Despite Crash Daytona NASCAR 500 Race Is still On

Nascar Crash Visuals

Fans feeling unsafe as soon as the horrific crash at Daytona International Speedway can change seats for NASCAR's biggest race.

Track President Joie Chitwood said Sunday workers successfully repaired an area of fence -- 54 feet wide and 22 feet high -- that's shredded Saturday when Kyle Larson's car went airborne on the final lap of a second-tier race and crashed from the barrier that separates cars from fans. Large bits of debris, such as a tire, sprayed into the upper and lower section of the stands.

The crash injured over 30 people, raising more questions about fan safety at race tracks.

Halifax Health spokesman Byron Cogdell said seven people with crash-related injuries remained hospitalized Sunday in Daytona Beach in stable condition. The six people exposed to an alternative Halifax hospital in Port Orange with crash-related injuries had all been discharged by Sunday morning, Cogdell said.

A spokeswoman at Florida Memorial Clinic may not release information Sunday on the patients exposed to that hospital.

Chitwood, meanwhile, said if any fans are uncomfortable with their up-close seating for Sunday's Daytona 500, officials work to maneuver them.

"If fans are unhappy with their seating location or if they have got any incidents, we'd relocate them," Chitwood said Sunday. "So we'll treat that area like perform every other portion of the grandstand. If your fan is just not comfortable where they're sitting, we make every accommodation we are able to."

Larry Spencer of Nanticoke, Pa., said Sunday he's not sure he really wants to ever sit that low again after his 15-year-old brother, Derrick, needed three stitches as part of his cheek after being hit by metal debris flying from your crash. They sat towards the fence Saturday, but returned for your Daytona 500 with tickets lots of rows farther away from the track.

"I thought it was just neat to determine the cars all signs that close," Spencer said. "After yesterday, though, I will definitely reconsider sitting lower anymore."

Injured Fan - Nascar Crash Visuals

The tire that flew in the stands landed a few rows above where they'd been standing. After the crash, searching in the people seriously injured, Spencer said he decided to take his brother with a hospital himself to ensure speedway crews and paramedics could focus on the people that needed more help.

"The sole method to spell out it was like a bomb discontinued, as well as the car virtually exploded," Spencer said.

Track workers finished repairs a couple of a.m. Sunday, having installed a brand new fence post, new metal meshing and the main concrete wall.

Officials decided not to rebuild the collapsed cross-over gate, allowing fans to travel involving the stands as well as the infield before races.

Daytona carries a grandstand remodel planned. Chitwood said the injuries could prompt a redesign which may include sturdier fences or stands farther away from the on-track action.

"It's challenging to connect both the today in terms of a prospective redevelopment and what occurred," Chitwood said. "We were prepared yesterday, had emergency medical respond. Once we study on this, you bet: If there are things that we can easily incorporate in to the future, be it the actual property now or another redevelopment, we're going to.

"The secret is seated with NASCAR, learning the things which happened and exactly how we take care of them."

Daytona reexamined its fencing and ended up replacing the complete thing following Carl Edwards' scary crash at Talladega Superspeedway in Alabama last year. Edwards' car sailed to the fence and spewed debris in the stands.

"We've made improvements since then," Chitwood said. "I think this is the key: that we learn from this and evaluate what else we need to do."

NASCAR plans to take what remained of Larson's sheared car along with debris back to its research and development center in Charlotte, N.C., for testing.

"We'll generate the top and brightest," said Steve O'Donnell, NASCAR's senior v . p . for racing operations. "Anything we can easily learn will probably be set up. ... Fans are our first priority. Obviously we'd like everybody safe at an event. We've spoken with the speedway. We're confident in what's available at today's event. Certainly still considering those affected, but we're confident to advance forward with this race."

The 12-car crash began because front-runners approached the checkered flag. Leader Regan Smith tried to block Brad Keselowski for that win, triggering a pileup that may happen to be much worse.

Larson's burning engine wedged via a gaping hole inside fence. Parts bobs of his car sprayed to the stands, together with a tire that cleared the top of the fence and landed midway the spectator section nearest the track.

The 20-year-old Larson stood in shock a couple of feet from his car as fans inside stands waved frantically for help. Smoke in the burning engine briefly clouded the region, and emergency vehicles descended to the picture.

Ambulance sirens could be heard wailing behind the grandstands at the same time the race winner would typically do celebratory burnouts.

Injured Fan - Nascar Crash Visuals

"It was freaky. When I looked to my right, the accident happened," Rick Harpster of Orange Park said. "I viewed and i also saw a tire fly straight over the fence to the stands, but next I didnrrrt see everything else. That's the worst thing I've come across, seeing as tire fly into the stands. I knew it was destined to be severe."

In 1987, Bobby Allison's car lifted off of the track at Talladega while running over 200 mph, careening in the steel-cable fence and scattering debris into the crowd. That crash resulted in the usage of horsepower-sapping restrictor plates at Talladega and it is sister track in Daytona, NASCAR's fastest layouts.

Therefore, the cars all run nearly the same speed, and the field is usually bunched tightly together -- which lots of drivers have warned is truly a more dangerous scenario than higher speeds.

"That's one important thing that truly does scare you," Allison said Sunday. "But it certainly is plausible due to the speeds, where these are."