|Numbers| Posted February 24, 2013 Report Share Posted February 24, 2013 Several fans were injured today when car #32 disintegrated on the last lap as it hit the fence/safer barrier. Some reports are 28 fans were taken to the hospitals. 2 are listed in critical condition, one adult and one minor. The adult is listed with life threatening injuries. Numerous photos hit the internet shortly after the accident and some of them have been taken down that showed some of the more serious injuries. The lady in the blue shirt with 48 on the back (standing with her back turned) is shown in other photos with blood on her legs in a stretcher. http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-201_162-57570920/daytona-crash-sends-car-parts-flying-injuring-fans/ Daytona crash sends car parts flying, injuring fans DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. At least 28 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. 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. Daytona International Speedway released a statement from speedway President Joie Chitwood Saturday evening saying 28 people were injured in the accident in the race held the day before the season-opening Daytona 500. According to the statement, emergency medical personnel transported 14 people off the property and 14 others were treated at the on-track care center. "We are in the process of repairing the facility, and we will be ready to go racing tomorrow," Chitwood said. Nathan Kimpel, 24, who works at a concession stand near where the crash happened, told CBS News correspondent Adriana Diaz that he saw 10 to 15 fans being carried out on stretchers. "As soon as I saw the accident I just turned my head because I didn't want to get injured or anything," Kimpel told Diaz. "I saw the fence separate and more pieces of car parts flying up." Meghan Willams, 20, who also works at a concession stand, told Diaz the crash sounded like an "earthquake." She saw people running and crying and a girl completely covered in engine oil. Byron Cogdell, a spokesman for Halifax Health Medical Center, told CBS News that one of the 11 patents taken to the hospital was in critical condition and five more were listed as "trauma" patients. Lindsay Rew, a spokeswoman for Florida Hospital Memorial Medical Center, said its Daytona Beach hospital had one fan there who was in good condition. She said they were expecting three more people who were coming by ambulance, but she didn't yet know their conditions. "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." 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. 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. Daytona President Joie Chitwood waited by steps as emergency workers attended to those in the stands. Across the track, fans pressed against a fence and used binoculars trying to watch. Wrecked cars and busted parts were strewn across the garage. "It's a violent wreck. Just seeing the carnage on the racetrack, it's truly unbelievable," driver Justin Allgaier said. It was a chaotic finish to a race that was stopped nearly 20 minutes five laps from the finish by a 13-car accident that sent driver Michael Annett to a local hospital, where 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 Regan Smith leading as he headed out of the final turn to the checkered flag. He admittedly tried to block Brad Keselowski to preserve the win. "I tried to throw a block, 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 stands. When Larson's car came to a stop, it was missing its entire front end. The 20-year-old, who made his Daytona debut this week, stood apparently stunned, hands on his hips, several feet away from his car, before finally making the mandatory trip to the care center. He later said his first thought was with the fans. "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." He said he was along for the ride in the last-lap accident. "I was getting pushed from behind, I felt like, and by the time my spotter said lift or go low, it was too late," Larson said. "I was in the wreck and then felt like it was slowing down and I looked like I could see the ground. Had some flames come in the cockpit, but luckily I was all right and could get out of the car quick." It appeared fans were lined right along the fence when Larson's car sailed up and into it. Keselowski watched a replay of the final accident, but said his first thoughts were with the fans. As for the accident, he agreed he tried to make a winning move and Smith tried to block. "He felt like that's what he had to do, and that's his right. The chaos comes with it," Keselowski said. "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." Keselowski said the incident could cast a pall on Sunday's 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." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
|Numbers| Posted February 24, 2013 Author Report Share Posted February 24, 2013 [media]http://youtu.be/LXqi0AyEfOA[/media] Fan takes tire to the head... Lots of videos are being taken down on eyewitness accounts. Not sure how anyone can do this but photos and videos have been disappearing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
|Bunghole| Posted February 24, 2013 Report Share Posted February 24, 2013 Scary. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
|Numbers| Posted February 24, 2013 Author Report Share Posted February 24, 2013 Scary. It is scary because it could have been much worse. There were fans at the track who helped stabilize those who were hurt. The tire/rim that hit the individual below. The lady above was standing with her back turned to the accident in a photo posted in the initial post. Yes, that is an engine to her right. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Passepartout Posted February 24, 2013 Report Share Posted February 24, 2013 Concern for safety never stops now does it?! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
|Numbers| Posted February 24, 2013 Author Report Share Posted February 24, 2013 Concern for safety never stops now does it?! Concern for safety should always be present. The two critical condition patients/fans are no longer considered critical. http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nascar/2013/02/23/huge-car-crash-mars-nationwide-series-race-at-daytona/1941529/ Fans' conditions upgraded after scary crash at Daytona The fans have been upgraded from critical condition, a hospital spokesman said. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Go Skins Posted February 25, 2013 Report Share Posted February 25, 2013 I have been to Richmond International Raceway a few times, and sat in the lower portion as well as the higher portion. This is a rare sport that sitting high is a good thing, not because of safety per say, but you get a much view of everything going on. I was at the Mason basketball game Saturday afternoon so I didn't hear about this until I got home. Considering the fences are really high and curved, the fact a tire managed to clear that (and I know the fence was damaged) says a lot. It was good to see Tony Stewart was in no mood to celebrate his win after this unforunate accident. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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