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Crashes during a NASCAR race are events measured in the number of cars involved. The competition even has a name for such events that involve more than five cars: the Big One.
This weekend’s Daytona 500 had one of the biggest Big Ones in the season with 10 laps left to go, as 21 cars got caught in a spark-filled pileup caused by Paul Menard.
Menard, who was drafting behind Matt DiBenedetto, clipped the car in front and sent it veering to the left, onto the incoming racers. Given the close proximity of between the cars, in the span of just about 10 seconds or so most of the cars behind the top three were caught in the skirmish.
As per media reports, no one was injured during the spectacular collision. Still, the high number of cars involved called for the red flag to be thrown and it took more than 30 minutes for things to get back on track.
Menard admitted the blame for the incident.
“It was go time, and I was pushing the 95 [Matt DiBenedetto] and it looked like he was trying to get to the middle and I started trying to get to the outside and just barely hooked him. Yeah, that was my bad. I wrecked a lot of cars. I feel bad about that,” he said according to Fox News.
Denny Hamlin was at the front of the pack when carnage ensued from the fourth position down, so he was safe from the damage caused by Menard.
Caught in the pack of cars spinning out of control behind Hamlin were Ryan Blaney, Aric Almirola, and defending Daytona 500 champion Austin Dillon, all credited with a decent shot at taking this year’s Daytona.
It wasn’t meant to be for them, and Hamlin raced on to get his second win at the Great American race, following a decent battle with runner up Kyle Busch.
Menard, who was drafting behind Matt DiBenedetto, clipped the car in front and sent it veering to the left, onto the incoming racers. Given the close proximity of between the cars, in the span of just about 10 seconds or so most of the cars behind the top three were caught in the skirmish.
As per media reports, no one was injured during the spectacular collision. Still, the high number of cars involved called for the red flag to be thrown and it took more than 30 minutes for things to get back on track.
Menard admitted the blame for the incident.
“It was go time, and I was pushing the 95 [Matt DiBenedetto] and it looked like he was trying to get to the middle and I started trying to get to the outside and just barely hooked him. Yeah, that was my bad. I wrecked a lot of cars. I feel bad about that,” he said according to Fox News.
Denny Hamlin was at the front of the pack when carnage ensued from the fourth position down, so he was safe from the damage caused by Menard.
Caught in the pack of cars spinning out of control behind Hamlin were Ryan Blaney, Aric Almirola, and defending Daytona 500 champion Austin Dillon, all credited with a decent shot at taking this year’s Daytona.
It wasn’t meant to be for them, and Hamlin raced on to get his second win at the Great American race, following a decent battle with runner up Kyle Busch.
WELP pic.twitter.com/09xqeRkCkC
— FOX: NASCAR (@NASCARONFOX) 17 februarie 2019
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