NASCAR fan killed, 9 hurt by lightning

Posted on Aug 6, 2012 in Sports | 0 comments

A NASCAR race fan was killed by lightning and nine others injured during a severe thunderstorm at Pocono Raceway Sunday, track officials said.

Track President Brandon Igdalsky said the fans were struck by lightning in a parking lot behind the grandstand at the Pennsylvania racetrack just before 5 p.m. Sunday as an intense thunderstorm was moving through.

Igdalsky said the fan died while being taken to Pocono Medical Center in East Stroudsburg, Pa.

Another fan was listed in critical condition at Lehigh Hospital in Allentown, while three others were also hospitalized with less severe injuries.

Five more fans were treated and released at the racetrack’s medical care center.

NASCAR officials halted the race after 98 of its scheduled 160 laps due to the storm, with Jeff Gordon declared the winner.

“We were walking down pit road, the umbrellas weren’t doing any good and there was a huge, huge crack from lightning,” Gordon said. “You could tell it was very close. That’s the thing that’s going to take away from the victory is the fact that somebody was affected by that.”

Copyright 2012 by United Press International