Mayotte Snyder's car ripped the engine and rear axle in a scary final-lap crash during the season-opening Xfinity Series race in Daytona on Saturday.
Snyder was involved in a crash on the backstretch as drivers jockeyed for their finishing position and hit the outside wall. As his car hit the wall, he was hit by another car and the rear part jumped into the air. This propelled his car over the wall into the catchfence, and cables cut parts and pieces of Snyder's car.
Here's how the accident unfolded. Snyder immediately lowered his window net to signal that he was okay and climbed out of the car when security personnel arrived.
"Where is the engine?"
— FOX: NASCAR (@NASCARONFOX) February 20, 2022
Here's a replay of Myatt Snider's scary crash at Daytona. He's okay. pic.twitter.com/py3Xxt5CVA
Snyder's engine slammed across the track after the car exploded and collided with Matt Mills's car. It was the worst accident at Daytona since Austin Dillon's car blew into the frontstretch catchfence during a July Cup Series race in 2015.
The accident occurred two years later when Kyle Larson's car ran into the catchfence during a second-tier Xfinity Series race in February 2013. In that accident the engine ripped off Larsen's car and the engine stalled in the catchfence.
There are no longer grandstands on the backstretch in Daytona. Several fans were injured in the 2013 and 2015 wrecks because of the proximity of the grandstands to the frontstretch. Instead, there is now parking for RVs and other campers. Bubba Wallace was on that side of the track with team owner Michael Jordan and the accident happened right in front of him.
Glad @MyattSnider is okay! Crazy wreck right in front of us. Scary stuff pic.twitter.com/68nSCemwdV
— Bubba Wallace (@BubbaWallace) February 20, 2022
Michael Jordan and that other guy had a front row seat for that crazy wreck at #Daytona. pic.twitter.com/aXdJsMKCwd
— Trey Wallace (@TreyWallace_) February 20, 2022
Austin Hill won Saturday's race as he passed AJ Allmender on the final lap as the crash unfolded. The Xfinity Series race ended with a caution, just like Friday night's Truck Series opener at Daytona. Sunday's Daytona 500 is the third of three races under the NASCAR banner in Daytona this weekend and is set to begin after 3 p.m. ET.