Driver Tony Stewart visited six injured NASCAR fans that were injured after the scary wreck during Saturday's Nationwide Series season opening race at Daytona.
According to ESPN.com, Stewart visited Halifax Health Medical Center on Sunday for two hours after a fiery wreck went down at Daytona International Speedway. Stewart went to visit the fans for two hours after the Daytona 500 on Sunday, staying from around 8 p.m. to just after 10 p.m., according to a Stewart Haas Racing spokesman.
Stewart had originally wanted the meeting to remain quiet, but after it was reported by ESPN.com, he gave his team the okay to confirm the visit. The report said that Stewart met with the six fans hospitalized each individually and spoke with five of them extensively. The report also says he gave each fan an autographed Bass Pro Shops No. 14 cap.
The spokesman said that Stewart made the decision alone to go visit the fans and made a point to do it after he finished the Daytona 500. Stewart witnessed the wreck firsthand on the track as he raced towards the finish line on the final laps.
In his rearview mirror, Stewart was able to see the No. 32 car driven by Kyle Larson go airborne after hitting another vehicle, knocking into the catch fence and launching debris all over the track and into the stands. Wheels and other car parts spread into the grandstand, injuring a total of 28 fans.
Stewart was able to win the race after a restart, taking home the event for the seventh time in the past nine years, tying a record with Dale Earnhardt at the track. 14 fans were sent to the hospital, seven of which were brought to Halifax Heath. Six of those fans remained by Sunday night when Stewart visited.
"As much as we want to celebrate right now, and as much as this is a big deal to us, I'm more worried about the drivers and the fans that are in the stands right now," he said in Victory Lane. "Because that was ... I could see it all in my mirror, and it didn't look good from where I was at."
On Sunday Stewart was caught up in one of the small accidents during the Daytona 500 and finished 41st. Danica Patrick also raced in the Nationwide event with Stewart and ended up finishing eighth at Daytona after leading a few laps and heading into the final stretch in third place.