By: Pete Pistone / MRN – @PPistone on February 23, 2013 | 6:00 P.M. EST
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – Saturday’s NASCAR Nationwide Series season opening DRIVE4COPD 300 at Daytona International Speedway was marred by a violent last lap crash that injured about 28 fans in the grandstands.
Tony Stewart came away with his seventh win in the last nine times the February race has been run but it was overshadowed by the scary accident at the finish line.
Regan Smith and Brad Keselowski were at the front of the field as the pack charged to the checkered flag. Smith spun and it triggered a chain reaction crash behind him with 12 cars ultimately involved in the melee.
Kyle Larson’s car lifted into the air and sailed into the frontstretch catchfence. Upon impact the entire nosepiece of his car was ripped away with his engine impaled into the fence and pieces thrown into the grandstands. A tire flew several rows up into the seats with the stands also showered by other flying debris.
Medical personnel immediately responded to the accident scene and treated the multiple fans that were injured in the crash aftermath.
“Hopefully, all the fans and drivers are OK,” Larson said. “I was getting pushed from behind. By the time my spotter said, ‘Lift,’ it was too late. I had some flames come in the cockpit. Luckily, I was all right and could get out of the car quickly.”
Daytona track president Joie Chitwood reported 14 fans were taken off property and treated for injuries at area hospitals including Halifax Medical Center. Another 14 were treated at the track’s infield medical center.
A spokesman for Halifax reported 12 fans were treated with two listed in critical critical condition and one suffering life threatening head trauma. The hospital also reported one victim as a minor.
Chitwood said repairs were being made to the affected area of the race track and that Sunday’s Daytona 500 would go on without any changes to the seating area.
“We don’t anticipate moving any of our fans. We expect to go racing tomorrow with no changes,” he said.
NASCAR vice president of operations Steve O’Donnell said the sanctioning body was conducting a full investigation of the accident.
“Certainly when you look at this incident, there are some things we can learn and evaluate,” said O’Donnell.
Race winner Stewart’s thoughts were with the fans rather than celebrating his victory.
“The important thing is what’s going on on the frontstretch right now,” Stewart said. “We’ve always known since racing was started this is a dangerous sport. We assume that risk. It’s hard when the fans get caught up in it. I could see it in the mirror, and it didn’t look good.”
NASCAR president Mike Helton confirmed there were injuries immediately after the incident happened and commended the track safety personnel that were on the scene to treat those fans impacted.
“Fortunately, with the way the event’s equipped up, there were plenty of emergency workers ready to go, and they jumped in on it pretty quickly,” Helton said to ESPN. “And right now, it’s just a function of trying to determine what all damage is done.
While none of the drivers involved in the accident as well as the two other major incidents that happened during the race were seriously injured, all thoughts were on those fans that were injured.
“He felt like that’s what he had to do, and that’s his right. The chaos comes with it,” Keselowski said of the move by Smith at the finish. “I made the move and he blocked it, and the two of us got together and started the chain events that caused that wreck. First and foremost, just want to make sure everyone in the stands is OK and we’re thinking about them.
“Watching a replay, my reaction is the same as probably everyone in the garage and that is hoping everyone in the grandstands is OK. “That’s really unfortunate for us as a sport. … I think until we know the status of everyone involved, it’s hard to put a lot of thought into the 500. Hopefully we’ll know soon, and hopefully everyone is OK, and if that’s the case, we’ll get to focusing on Sunday.”
Rookie Larson was visually shaken by the harrowing experience.
“I hope all the fans are OK and all the drivers are all right,” Larson said. “I took a couple big hits there and saw my engine was gone. Just hope everybody’s all right.”
