Lightning strike injures eight at Daytona

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. -- Eight persons were treated and released from three medical facilities after a lightning strike Thursday afternoon in a vendor display area outside Daytona International Speedway.

NASCAR Winston Cup Series practice for Saturday night's Pepsi 400 had begun at about 3 p.m. ET but was interrupted about 40 minutes later by a threat of rain, which began falling moments later. At that time, NASCAR and speedway officials were monitoring radar reports of rain and electrical storms surrounding the track.

When rain began falling, speedway officials evacuated the track's metal grandstands.

The strike occurred at about 4 p.m. in a vendor area located to the east of the tunnel entrance to the infield of the 2.5-mile track.

Checked and released from either the infield care center or external care center at the speedway were Walter Williams, 58, a speedway employee from Ormond Beach, Fla.; Richard Santora, 37, of Deltona, Fla.; Alfred Greene, 47, and Mary Greene, 46, of Sanford, Fla.; and brothers Dwayne Decoux, 26, of Simpsonville, S.C., and Derek Decoux, 25, of Pace, Fla.

Transferred to the nearby Halifax Medical Center, where they were checked and released, were husband and wife Brian and Tina Decoux of Pensacola, Fla. Brian Decoux is Dwayne and Derek Decoux's brother.