Fans Struck by Car after Martinsville Race

MARTINSVILLE, Va. — A scary incident with injury took place following the Sprint Cup Series race at Martinsville.

As first reported by Motorsport.com, multiple fans were injured after being struck by a black Chevrolet in the handicapped parking area beside the helipad located behind Turns 1 and 2 at Martinsville Speedway.

Bystanders say the accident happened about 30 minutes following the conclusion of the race. The vehicle involved in the incident jumped the line of traffic and plowed through fans waiting for drivers to come to the helipad.

“The parking lot was congested with vehicles and pedestrians,” Virginia State Police spokesperson Corrine Geller told Claire B. Lang on SiriusXM NASCAR Radio a few hours following the incident. “It’s near the helipad where drivers will come in and go out. A whole lot of folks were hanging around watching that take place. The vehicle (A black Chevrolet SSR Convertible) attempted to pass [a Jeep Patriot] in front of it.

“The Chevrolet went forward. It actually struck the Jeep Patriot and then struck several pedestrians nearby.”

A total of 22 pedestrians were struck by the vehicle. Thirteen were treated on site, nine were transported to a local hospital in Martinsville and two were taken down to Eden, North Carolina “for treatment of non-life threatening injuries.”

“Fortunately, there were no fatalities and none of the injuries are life threatening,” Geller added. “So that’s definitely the positive out of all of this.”

Martinsville Speedway released a statement following the race.

“A vehicular incident occurred following Sunday’s NASCAR race in the Martinsville Speedway parking lot. Multiple individuals were struck by a vehicle and the driver has been taken into police custody. Several people were treated onsite by emergency workers in the infield care center while others have been transported to a nearby hospital. We’ll monitor the situation closely with local authorities and work with them to provide updates.”

The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of SpeedwayMedia.com

Tucker White
Tucker White
I've followed NASCAR for well over 20 years of my life, both as a fan and now as a member of the media. As of 2024, I'm on my ninth season as a traveling NASCAR beat writer. For all its flaws and dumb moments, NASCAR at its best produces some of the best action you'll ever see in the sport of auto racing. Case in point: Kyle Larson's threading the needle pass at Darlington Raceway on May 9, 2021. On used-up tires, racing on a worn surface and an aero package that put his car on the razor's edge of control, Larson demonstrated why he's a generational talent. Those are the stories I want to capture and break down. In addition to NASCAR, I also follow IndyCar and Formula 1. As a native of Knoxville, Tennessee, and a graduate of the University of Tennessee, I'm a diehard Tennessee Volunteers fan (especially in regards to Tennessee football). If covering NASCAR doesn't kill me, down the road, watching Tennessee football will. I'm also a diehard fan of the Atlanta Braves, and I lived long enough to see them win a World Series for the first time since 1995 (when I was just a year old). I've also sworn my fan allegiance to the Nashville Predators, though that's not paid out as much as the Braves. Furthermore, as a massive sports dork, I follow the NFL on a weekly basis. Though it's more out of an obligation than genuine passion (for sports dorks, following the NFL is basically an unwritten rule). Outside of sports, I'm a major cinema buff and a weeb. My favorite film is "Blazing Saddles" and my favorite anime is "Black Lagoon."

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