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NASCAR: Earnhardt wins race marred by horrific crash

It was into the early hours of the morning, on July 6, 2015, that the checkered flag waved overhead as Dale Earnhardt Jr. crossed the finish line on the Coke Zero 400 Powered by Coca-Cola, a race that withstood a 3 1/2-hour rain delay to get started, nine caution periods and four major crashes, the final of which saw Austin Dillon’s car go airborne into the catch fence just after the race ended.
Dillon had finished seventh and was slowing down when he was tapped by third-place finisher Denny Hamlin. Dillon’s car hit another car which caused it to lift off the track and sail into the catch fence on the outside of Turn 1. The car slid back across traffic and, as it sat on its roof on the inside of the track, it was hit again and spun a few more times. It was a wild ride.
“I was pushing the 24 (Jeff Gordon), the people behind me was pushing. It’s just a wad right there at the end and that’s why these speedway races end and you’re just praying and hoping that you get through it at the end,” Dillon said after being cleared by NASCAR medical staff and released from the infield care center with a bruised tailbone and forearm. “It’s just part of racing.”
Dillon’s car was send flying, vaulting over two rows of vehicles, and crashing into the catch fence. Crews from other teams raced to Austin’s mangled car sat on its roof. Moments later, Austin crawled out of the wreck and waved to the crowd. Dillon said it all happened so fast that he barely had time to hang on.
“It was very vicious. I was swishing around in there,” he said. “I held on to the steering wheel as hard as I could. I am sure I’m going to find more bumps and bruises by the end of the week, but right now I feel alright.”
Race winner Earnhardt Jr. only caught the events unfolding behind him in his rear-view mirror, but called the accident “real frightening,” as he saw Dillon’s car hit the fence.
“I could just see that it was a black object hit that fence, and so I’m assuming I’m looking at the undercarriage of the car,” Earnhardt said. “I didn’t care about anything except for just figuring out who was okay.”
Earnhardt said that he didn’t even know who car it was and that he was “very scared for that person.” He added that his mind immediately jumped to the worst-case scenario.
“It was real frightening,” said Earnhardt. “I mean, you’re just on the verge of tears, to be honest with you. I mean, the racing doesn’t matter anymore.”
It was the second win of the season for Earnhardt, but, despite starting the race on the pole, he said it was not an easy victory by any means.
“We ran very fast. I had to block a lot, get a lot of pushes from everybody. I had to run real hard to win this race here,” he said. “I had a lot of fun tonight.”
Earnhardt’s teammate Jimmie Johnson ended the race in second and Hamlin was third. Though happy with the result, Johnson’s mind was elsewhere after the race. He said he was expecting bad news.
“Happy to be 1-2, but clearly thinking about the accident that happened and the people in the stands,” he said. “I am shocked Austin Dillon is even alive (after) what he went through. Just a frightening moment.”
The inclement weather that plagued the weekend’s events hit the Coke Zero 400 hard. The race, which had been scheduled to start just after 8 PM local time, didn’t get going until approximately 11:30 PM due to the rain.
Reigning Sprint Cup Series champion Kevin Harvick leads the drivers standings, 63 points ahead of Earnhardt and 67 up on Johnston.
The Quaker State 400 Presented by Advance Auto Parts is the next race on the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series schedule. The race runs under the lights at Kentucky Speedway on July 11, 2015.

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