Fans injured after car hits fence during Nationwide race

* NATIONWIDE

At least 30 NASCAR fans were injured Saturday when a car sailed into the fence at Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Fla., and large chunks of debris - including a tire - flew into the grandstands. No fatalities were reported from the accident on the last lap of the Nationwide Series DRIVE4COPD 300.

The crash began as the field closed in on the finish line, and rookie Kyle Larson's car came upon the wreck and went airborne into the fence that separates the track from the seats.

Large chunks of Larson's car landed in the grandstands, and one of his tires appeared to fly over the fence and land midway up the lower section. The car itself had its entire front end sheared off, with the burning engine wedged through a gaping hole in the fence.

Speedway President Joie Chitwood said 14 fans were treated on site, and 14 others were taken to hospitals. Chitwood didn't give any updates on their conditions.

The number of those transported given by Chitwood was slightly lower than that given by local officials.

Halifax Health spokesman Byron Cogdell said 12 people were transported to Halifax Health Medical Center in Daytona Beach and six others were taken to Halifax Health Medical Center of Port Orange. All were in stable condition, Cogdell said.

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 three others they had been expecting were diverted to another hospital.

No fatalities were reported at either hospital. Cogdell said two people taken to the Halifax in Daytona Beach arrived in critical condition, and one of those had life-threatening injuries, both were upgraded to stable condition.

Daytona workers could be seen repairing the large section of fence where Larson hit, as well as the wall that was damaged in the accident.

"First and foremost our thoughts and prayers are with our race fans," Chitwood said. "Following the incident we responded appropriately according to our safety protocols, and had emergency medical personnel at the incident immediately.

"We're in the process of repairing the facility and will be ready to go racing tomorrow."

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.

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 for nearly 20 minutes five laps from the finish by a 13-car accident that sent driver Michael Annett to a 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 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."

At Daytona International Speedway

Daytona Beach, Fla.

Lap length: 2.5 miles

(Start position in parentheses)

1. (10) Tony Stewart, Chevrolet, 120 laps, 88.8 rating, 0 points, $109,220.

2. (2) Sam Hornish Jr., Ford, 120, 82.6, 42, $99,378.

3. (8) Alex Bowman, Toyota, 120, 89.8, 41, $85,603.

4. (13) Dale Earnhardt Jr., Chevrolet, 120, 98, 0, $68,635.

5. (3) Parker Kligerman, Toyota, 120, 85.6, 40, $69,838.

6. (29) Brian Scott, Chevrolet, 120, 74.4, 39, $64,013.

7. (14) Justin Allgaier, Chevrolet, 120, 100.1, 38, $61,713.

8. (28) Eric McClure, Toyota, 120, 75.3, 37, $60,638.

9. (30) Robert Richardson Jr., Chevrolet, 120, 63.4, 35, $59,388.

10. (4) Travis Pastrana, Ford, 120, 65.9, 34, $59,713.

11. (17) Nelson Piquet Jr., Chevrolet, 120, 62.5, 33, $57,338.

12. (11) Brad Keselowski, Ford, 120, 85.2, 0, $50,495.

13. (21) Kyle Larson, Chevrolet, 120, 83, 32, $56,488.

14. (15) Regan Smith, Chevrolet, 120, 93.8, 32, $51,995.

15. (6) Elliott Sadler, Toyota, 120, 112, 30, $57,538.

16. (9) Matt Kenseth, Toyota, 120, 104.4, 0, $51,095.

17. (27) Mike Harmon, Dodge, 120, 41.4, 28, $55,413.

18. (33) Joe Nemechek, Toyota, 120, 86.9, 26, $55,188.

19. (20) Brian Vickers, Toyota, 118, 79.2, 26, $48,595.

20. (19) Kasey Kahne, Chevrolet, 118, 95, 0, $49,145.

21. (5) Austin Dillon, Chevrolet, 117, 64.7, 23, $54,813.

22. (31) Jeffrey Earnhardt, Ford, accident, 116, 52.7, 23, $55,088.

23. (26) Mike Bliss, Toyota, accident, 116, 45.1, 22, $54,513.

24. (35) Jason White, Toyota, accident, 116, 56.1, 20, $54,388.

25. (38) Danny Efland, Chevrolet, accident, 116, 49.7, 20, $54,713.

26. (22) Michael Annett, Ford, accident, 115, 76.7, 18, $54,113.

27. (25) Johanna Long, Chevrolet, accident, 115, 68.6, 17, $54,013.

28. (32) Hal Martin, Toyota, accident, 115, 38.8, 16, $53,913.

29. (18) Jamie Dick, Chevrolet, accident, 115, 48.3, 15, $47,345.

30. (39) Reed Sorenson, Chevrolet, engine, 102, 58, 14, $53,988.

31. (1) Trevor Bayne, Ford, 101, 82, 14, $57,413.

32. (7) Kyle Busch, Toyota, engine, 100, 106.7, 0, $46,970.

33. (37) Jeremy Clements, Chevrolet, oil line, 88, 38.7, 11, $53,388.

34. (23) Mike Wallace, Chevrolet, 87, 70.2, 10, $53,338.

35. (40) Kurt Busch, Chevrolet, accident, 65, 80.6, 0, $46,702.

36. (12) Danica Patrick, Chevrolet, engine, 31, 71.1, 0, $42,185.

37. (36) Juan Carlos Blum, Ford, accident, 30, 26.6, 7, $42,120.

38. (34) Blake Koch, Toyota, overheating, 14, 29.1, 6, $42,059.

39. (24) Scott Lagasse Jr., Chevrolet, accident, 7, 28.7, 5, $40,960.

40. (16) Jeff Green, Toyota, vibration, 4, 25.4, 4, $40,910.

Top 10 in Points: 1. S.Hornish Jr., 42; 2. A.Bowman, 41; 3. P.Kligerman, 40; 4. B.Scott, 39; 5. J.Allgaier, 38; 6. E.McClure, 37; 7. R.Richardson Jr., 35; 8. T.Pastrana, 34; 9. N.Piquet Jr., 33; 10. K.Larson, 32.

* SPRINT CUP

Quiet most of Speedweeks, Dale Earnhardt Jr. made a little noise.

Earnhardt topped the speed chart for the final practice session before today's season-opening Daytona 500 (9 a.m., KAYU).

The 2004 Daytona 500 champion turned the fast lap by averaging 198.592 mph around the 2? -mile superspeedway. David Gilliland was second, followed by Clint Bowyer, Marcos Ambrose and Aric Almirola.

Pole-sitter Danica Patrick and Stewart-Haas Racing teammate Tony Stewart were among 10 drivers who skipped the 1? -hour final tuneup. Patrick is trying to become the first driver win the Daytona 500 from the pole since Dale Jarrett in 2000. Only nine drivers have accomplished the feat in 54 years.

Daytona 500 Lineup

Race today

At Daytona International Speedway

Daytona Beach, Fla.

Lap length: 2.5 miles

(Car number in parentheses)

1. (10) Danica Patrick, Chevrolet, 196.434 mph.

2. (24) Jeff Gordon, Chevrolet, 196.292.

3. (29) Kevin Harvick, Chevrolet, 194.742.

4. (18) Kyle Busch, Toyota, 195.767.

5. (16) Greg Biffle, Ford, 194.729.

6. (5) Kasey Kahne, Chevrolet, 195.852.

7. (42) Juan Pablo Montoya, Chevrolet, 195.508.

8. (33) Austin Dillon, Chevrolet, 195.385.

9. (48) Jimmie Johnson, Chevrolet, 195.084.

10. (15) Clint Bowyer, Toyota, 195.228.

11. (78) Kurt Busch, Chevrolet, 193.657.

12. (20) Matt Kenseth, Toyota, 195.725.

13. (14) Tony Stewart, Chevrolet, 195.925.

14. (55) Mark Martin, Toyota, 194.683.

15. (2) Brad Keselowski, Ford, 194.961.

16. (27) Paul Menard, Chevrolet, 195.503.

17. (13) Casey Mears, Ford, 195.495.

18. (31) Jeff Burton, Chevrolet, 195.156.

19. (88) Dale Earnhardt Jr., Chevrolet, 195.584.

20. (1) Jamie McMurray, Chevrolet, 195.042.

21. (22) Joey Logano, Ford, 195.767.

22. (34) David Ragan, Ford, 194.616.

23. (47) Bobby Labonte, Toyota, 192.563.

24. (9) Marcos Ambrose, Ford, 194.793.

25. (38) David Gilliland, Ford, 194.654.

26. (43) Aric Almirola, Ford, 194.742.

27. (87) Joe Nemechek, Toyota, 190.046.

28. (17) Ricky Stenhouse Jr., Ford, 195.537.

29. (26) Michael Waltrip, Toyota, 194.313.

30. (7) Dave Blaney, Chevrolet, 192.996.

31. (95) Scott Speed, Ford, 193.54.

32. (35) Josh Wise, Ford, 194.254.

33. (21) Trevor Bayne, Ford, 195.976.

34. (39) Ryan Newman, Chevrolet, 195.946.

35. (11) Denny Hamlin, Toyota, 195.771.

36. (99) Carl Edwards, Ford, 195.24.

37. (56) Martin Truex Jr., Toyota, 195.207.

38. (98) Michael McDowell, Ford, 193.544.

39. (32) Terry Labonte, Ford, 193.515.

40. (51) Regan Smith, Chevrolet, 193.096.

41. (36) J.J. Yeley, Chevrolet, 192.094.

42. (83) David Reutimann, Toyota, 190.339.

43. (93) Travis Kvapil, Toyota, 190.142.

n Failed to Qualify

44. (52) Brian Keselowski, Toyota, 183.876.

45. (19) Mike Bliss, Toyota, 189.438.