Danica Patrick involved in another race crash, blames new NASCAR rules

Danica Patrick’s 2017 Daytona 500 ended even earlier than usual after she was one of the drivers involved in a "treacherous" 17-car collision which included eventual race winner Kurt Busch who managed to stay on the track.

But afterwards, of course, it was Patrick who was loudest in finding a scapegoat.

To be fair, with 15 of 40 drivers out of the race with about a quarter of the 200 laps remaining, the No. 10 Ford driver in her fifth full season might be correct in laying the blame on NASCAR’s new staged racing. 

Big crash! @JimmieJohnson, @KevinHarvick, @DanicaPatrick and others involved. #NASCAR #DAYTONA500  https://t.co/EEwW62QOHv

— FOX SPORTS: NASCAR (@NASCARONFOX) February 26, 2017

Starting this season, the races are divided into three stages with points awarded to the top drivers from each stage, counting toward their championship total.

“The stages are definitely going to add to it because not only is it creating a reason to push at certain points in the race that aren’t anything but the last 20, but you’re also seeing it shuffling the grid up,” Patrick said after being cleared by the in-field medical staff – a new requirement for those who don’t finish.

But that wasn’t the only rule she said is leading to so many drivers falling short of the finish line. Following an accident, teams that must return to pit road have a five-minute time limit for repairs. If cars cannot be fixed and return to the track at minimum speed within that time, they’re out of the race.

Prior to this season, teams had an unlimited amount of time to fix their cars and could eventually return to the track to try and earn even just a few points out of the race.

“What you’re seeing is the product of the five-minute clock,” Patrick continued. “You’re seeing a product of the new rules of having to go to the in-field care center if you don’t finish the race. … I’m totally fine. I drove my car back to the garage. I never would have come to the in-field care center if not for the new protocols, so I’m all for being all well, but it’s probably a bit much.”

She explained that on a superspeedway track like Daytona International, drivers assume multi-car wrecks have “a real high chance of happening.

“That’s the name of the game. It’s what makes it exciting, too, for the fans.”

Austin Dillon walks away from airborne crash which injured five fans (VIDEO)

Dale Earnhardt Jr. won the Coke Zero 400 early Monday morning, but the finish of the race was marred by a horrifying crash that sent Austin Dillon's car sailing into the catchfence at Daytona International Speedway.

Dillon walked away and waved to the crowd after his car got airborne and was torn apart by the fence. He was been checked and released from the infield care center with a bruised tailbone and forearm.

Track president Joie Chitwood III confirmed 13 fans were examined and eight declined treatment. Of the five treated, one was transported to a local hospital, treated and released. The other four were treated at the infield care center.

Replay of the Austin Dillon wreck at #Daytona pic.twitter.com/GHCQyyp7Os

— Joe Rodgers (@Rodgers_PG) July 6, 2015

"It's not really acceptable, I don't think," Dillon told reporters after exiting the care center. "We've got to figure out something. Our speeds are too high, I think. I think everybody could get good racing with slower speeds."

After Sam Hornish Jr. had spun through the grass to bring out the race's final caution, that set up a green-white-checker finish. A mass of cars were jockeying for position behind Earnhardt Jr., who had been the driver to beat all night, and several lines followed him across the finish.

Denny Hamlin appeared to get backed up into Kevin Harvick. That pushed Jeff Gordon back into Dillon, whose car lifted and flew over two or three lanes of traffic and up into the catchfence toward the entrance to Turn 1.

The fence was torn down in the section where Dillon hit. Dillon's car was hit again by Brad Keselowski's car as drivers scattered to try to avoid the multi-car pileup.

Crew members from many teams ran out to check on Dillon and help extricate him from the car. They gave a thumbs up when they saw he was OK.

Dillon waved to the crowd after being helped from the car.

Shaq teams up with James and Sandler to sing start your engines

Another "Grown Ups" movie on the horizon can only mean one thing in NASCAR — another unique rendition of traditional "Drivers, start your engines" by the movie's stars Kevin James and Adam Sandler.

The comedic pair — along with "Grown Ups 2" co-star Shaquille O'Neal — did an ear-shattering a capella version of the command prior to Saturday's Coke Zero 400 at Daytona International Speedway to either the delight or the distress of the crowd — depending on your perspective.

After the trio's harmonization, the roar of revving engines and screeching tires probably never sounded so good.

Judge for yourself.

Wild six-car crash sets up green-white-checker finish at Firecracker 250 (VIDEO)

Just in case you missed your local Fourth of July fireworks display Thursday, there were enough sparks, flames and streamers during a six-car crash at Friday night's Subway Firecracker 250 at Daytona International Speedway to more than light up the sky — or at least the track.

Travis Pastrana started the crash with five laps to go in the scheduled distance of the Nationwide Series race when Pastrana moved down to follow teammate Trevor Bayne and made contact with Cole Whitt, who had drifted up the racetrack.

Jason White, Jamie Dick, Robert Richardson and Jeffrey Earnhardt all got involved in the mechanical scrum, with Pastrana's car violently crashing into White's and then hitting the wall. After his car slid to a stop in the grass before the entrance to pit road, White got out of his car and laid on the ground for a moment. He was tended to by safety workers and walked to the ambulance. White was checked and released from the infield care center; he said that the crash had knocked the wind out of him.

Surprisingly,  this crash was the only one of the evening, as the ensuing green-white-checker restart was completed without an accident despite much jostling and, at times, four-wide racing for third place as Matt Kenseth and James Buescher drove away from the pack. Kenseth ended up winning the race.