Eight killed as race car hits spectators

The accident California 200 race happened shortly before 8pm on Saturday, said San Bernardino County sheriff's spokeswoman Cindy Bachman.

She said 12 people were injured, several seriously. Most were airlifted to Loma Linda University Hospital.

The race was held in Soggy Dry Lake Bed near the city of Lucerne Valley in the Mojave Desert, 100 miles north-east of Los Angeles.

David Conklin, a photographer covering the event, said the vehicle was among the first 20 off the line, and had just gone over a jump known as "the rockpile".

He watched the vehicle sail through the air and turned to wait for the next one when he heard a commotion.

"I heard screaming and shouting," said Mr Conklin, who ran toward the vehicle. "I saw one woman with a major head wound lying in a pool of blood. Someone else was crushed beneath the car."