didn't work
out."
As the cars began wrecking all around Smith and Keselowski, Stewart
slid through for the win, but Larson plowed into Keselowski and his car was sent airborne into the
fence. When Larson's car came to a stop, it was missing its entire front end. Larson, who made his
Daytona debut this week, stood with his hands on his hips before finally making the mandatory trip
to the care center.
"I took a couple big hits there and saw my engine was
gone," Larson said. "Just hope everybody's all right."
It appeared fans
were lined up along the fence when Larson's car got airborne. But Chitwood said there was a buffer,
adding there would be no changes to the seating before the Daytona
500.
"We don't anticipate moving any of our fans," Chitwood said. "We had
our safety protocols in place. Our security maintained a buffer that separates the fans from the
fencing area. With the fencing being prepared tonight to our safety protocols, we expect to go
racing tomorrow with no changes."
Keselowski watched a replay of the
accident and said it could cast a pall on the Daytona 500.
"I think until
we know exactly the statuses of everyone involved, it's hard to lock yourself into the 500,"
Keselowski said. "Hopefully, we'll know soon and hopefully everyone's OK. And if that's the case,
we'll staring focusing on Sunday."
Copyright 2013 The Associated
Press. All rights reserved.
