Monday, August 6, 2012

Lightning kills 1 outside NASCAR race

  • Rain cuts the Pennsylvania 400 short
  • Jeff Gordon wins after the race is stopped on the 98th lap
  • Fans were told to take cover as a storm approached

(CNN) -- A lightning strike killed a NASCAR fan and injured nine others in a parking lot outside Pocono Raceway after torrential rains shortened Sunday's Pennsylvania 400, a track official said.

The PA announcer had warned fans to take cover as a powerful band of thunderstorms approached.

"The lightning affected 10 of our race fans," said Pocono spokesman Bob Pleban. "Unfortunately, one person was dead on arrival when they were brought to the Pocono Medical Center in Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania."

Nine fans received treatment after the lightning strike, some of them were hospitalized, he said. Their conditions were not immediately known.

Jeff Gordon won the race when NASCAR parked the cars on the 98th lap, 155 miles short of the scheduled 400.

The next NASCAR Sprint Cup Sprint Series race is August 12 in Watkins Glen, New York.

CNN's Darrell Calhoun contributed to this report.