DAYTONA BEACH, Florida — A horrific last-lap accident that left drivers fearing for Austin Dillon's safety muted Dale Earnhardt Jr.'s victory in the rain-delayed race at Daytona International Speedway. Earnhardt crossed the finish line at 2:41 a.m. local time Monday, filled with dread after Dillon's car sailed upside down into the fence then shot back onto the track. The car was on its roof and mangled when it was hit hard by Brad Keselowski. The car tore down a section of fencing, debris scattered into the grandstands, and crew members from several teams raced to check on Dillon. A stunned Earnhardt seemed speechless as he crossed the finish line. “Oh my God. That looked awful,” Earnhardt yelled into his radio. Crew chief Greg Ives immediately radioed his team not to pull Dillon from the car. “Whoever is in that window, if he's OK, do not touch him. Tell him to stay in there,” Ives said. Earnhardt continued to inquire about Dillon, who earned his first career win at Daytona in Friday's Xfinity Series race and is close with Earnhardt's family. The late Dale Earnhardt won 34 races at Daytona and Dillon was present for many of them as he grew up watching him drive for his grandfather, Richard Childress. Earnhardt was killed in a 2001 crash on the final lap of the Daytona 500. The outcome was never in doubt as Earnhardt dominated the entire race. But as the pack of cars chased him on a two-lap overtime sprint to the finish, contact in the train sent Dillon's car sailing upside down into the fence. Daytona President Joie Chitwood said four fans were treated by medical staff in the grandstands and one was taken to a hospital in stable condition. Dillon was evaluated and released in Daytona's infield care center and said he had a bruised arm and tailbone. “I am just going to be really sore; it got my tailbone pretty good and my arm,” he said. Jimmie Johnson, who finished second to Hendrick Motorsports teammate Earnhardt, said Dillon's wreck was one of the worst he's ever seen. The accident overshadowed Earnhardt's second win of the season — his first was in May at Talladega — and his first in this race since 2001. It was his fourth Sprint Cup Series win at Daytona. The wreck was also the main focus at the end of a day that began early Sunday but quickly fell off schedule because of weather. The race began at 11:42 p.m. after a delay of 3 hours, 34 minutes due to rain. Drivers spent the time doing an array of different activities: Daytona 500 winner Joey Logano went into the stands to thank fans for sticking around, while Ricky Stenhouse Jr. used social media to prove he can do a headstand. When the race finally began, and the field circled the track waiting for the green flag, reigning NASCAR champion Kevin Harvick made note of the unusual start time by wishing his crew a good evening before correcting himself to morning. It then took just three laps for the action to begin as David Gilliland sliced across the front of Clint Bowyer to trigger a nine-car accident that collected Logano and Danica Patrick, among others. Tony Stewart, winner of the 2005 race that ended at 1:42 a.m., sliced his way through the carnage, then grumbled on his radio about early-race aggressiveness. “Somebody please remind me how much Lap 2 pays again?” he said. — AP
