Four spectators injured at NASCAR Mexico race - video

Last Sunday, during the fifth round of NASCAR Mexico raced in the Autodrome of Leon, Santiago Tovar's car ended up going off course and hitting a tire barrier located at the last turn of the circuit.

The car injured four spectators in the area who were treated immediately for minor injuries.

Tovar then criticised the León circuit, which opened in 1976, and is where the super special event of the World Rally Championship is held every year.

He feels the course was not ready to host a NASCAR race, with a short length of almost 1.2 kilometers that prevents the cooling of the brakes on the race cars.

"I came out of the turn and the brake pedal never came back," said Tovar after seeing how his car was not stopped by the tire barrier and ended up striking two spectators who were in the area where he got off course. 

"Obviously I realized only when I reached the next corner that I could not do anything. Unfortunately I became a passenger in the car. The important thing is that the accident did not cause any major injuries and we are all well."

Tovar believes that the series should not return in future to this circuit.

"The truth is that we should not bring this track, it is dangerous for everyone - drivers and public," he said. "The cars do not fit in this track, the brakes gets very hot and from the lap five you do not know if you're going to brake or not.

"That is not part of motorsport, motoring is that we are also safe as drivers."

The discomfort over the state of the track was also shared by Rogelio Lopez, the winner of the category.

"It is a circuit in which NASCAR Mexico can not come, in many ways, I think they are already seeing it," said Lopez. "I do not have to say more. We definitely have to better select the kind of tracks we're going to."

The incident was reviewed by the Mexican National Motor Racing Federation's National Track Commission and NASCAR Mexico race director as well as NASCAR representative Joe Balash.