Twenty Eight Injured in Nascar Car Wreck

The Daytona Nationwide Series, a second-tier race held on the eve of the Daytona 500 on Saturday, February 23, was the site of a horrific vehicular accident that led to the injuries of 28 NASCAR fans. At least two fans were in critical condition as of Monday.

About the crash

The dramatic pile-up occurred on the last lap of a tightly contested race. Race leader Regan Smith cut in to block runner-up Brad Keselowski in a dangerous play to keep the win. Keselowski cut sharply to the side to avoid a collision, which caused about a dozen cars behind him to cut similarly in a chain reaction. Daytona rookie Kyle Larson, 20, didn’t turn in time and hit Keselowski’s vehicle in front of him. Larson’s car went airborne and collided with the fence separating the race track from the stands.

The fence partially collapsed, injuring the fans sitting in front of it. Fans were also injured by chunks of burning debris including tires, transmission components and pieces of the car’s fiberglass body. No drivers were injured because the vehicles’ driver cages are designed to withstand significant impacts.

Legal implications

It is unclear who was to blame or who will be sued in a case like this, where dangerous driving is more common due to the professional nature of the sport. People with significant medical bills from auto accidents such as this one often seek the assistance of lawyers with a Houston accident law firm for help receiving financial compensation. The trick is figuring out who is responsible.

For his part, Regan Smith went on to win the race though Keselowski’s vehicle was damaged in the accident. Keselowski doesn’t hold a grudge, stating that he “tried to make a winning move” at the end of the race and that Smith “tried to block it.” Both were completely legitimate racing maneuvers. He added that the injured fans’ conditions were “first and foremost” in his mind. However, the Daytona stadium could be held liable for the fans’ injuries. Only time will tell if lawsuits are to be had.