Ten-Car Crash At Daytona Track Injures 29

 At least 28 fans and one driver were injured after a 10-car crash at the Daytona Speedway when debris flew into the crowd.

The pile-up appeared to begin at the end of the Nationwide NASCAR race when racer Regan Smith was turned sideways and took several competitors behind him in a pack.

Competitor Kyle Larson's car was sent airborne and then careered into the catch-fencing, tearing a hole in the fence while his engine sheared off with at least one tyre and other debris flying into the stands.

He climbed out of the wreckage afterwards unscathed.

Race officials said 14 fans were taken to hospital, with another 14 being treated on the scene at the Florida track.

Driver Michael Annett, of the Richard Petty Motorsports team, was being treated in hospital for bruising on his chest, his team said in a statement.

The Nationwide race is a curtain-raiser for American stock car racing's biggest event, the Daytona 500, which will still go ahead.

Driver Tony Stewart won the race, but skipped the traditional post-race victory celebration because of the dramatic turn of events.

NASCAR president Mike Helton told cable TV network ESPN: "There was obviously some intrusion into the fence, and fortunately with the way the events are equipped, there was plenty of emergency workers ready to go. They all jumped on it pretty quickly.                

"We've always known since racing started this is a dangerous sport."

Spectator Shannan Devine, who witnessed the crash from about 250 feet away, said: "I love the sport. I love the speed of the sport. But no one wants to get hurt over it."