Two Spanish riders killed

Two Spanish racers were killed in a chain-reaction crash on the first lap of a World Superbike race. The deaths occurred Sunday at Mazda Raceway in Sonoma, Calif., Monterey County sheriff’s spokesman Cmdr. John Thornburg said. MotoAmerica spokesman Paul Carruthers said there were 28 riders in the race and thousands of spectators in the stands when five competitors collided on the first lap. Riders were tossed into the dirt to the side of the track. The sheriff ’s office is not investigating the crash at the MotoAmerica Superbike/Superstock 1000 race, which appeared to be an accident, he said. The track was dry during the race, Carruthers said. Carruthers declined to comment on whether MotoAmerica, which organizes the race, will investigate. MotoAmerica identified the riders killed as Bernat Martinez, 35, of Alberic, Valencia, Spain; and Daniel Rivas Fernandez, 27, of Moana Galicia, Spain. Both were taken to hospitals, where they died. Track spokesman David Hart said four other riders were treated at the track and released. Their names were not released.