In February 2013, more than 30 NASCAR fans were injured after a crash at a Nationwide Series event at Daytona International Speedway sent then-rookie driver Kyle Larson’s car airborne before it struck the frontstretch catchfence. Larson’s car hit the protective barricade with such force, according to Sporting News, that the gate buckled, tearing the front of the vehicle apart and sending a wheel assembly, the front wheels, and other engine parts flying into the crowd. There were no reported fatalities, according to the Sporting News.
The matters have been amicably resolved.
After the incident, some of the injured fans called Morgan & Morgan. This week, more than a year after the crash, nine have settled claims with Daytona International Speedway thanks to the help of attorney Andrew Felix.
“The matters have been amicably resolved,” Felix said.
Twelve cars were involved in the wreck, which cast some doubt as to whether the sport’s most prolific race, the Daytona 500, would still take place the next day due to the extensive damage caused to the track and concerns about spectator safety. After the crash, Speedway president Joie Chitwood said, 14 fans were taken to local hospitals, while 14 others were treated at the infield medical center on site.
Lenny Santiago, a spokesman for Daytona’s parent company, International Speedway Corp. (ISC), said that although ISC has resolved claims from individuals represented by Morgan & Morgan, a few other still remain, the details of which could not be discussed due to privacy concerns.
According to NASCAR sanction agreements filed by Dover International Speedway in Delaware with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, racetracks are mandated to carry at least $50 million in liability insurance to accidents that may involved crowd members. ISC, according to the Sporting News’ report, had a $1.5 million deductible on its insurance policy for accidents such as the one that occurred at Daytona last year.
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