Chaos erupted this morning at the Richmond International Raceway as thousands of people stampeded through the gates in a rush to buy iBook laptop computers for $50 each.

Several people were injured as others trampled them outside a warehouse where the 4-year-old Apple laptops were being sold. None of the injuries appeared to be serious.

Thousands of Henrico County residents waited in a long line as dawn broke; many had come prepared with books, snacks, umbrellas and chairs. The first car arrived at 1:30 a.m. By 6:30 vehicles were backed up on Laburnum Avenue about a half mile to Carolina Avenue.

Even before the gates opened, the atmosphere turned surly, with people yelling at police officers who were trying to keep the crowd civil.

The gates opened at 6:54 a.m., and the stampede — literally — was on.

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