NASCAR Cup Series

Wild wreck in ARCA race sends one to hospital at Talladega

Published May. 1, 2015 7:27 p.m. ET

foxsports

Driver Brad Smith survived a huge, scary hit with 25 laps to go in the ARCA race on Friday at Talladega Superspeedway.

Smith's car slammed hard into the inside wall -- which was protected by a SAFER barrier that absorbed at least a portion of the blow -- after getting hit from behind by the No. 98 car driven by Austin Wayne Self. Both cars were completely destroyed, and Smith limped to a waiting stretcher and was placed in an ambulance after being cut from his car and initially taken to the infield care center.

Adam Alexander of FOX Sports reported that Smith was "transported to a local hospital for further evaluation. We have been told that he was awake and alert."

Self was able to walk away from his car, and subsequently talked with FOX Sports after being cleared from the infield care center and being able to walk away from there under his own power as well.

"I just hope everyone is all right out there," Self said.

Shortly after the race resumed, there was another huge accident -- this time involving driver Clay Campbell, whose day job is running Martinsville Speedway. Campbell's No. 52 car slammed into the back of the No. 69 car of Will Kimmell after Grant Enfinger, the series points leader coming in, had first lost control of his car, possibly after getting touched by the car of Frank Kimmell.

The incident brought out the red flag with eight laps to go and knocked three more out of the race.

"Some cars got crossed up in front of me at the worst possible place, there on the backstretch. I guessed one way and the car in front of me went the other way . . . We're OK, the car is destroyed," Campbell told FOX Sports.

Blake Jones, 18, eventually won the race.

VIDEO: Second big wreck in ARCA race brings out the red flag