However, the next week, the racing schedule continued. WPD said: "Trent William Millsap, who fled the area prior to police arrival, is suspected of stabbing the victim.". Police responded to a call at. We also report on other significant announcements in the automotive industry. But his career was cut short when a slight touch from another car caused his own to plow into a wall at Lowe Motor Speedway. Not only do his nagging injuries rob him of an opportunity to check the last few items off of his career resume, it also robs the sport of one of the most versatile, controversial and compelling characters that it has ever known. Sad News - Federico Gutierrez killed; Max Gutierrez injured in accident January 30, 2023 NASCAR driver Max Gutierrez and his younger brother, Federico, were involved in a tragic traffic accident Sunday in Mexico and Federico has died, according to multiple media reports Sad News - Darryl Barnes January 28, 2023 Not only was Adam Petty able to win an ARCAREMAX Series race in his very first start, he also finished 6th in the very first Xfinity race of his career. John Wes Townley stands on the grid at Daytona International Speedway on February 20, 2016 in Daytona Beach, Fla. Copyright 2023 Endgame360 Inc. All Rights Reserved. That's Rock Bottom. Federico Gutierrez was driving the Porsche Boxster at the time of the crash. Bowyer retired in 2020 after winning 10 Cup Series races over 15 years. Despite Leffler having some success in The Camping World Truck Series and Xfinity Series, it was never enough to guarantee him a ride for the next season. The school previously honored him by naming the road that leads to the football stadium as Rowdy Harrell Way. Browse through latest information on your favorite NASCAR Cup drivers, including full biographies, latest news, high-res photos and high quality videos . Chuck Hill suffered massive injuries after the car came down on him. 6/17/2022 8:41 AM PT. His wife, Blakley, was 23. The incident occurred during the opening laps of the race, when Roberts crashed his car while trying to avoid a collision between Ned Jarrett and Junior Johnson. In 1985, while practicing at Martinsville Speedway for the Winn-Dixie 500, Evans had a fatal crash at Turn 3 and was instantly killed. East became the youngest driver to win a national feature race - the Illiana Motor Speedway in Indiana - at 16. Laura Townley is expected to survive, police said in a press release. I feel so terrible for his and Blakleys families, and this team wont be the same without them. In a sad turn of events, Alan Kulwicki died in aplane crash only a few months after winning the 1992 Winston Cup Championship. Leffler also won numerous Camping World Truck and Xfinity series' awards. John Probst, NASCAR Senior Vice President and Chief Racing Development Officer said of the rule changes: We saw incredible racing throughout the 2022 season, especially at the intermediate racetracks. It wasnt the accomplishments that were cut short, even though Earnhardt very well could have won his record eighth championship if he were still alive. Police identified Trent William Millsap, 27, as a suspect in the stock car racing driver's death. While NASCAR is known for the inherent dangers faced by the drivers, fans often lose sight of the high-risk environment pit crew members must navigate on a NASCAR pit road. Nearly 20 years after Dale Earnhardt's tragic death at the Daytona 500, NASCAR is safer than ever. I'm just here for the ride. The death of the driver hit th. Sadly, those who came before him ended up with the worst result possible. Jon Wes Townley raced eight seasons and made 186 starts across the NASCAR Xfinity and Truck Series, NASCAR's lower two national divisions. His body was found next to his pickup truck in Forest Lawn Cemetery in Boger City shortly after. His three Las Vegas wins have all come in the past eight races. Ryan Newman may not have come out of the Daytona 500 race in January, if not for such changes. He has finished in the top 10 in eight of his last 10 starts at the track. Weatherly's death prompted window nets for cars due to the way he was killed by a wall on impact. Months later, Bonnett got back behind the wheel only to die during a practice session for the 1994 Dayton 500 race. The NASCAR Cup Series early season swing through the West continues Sunday with a 400-mile race at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. Sadly, they lost him during a Busch Series practice when his throttle got stuck. We all remember that day probably like it was yesterday. Will the New Jeep EV Lineup Deter Longtime Fans. The most elusive ex-driver in modern NASCAR history, Carl Edwards hasn't made time for the public spotlight in recent years because he was busy sailing across the ocean. It came from the character Rowdy Yates, played by Clint Eastwood in the Rawhide TV series. He followed this triumph by claiming three USAC National wins, two USAC Regional wins, and earned the USAC National Midget Series Rookie of the Year award. And he had that nameoh that name. He drove a car owned by his father, Tony Townley, who was a co-founder of the vehicle's primary sponsor, restaurant chain Zaxbys. At the season-ending awards banquet, the 48-year-old showed his humorous side when accepting the award. After working on his dads car all day, Davey would work on his own car, a Chevy Nova and would race it at local tracks in the area. John Wes Townley whose father is a co-founder of Zaxby's, sponsor of his NASCAR vehicle was shot and killed when he attacked his ex-wife with a hatchet, police say. The 43-year-old contractor died on September 2, 1988, thirteen days after his accident. The incident took place during a 410 Sprint car race when Leffler's front suspension failed and brought him straight into a wall. FILE - NASCAR Cup Series driver Ross Chastain speaks during the NASCAR Championship media day, Nov. 3, 2022, in Phoenix. Answer (1 of 3): The last driver to die in a race is Dale Earnhardt. Adjustments will be made to the car that will create a significant reduction in downforce, and based on driver feedback and what we saw from the January test in Phoenix, were excited to see the results of these efforts., Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window), Harrell was 30. In 2001, something else happened. Richmond started his racing career at the age of 21, when he was working as a crew member for Dave Shoemaker. In the mid-1980s, he started racing out of state and competing in various American Speed Association races. The DirecTV 500 at Texas Motor Speedway on April 2, 2000 was a historic race for NASCAR's most iconic families. He was buried in Ashland Ohio at the age of 39. In 1964, Roberts' career would end while trying to avoid a collision between two other racers. He played football at Hale County High School in Moundville, Alabama. Both John Wes Townley and Laura Townley were shot. I'm glad it only took him 2 races to remind the world. The crash occurred shortly . Dick Trickle, the much-loved retired NASCAR driver, reportedly committed suicide yesterday at the tender age of 71. he/him. Chastain, who used a video-game style move now dubbed the "Hail Melon" to snag the final spot in last year's championship race, earned global recognition in and outside the industry for last October's wall-riding gamble. We probably all remember Mike Helton famously saying that We lost Dale Earnhardt. This is a very difficult time for my family and I, please respect our privacy as we move forward. Sure, its impossible to really speculate what would have become of Leffler career if he had survived this incident back in 2013, but one would have to argue that he could have at least pulled out a Camping World Truck Series title or even Xfinity Series title if he were still alive today. Kyle Larson (@KyleLarsonRacin) February 27, 2023 Winds 20-30 mph. News of the American driver's death was confirmed on Thursday by Andretti Autosport, an auto racing team owned by John's cousin Michael. Thursday: Mainly sunny. Unfortunately, he received the award post-mortem. Tommy Cole, Bill Elliotts jack man, was hit and sent flying. His car ended up nailing the retaining wall, flipping over and bursting into flames. NASCAR and IndyCar racer John Andretti has died. Over that stretch, he has two seconds and 15 top fives. Ryan Newman collides with Corey LaJoie at the Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway on February 17, 2020 | Photo: Getty Images. Thats tied for his longest streak of top-10 finishes. Not only did he prove this during his USAC series career by winning multiple races and eventually capturing the coveted Silver Crown, but also by competing against the worlds best drivers on paved tracks in NASCAR. Instead, it was the connection with the fans that was cut short. I barely beat the guy that taught me everything. AmoMama creates engaging, meaningful content for women. Jun 29 11:09 What comes next after Texas school shooting? The name Dick Trickle is legendary in the Wisconsin racing community. 1. The father of former NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver Robby Gordon, and the elder Gordon's wife, died Wednesday in an apparent murder-suicide at their home in Orange, Calif. near Anaheim,. The blue dot on the GPS won't help you here. Not only were these drivers gifted athletes capable of achieving the impossible while also captivating NASCAR fans everywhere, they were also drivers who had a lot more to offer the sport before their untimely and most of the time tragic departures. Kulwicki was flying back from a Hooters sponsor event in Knoxville Tennessee when theplane crashed on its final approach. He was also a two-time NASCAR Xfinity Series champion pit crew member with JR Motorsports. Wallace has failed to finish both races to date, parking after an accident at Daytona and losing an engine at Auto Club. Theyll both miss Cup races at Las Vegas and Phoenix. His best career finish was third, and he did it five times. Eric McClure, a former NASCAR driver, passed away on Sunday morning, according to statements from his family and the series. What can I possibly say about the man that hasnt already been said by every fan and media pendant in NASCAR? Four years later, he won another championship. It was also marked the first time in two decades that a owner-driver would win a title. William "Rowdy" Harrell, 30, was a tire carrier for. He was a legend. Petty ultimately finished 20th in Xfinity Series points in 1999 and his family was already working on a full-time ride for Petty the very next year. In more than an estimated 2,200 races, Trickle logged one million laps and is believed to have won over 1,200 feature races. Harrell, 30, was a stand-out tire carrier for Hendrick Motorsports for the last eight seasons, most recently with the No. , high-res photos and high quality videos recently with the worst result possible Motorsports. 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