nationwide crash

[jw33]

He done blowed up.

[MattB]

Two fans in critical but stable condition, no life threatening injuries. The 500 today is gonna be wild. The wind buffeting between the cars is nuts. I predict a wild crash in the mid-late stages of the race that makes that one look tame....

[racrguy]

Looks like it hit the fence right at the gate and that helped shear the nose of the car off.

[Grape]

I predict nascar has really stepped in it this time. Nascar used to allow the teams to build their own chassis from scratch. Then gary nelson talked nascar into controlling the car of tomorrow by making teams purchase the "chassis kit" from nascar. Then the chassis is approved at the tech center via an inspection process, after the teams weld them together. When you mandate safety items or production process it becomes your ass when a catastrophic failure occurs. Nascar requires a $4k automatic fire extenguisher system that failed to put kyle busch's car out when he spewed an engine, so where is the recourse?

[Couver]

I predict nascar has really stepped in it this time. Nascar used to allow the teams to build their own chassis from scratch. Then gary nelson talked nascar into controlling the car of tomorrow by making teams purchase the "chassis kit" from nascar. Then the chassis is approved at the tech center via an inspection process, after the teams weld them together. When you mandate safety items or production process it becomes your ass when a catastrophic failure occurs. Nascar requires a $4k automatic fire extenguisher system that failed to put kyle busch's car out when he spewed an engine, so where is the recourse?

Until somebody sues (teams wise) I doubt there will be much backlash.

NASCAR is the ultimate in "If you don't like it suck it" they have managed to set up the ultimate dictatorship. The head honchos set the rules and own a lot of the tracks. If you are a track owner they will cut your date. If you are a team they won't let you run. Their only goal is to appease the media and not piss off the fans.

[strokn88lx]

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ftZ94fIpjH8&feature=youtube_gdata_player[/ame]

[Grape]

Until somebody sues (teams wise) I doubt there will be much backlash.

NASCAR is the ultimate in "If you don't like it suck it" they have managed to set up the ultimate dictatorship. The head honchos set the rules and own a lot of the tracks. If you are a track owner they will cut your date. If you are a team they won't let you run. Their only goal is to appease the media and not piss off the fans.

Grape why the ninja edit?

Didnt feel garys personal issues were relevant...

[Couver]

Grape edited in kind...

[talisman]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ftZ94...e_gdata_player

I would NOT want to get hit with a flying wheel. Damn. Hope that guy is okay; looks like the 2 critical condition patients have improved. From Jalopnik:


Everything We Know About Saturday's Horrific NASCAR Crash At Daytona

As we reported earlier, yesterday's opening NASCAR Nationwide Cup race at the Daytona International Speedway ended with one of the most terrible crashes in recent motorsports history when debris from one of the race cars flew into the stands and injured dozens of fans. Here's everything we know as of this morning.

What happened exactly? The crash occurred as the cars were approaching the checkered flag of the DRIVE4COPD 300. Race leader Regan Smith attempted to block Brad Keselowski from passing in order to preserve his win. Smith's car spun out, creating a chain reaction wreck involving about a dozen drivers, including Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Kyle Larson. The car driven by Larson -- a 20-year-old rookie running his first-ever Nationwide race -- was launched toward the fence, ultimately raining debris onto the spectators.

Tony Stewart won the race but was in no mood to celebrate, understandably.

From Jenna Fryer at the Associated Press:

The entire front end was sheared off Larson's car, and his burning engine wedged through a gaping hole in the fence. Chunks of debris from the car were thrown 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 several yards away 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.
Fryer also reported that the car appeared to hit the cross-over gate, which has been tied to other severe crashes in the past.

How many people were hurt? Late last night Fryer reported at least 33 people were injured. Race officials at a press conference said 28, but local hospital authorities put the numbers slightly higher, she reported. At least 19 were taken to area hospitals. Speedway President Joie Chitwood said 14 fans were treated at the track.

Last night USA Today's Jeff Gluck reported that two fans were in critical condition, including one child and one person with life-threatening injuries due to head trauma. This morning Gluck tweeted that those patients are no longer critical, according to hospital officials. Some good news there.

Was anyone killed? As of this writing, thankfully not. We, along with everyone else, have our fingers crossed that it will stay that way.

Were any drivers injured? Larson walked away from the crash, which is kind of incredible considering the damage done to his car. (A forklift had to be used to extract his engine from the fence.) He was not hurt. Another driver, Michael Annett, was hospitalized overnight for observation after he complained of chest pains.

Will today's Daytona 500 still happen? Yes, the Sprint Cup race is scheduled to start today at noon (Eastern time) and will be broadcast on FOX, although we can certainly expect Saturday's events to cast a pall over today's race.

What about the fence and the track? Repairs are being made for today's race. The damaged section of the fence was set to be taken down and replaced, Chitwood said at yesterday's press conference. The cross-over gate won't be put back in place, just more fences. Race officials are expected to give an update on the fixes this morning before the Daytona 500.

[ceyko]

Remind me to go to racing events, sit under the stands with a periscope and cage around me.

[Vertnut]

At Green Valley in the late '70's, I saw a flywheel/clutch cut through the stands like a buzz saw run amok. It happened about 25 yards down the track from me, and it was nasty. No one was killed, but a lot of minor injuries. I can't imagine all the injuries from that amount of debris.

[4bangen]

people forget that nascar is still a 3000lb car going almost 200mph 15ft from a crowd of drunk people. Shit will go wrong. I doubt this will hurt there sales, but Obama may ban assault nascars!

[4bangen]

glad nobody got dead.

[talisman]

Nascar tried to have that fan made video removed from YouTube, claiming copyright infringement. Jackasses.

[Binky]

Looking closer, wasn't just the tire - it was the whole assembly.