PhotoBlog - daytona

Feb

2012

11:19pm, EST

NASCAR driver in massive crash at Daytona, walks away

Phelan M. Ebenhack / AP

Miguel Paludo of Brazil, hits the inside wall during the NASCAR Camping World Truck series 250 auto race in Daytona Beach, Fla., Friday, Feb. 24, 2012. Paludo walked away unhurt.

Phelan M. Ebenhack / AP

Miguel Paludo of Brazil, goes airborne after a crash during the NASCAR Camping World Truck series 250 auto race on Friday night.

AP reports: Paludo was running third when he just lost control of his truck. He turned left and slammed into the inside retaining wall head on — a violent crash that caused his truck to spin like an out-of-control helicopter. All four tires left the ground and the engine caught fire before Paludo eventually came to a stop.

He climbed out a few seconds later and was unharmed.

"It was a hard hit for sure," Paludo said. "I lost my breath."

SB Nation reports:

NASCAR drivers have now gone headfirst into the inside retaining wall at Daytona International Speedway on consecutive days.

Fortunately, thanks entirely to the innovative SAFER barrier, both Danica Patrick on Thursday and Miguel Paludo in tonight's Camping World Truck Series race walked away unhurt.

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Feb

2011

7:01pm, EST

Jared C. Tilton / Getty Images

Danica Patrick, driver of the GoDaddy.com Chevrolet, gets out of her car after qualifying for the NASCAR Nationwide Series DRIVE4COPD 300 at Daytona International Speedway on February 18, 2011 in Daytona Beach, Fla.

Danica Patrick qualifies to race at Daytona

PHOENIX - The first woman to win an IndyCar race, Danica Patrick was an established icon on the open-wheel circuit when, a year ago, she decided to give stock cars a try on a part-time basis.

Unfamiliar with the heavier, bulkier cars in the Nationwide circuit, Patrick went through a sometimes-difficult rookie season filled with back-of-the-pack finishes. Insisting she wasn't stretched too thin trying to run in two circuits, she kept plugging away in the Nationwide series, gaining comfort and confidence with each race.

Even though her average finish in 13 races was 28th, she closed strong, qualifying 14th before being wrecked with what appeared to be a Top-15 car in California and ending the season with a 19th at Homestead.

With Daytona, the first of her four opening Nationwide races, Patrick is ready to hit the gas again.

"I feel a lot more comfortable," she said. "I'm continuing to understand the limits of the car. I still have a lot to learn, it's still pretty new. I've got about a third of a season under my belt, but definitely better off than I was last year, so I'm looking forward to it."

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