The Crash That Changed Daytona 500 Forever

One of the world's biggest spectator sports is race car driving, which is comprised of numerous different types from single-seater racing, like formula cars, and open-wheel racing, like the Indy 500, to closed cockpit racing, like NASCAR. Each event has its own series of races conducted at different times throughout the year. While most races are well-known by fans of the sport, other races are famous to both fans and non-fans alike.

One of those races is the Daytona 500, considered the pinnacle of stock car racing in North America and the world, and is only rivaled by the Indy 500. The Daytona 500 in Daytona Beach, Florida, is the season-opening event for the NASCAR Cup Series and has been held at the Daytona International Speedway every February since its inception in 1959.

Dubbed "the Great American Race," it has been won by Richard Petty seven times, followed by Cale Yarborough with four victories. While some of driving's best have enjoyed success at Daytona, however, the race has also witnessed spectacular crack-ups and tragedies. (For information on the other major annual auto race, see Indy 500 drivers with the most wins.)

To find the most devastating crashes in the history of the Daytona 500, 24/7 Tempo consulted videos from YouTube, Fox Sports, and various auto-racing media such as Motor Digestand various general-interest media to compile its list. There have been other wrecks at the Daytona track besides those during the famed 500 race, but we focused just on accidents that occurred during the Great American Race.

The Daytona 500 is one of America's best-attended sports events. While many go to appreciate the skills of the drivers motoring at speeds of nearly 200 mph, some attend hoping to see "the big one" – a massive pileup of vehicles. Sometimes, though, the crashes have tragic results. (You might have seen a tragedy of a different sort if you tuned in to watch Ingrid Andress perform the National Anthem at this year's MLB Home Run Derby.)

A chain reaction of accidents in the 1961 race put Lee Petty, father of NASCAR star Richard Petty, in a coma for four days. Then, in 2001, a terrible wreck claimed the life of racing legend Dale Earnhardt Sr. in 2001.Pileups involving too many cars forced NASCAR to limit the number of vehicles, and tragedies involving car fires forced the organization to require drivers to wear fire-retardant clothing.

Horrific wrecks also have prompted NASCAR to install protective nets in all its racing cars for the safety of drivers and spectators alike.

• Race: Daytona Modified Sportsman Race
• Driver(s) involved: Junior Johnson, Ralph Earnhardt, and Edward Glenn "Fireball" Roberts

This race had 73 cars lined up at the start. Less than two minutes into the race, with future legends Johnson, Earnhardt, and Roberts in the field, the famed wreck occurred on the fourth turn of the first lap. It's been called the worst wreck in NASCAR history, but amazingly there were no fatalities, just some minor injuries.

• Driver(s) involved: Lee Petty, Banjo Matthews, Johnny Beauchamp

At the Daytona International Speedway, the field was running qualifying races used to determine the starting order for the 500. While leading the field, Banjo Matthews spun out, which started a chain reaction of accidents. Johnny Beauchamp clipped the back of Petty's vehicle, sending both cars up the track.

They hit a guardrail, went through it, and both cars left the track. The two cars became fiery wrecks. Both drivers survived, but Petty was in a coma for four days and in the hospital for four months.

• Driver(s) involved: Maynard Troyer

Maynard Troyer lost control of his car after only nine laps on the second turn in what has been dubbed "the wildest one-car crash in NASCAR history". His Ford flipped 15 times before it came to rest right side up, leaving him with a concussion and minor injuries. Troyer continued to race for several years afterward.

• Driver(s) involved: Richard Petty

Auto racing's "king" was coming out of a turn on lap 106, when he was bumped from behind by Phil Barkdoll. That sent Petty sliding sideways down the track where his car caught air underneath the vehicle, causing it to stand up on its nose. It then slid into the fence where it began rolling along the track.

When what was left of Petty's car finally landed, it was slammed by Brett Bodine, which sent it spinning out of control. Petty suffered temporary blindness from the incident, but was unharmed otherwise.

• Driver(s) involved: Rusty Wallace

Rusty Wallace was bumped from behind by two cars that had gotten tangled and were spinning. The nudge was enough to send Wallace sideways. At that point, his car was lifted, causing him to begin flipping and rolling down the track. Wallace's safety cage prevented him from sustaining serious injuries.

• Driver(s) involved: Dale Earnhardt, Ernie Irvan, Dale Jarrett

Dale Earnhardt was in a six-way fight for the lead with 12 laps to go when disaster struck. His Chevrolet scraped the backstretch wall by itself, and Dale Jarrett's car hit his, sending Ernhardt's vehicle over on its roof. While he was in that position, Ernie Irvan slammed into him, causing the hood of Irvan's Ford to separate and sail into the backstretch grandstand, injuring a few onlookers.

Sitting in an ambulance, Earnhardt saw his car being prepared to get towed away, but he noticed that it still looked drivable – so he hopped out of the ambulance and into the car, drove it to the repair area, got it fixed, and returned to the race – finishing five laps behind.

• Driver(s) involved: Sterling Martin, Dale Earnhardt, Tony Stewart

• Driver(s) involved: Ryan Newman, Ken Schrader

• Driver(s) involved: Clint Bowyer

• Driver(s) involved: Joey Logano

• Driver(s) involved: Kyle Larson

• Driver(s) involved: Danica Patrick, Dale Earnhardt Jr.

• Driver(s) involved: Ryan Newman, Ryan Blaney, Corey LaJoie