NASCAR and YouTube fan videos / At left is the race to the checkered flag in the Nationwide series race at Daytona International Speedway resulted in a horrific crash that sent debris flying into the stands. The raw footage shot by a fan in the video at right has dramatic footage of the tire striking a fan.
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. -- "Holy (expletive)! Oh my God," a fan yells as a fellow fan is struck by a tire in the grandstands at Daytona International Speedway on the final lap of the Nationwide Race on Saturday.
The tire isn't seen until it has landed and then fans are shown waving the hands to track officials and pleading for help for the injured fan.
The unidentified fan was among 28 people injured in the grandstands by flying debris from a car that was involved in a crash and broke apart on the final homestretch of the race won by Tony Stewart.
Speedway president Joie Chitwood reported 14 of the injured spectators were transported by ambulance to Halifax Health Medical Center and 14 others with minor injuries were treated in the infield care center.
The video at left has track officials reacting to the crash. The video at right is dramatic raw footage shot by a fan in the front-stretch seats where the injuries occurred from flying debris from a car that snapped in half.
The injuries were the result of debris that came off Kyle Larson's car, which literally flew into the front-stretch catch fencing, shearing off the motor and leaving large chunks in the fence. Among the flying debris was a tire.
Larson escaped unscathed from what was left of his race car, expressing concern for the fans: "I hope all the fans are OK. I took a couple of big hits and saw my engine was gone."
Though Stewart won for 19th time at Daytona and seventh time in the last nine season-opening Nationwide races, he was not in a celebratory mood, skipping the traditional post-race victory celebration.
"The important thing is what's going on on the front stretch right now," the three-time NASCAR champion later said. "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."
Fortunately, nobody died and the fence was fixed overnight for the start of Sunday's Great American Race -- the Daytona 500.
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Getty Images / DIS / Headline Surfer / Jimmie Johnson took the checkered flag in the Daytona 500, with pole winner Danica Patrick becoming the first female driver to lead a lap at Daytona International Speedway.
Johnson, the five-time NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Champion won his second 500; the first one coming in 2006. He started ninth both times.
"I’m a very lucky man to have won it twice and (I am) honored to be on that trophy with all of those great names,” Johnson said in Victory Lane."
;Chad Knaus and all of Hendrick Motorsports had me (in) a fast car and I could really stay up front all day long," Johnson continued. I had a lot of confidence in the final few laps leading the train, so I knew just how fast the car was."
The 55th annual Daytona 500 was Johnson’s 400th career start. Hendrick Motorsports teammate Dale Earnhardt, Jr. finished second after restarting eighth following the race’s fifth caution.
The 55th annual Daytona 500 was Johnson’s 400th career start. Hendrick Motorsports teammate Dale Earnhardt, Jr. finished second after restarting eighth following the race’s fifth caution.
Earnhardt, in his No. 88 National Guard Chevrolet, charged through the field on the white-flag lap and helped catapult his teammate to victory
If you missed the Daytona 500, you can see highlights here by clicking the video.
Mark Martin, competing in his 29th Daytona 500 and 55th race at Daytona, piloted the No. 55 Aaron’s Dream Machine Toyota to a third-place finish. Martin moved up from the 10th spot in the final eight laps.
The season-opening win by Johnson in the No. 48 Lowe’s car gives Chevrolet its 42nd Daytona 500 victory; the most by a manufacturer.
Additionally, it gives Rick Hendrick his seventh Daytona 500 victory as an owner.
Multimedia: Headline Surfer video package from the Daytona 500