NASCAR Senior VP/Racing Operations Steve O’Donnell said repairs to the safety fence at Daytona Int'l Speedway were completed around 1:00am ET this morning following a 13-car wreck in yesterday's Nationwide Series race (“NASCAR Now,” ESPN2, 2/24). At least 28 fans were hurt, including at least two critically, when the front of Kyle Larson's No. 32 car "broke away and an engine, tire and other debris flew ... into the grandstands." DIS President Joie Chitwood said that 14 fans "were taken to three area hospitals” (Daytona Beach NEWS-JOURNAL, 2/24). Chitwood said that if any fans during today's Daytona 500 are "uncomfortable with their up-close seating ... officials will work to move them" (AP, 2/24).
A video of the wreck was “shot by a fan and uploaded almost immediately to YouTube,” but it “just as quickly ... was taken down from YouTube at Nascar’s request, citing copyright concerns.” NASCAR Senior VP & CMO Steve Phelps said the video was blocked “out of respect for those injured in today’s accident.” But not more than “a few hours later, the video in question has been unblocked” (ALLTHINGSD.com, 2/23).
