VOLUSIA COUNTY, Fla. - Racing at Volusia Speedway Park continued Monday night as cars whipped past Turn 2, which was the spot of Sunday night’s crash that sent three fans to the hospital.
The three spectators were injured when a sprint car flipped off the dirt track and into the crowd, the Volusia County Sheriff’s Office said.
The car, driven by Dale Blaney, hit a 6-foot high embankment shortly before 9:30 p.m. while approaching turn one during a DIRTcar Nationals World of Outlaws event, deputies said.
Race fans were seen scattering as the car barreled through a fence, hitting three people.
"When those (cars) get flipping and go over the fence, it's to each your own, run," said Bruce Weber.
The area of the crash remained closed for repairs, despite reports that some drivers expressed concerns about the dirt track being slippery. Volusia Speedway Park speedway officials said conditions were good and no one complained.
A spokesperson said in a statement that officials will, “continue to evaluate safety and do whatever necessary to ensure the safest environment for everyone.”
"[It] looked like they had one car bump into another car," a fan said. "One went up and over the fence, another went up onto the embankment and one went down the side rail."
Michael Brooks, 68, was flown and Kelly Kovski, 35, and Gary Streek were taken by ambulance to Halifax Health Medical Center in Daytona Beach for treatment.
Brooks was critically injured and Kovski is in stable condition, deputies said.
Streek, of the United Kingdom, was released from the hospital, race officials said in a statement.
“We would like to extend a thank you for everyone's thoughts and prayers for the three participants injured,” the statement said.
A relative visiting Streek in the hospital was also treated for “discomfort,” officials said.
Sunday's crash was the second such incident in four days. On Wednesday, a race car flipped several times before landing in the empty stands. Witnesses rushed over to help bystanders.
"Those things move fast. It's just one of those things that happened and nobody likes to see it," Weber said.
Park officials said prior to Sunday's incident, the safety measures in place at the speedway have done their job. Officials said that no race compromised a catch fence at the speedway under its current ownership since 2005. Officials said in a statement that "safety arrangement in Turns 1 and 2 at Volusia Speedway Park includes an earthen reinforced steel guardrail on the racing surface, a buffer area and a cable reinforced steel catch fence."
Officials said the catch fence near Turn 2 will be closed the next six nights while repairs are made.
"Our thoughts and prayers are with the members of our racing family injured Sunday night, and we are encouraged by the reports of the excellent care they are receiving at Halifax," said Brian Carter, CEO of Volusia Speedway Park. "We have implemented additional safety measures and are very proud of our emergency medical personnel and their response to the incident."
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