Chaos unfolds at Daytona 500 as 190mph collision sparks 20 car pile-up

The incident erupted on lap 123 as competitors navigated the trioval at speeds approaching 190 mph, transforming the Nascar Cup Series season opener into a scene of destruction.

Denny Hamlin's Toyota made contact with the rear of Justin Allgaier's Chevrolet.

The collision sent Allgaier into an uncontrollable spin directly in the path of the tightly-packed field.

Approximately half the competitors of the 500-mile race found themselves caught up in the devastating pile-up.

Several vehicles careened onto the infield whilst others ricocheted across the racing surface.

The sequence of events began when Ryan Blaney nudged Hamlin's vehicle, propelling the Joe Gibbs Racing driver towards Allgaier, who was leading the race at that moment.

Hamlin's car struck the outer barrier before drifting marginally back onto the circuit, where it clipped the right rear corner of Allgaier's number 40 machine.

This seemingly minor contact proved catastrophic.

Allgaier lost control and rotated directly into the path of the oncoming pack.

The Fox Sports broadcast confirmed that twenty cars were ultimately involved in the incident, with some drivers managing to limp onwards whilst others were forced to retire to their garages.

The collision claimed several of the race's most prominent contenders, with reigning NASCAR Cup Series champion Kyle Larson among those whose afternoon came to an abrupt halt.

Kyle Busch, who had secured pole position for the prestigious event, was likewise swept up in the carnage alongside Joey Lagano.

All three drivers had been running competitively prior to the incident, each having spent time at the front of the field during the earlier stages of the race.

Their involvement in the wreck dealt a significant blow to their championship aspirations, with the season-opening event ending in disappointment rather than celebration.

Not all competitors were caught in the mayhem, however, with Bubba Wallace emerging from the incident having avoided the worst of the contact.

Wallace's escape leaves him well-positioned as racing resumes at Daytona International Speedway.

Ryan Blaney, whose initial contact with Hamlin set the chain of events in motion, also managed to navigate through the chaos relatively unscathed.

Both drivers now find themselves in advantageous positions for the remainder of the race, having sidestepped the destruction that eliminated so many of their rivals.

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