Horrific crash ends NASCAR race at Daytona

DAYTONA BEACH, FL - JULY 06: Austin Dillon, driver of the #3 Bass Pro Shops Chevrolet, is involved in an on-track incident following the checkered flag during the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Coke Zero 400 Powered by Coca-Cola at Daytona International Speedway on July 6, 2015 in Daytona Beach, Florida. (Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images)
DAYTONA BEACH, FL - JULY 06:  Austin Dillon, driver of the #3 Bass Pro Shops Chevrolet, is involved in an on-track incident following the checkered flag during the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Coke Zero 400 Powered by Coca-Cola at Daytona International Speedway on July 6, 2015 in Daytona Beach, Florida.  (Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images)
DAYTONA BEACH, FL – JULY 06: Austin Dillon, driver of the #3 Bass Pro Shops Chevrolet, is involved in an on-track incident following the checkered flag during the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Coke Zero 400 Powered by Coca-Cola at Daytona International Speedway on July 6, 2015 in Daytona Beach, Florida. (Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images)

A horrific crash ended a race that saw many big crashes early Monday morning.  The NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Coke Zero 400 had been delayed by rain for three and a half hours.  It started near midnight on Sunday and ended at 2:41 a.m. ET Monday morning. There were three big crashes during the race, but the final three laps sprint to the finish ended in a crash that sent the Chevy of driver Austin Dillon airborne just past the start-finish line.  The car went into the catch fence stopping from nearly 190 miles per hour almost instantly the car exploded sending debris in every direction and injuring several fans.

The crash happened as race winner Dale Earnhardt Jr. crossed the finish line being perused by teammate Jimmie Johnson. MORE>>>

Greg Engle
About Greg Engle 7421 Articles
Greg is a published award winning sportswriter who spent 23 years combined active and active reserve military service, much of that in and around the Special Operations community. Greg is the author of "The Nuts and Bolts of NASCAR: The Definitive Viewers' Guide to Big-Time Stock Car Auto Racing" and has been published in major publications across the country including the Los Angeles Times, the Cleveland Plain Dealer and the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. He was also a contributor to Chicken Soup for the NASCAR Soul, published in 2010, and the Christmas edition in 2016. He wrote as the NASCAR, Formula 1, Auto Reviews and National Veterans Affairs Examiner for Examiner.com and has appeared on Fox News. He holds a BS degree in communications, a Masters degree in psychology and is currently a PhD candidate majoring in psychology. He is currently the weekend Motorsports Editor for Autoweek.