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Come Fan with UsSaturday, June 20, 2026

Crash during Daytona Nationwide race sends debris into crowd

The front end of a car was sheared off, landing in the catch fence in the stands.

As cars were barreling toward the checkered flag for the finish of the DRIVE4COPD 300 Nationwide Series race at Daytona International Speedway, a wild wreck ensued that saw Kyle Larson flip wildly into the front stretch grandstand.

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The accident was so violent that the engine of Larson’s Chevrolet ended up in the grandstand itself, smoldering and on fire.

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At the time of the incident, the leaders were running three-wide as they had done for the majority of the afternoon and contact from another car turned Larson into the wall and into the path of the field.

Larson was able to walk away unscathed, but there is no word on whether any spectators were injured in the aftermath. Jeff Gluck reports medical personnel were working on fans in the grandstands:

Tony Stewart went on to win the season-opening race for the seventh time in his career, which moved him into a tie with the late Dale Earnhardt for most Nationwide victories at Daytona.

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