Had it not been for the quick, firm action of Wilson County sheriff's deputies, numerous fatalities and injuries could have resulted. This close call should prompt better safety precautions, stronger discipline for drivers and their crews, stricter rules and higher-profile law enforcement at the track.
Some details of the incident are in dispute, but it's clear from a photograph taken on pit row that an extremely dangerous situation took place. Deputies on both sides of a race car had drawn their weapons and were prepared to use deadly force if necessary to avoid a larger disaster.
The incident began as a dispute between drivers. That's nothing new in automobile racing, where "trading paint" as one car nudges or clips another one is a common part of the race. Sometimes the contact gets too hard, and drivers are angered over being knocked out of a race or placed in jeopardy.
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