Woman Killed by Flying Tire at Phoenix NHRA Drag Race
fanhouse.com
by FanHouse Newswire
Filed under: Other Racing Series
A female spectator was struck and killed by a tire that flew off Antron Brown’s top fuel dragster when he crashed at the NHRA Arizona Nationals Sunday at Firebird International Raceway in suburban Phoenix.
The woman was pronounced dead at Good Samaritan Hospital Sunday evening, the NHRA reported. Earlier reports indicated the woman had been killed instantly. In any event, the sanctioning body did not make the death announcement until hours after the incident occurred.
Brown was not injured in the fiery crash of his dragster.
“The entire NHRA community is deeply saddened by today’s incident and sends its thoughts and prayers to the woman’s family and friends,” the association said in an e-mailed statement.
The victim was not immediately identified, but USA Today reported that she was associated with a Nostalgia Funny Car team at the event.
After the woman was airlifted from the track and a rain delay ended, the event resumed. But deteriorating weather conditions and approaching darkness prompted NHRA to postpone the finals of the Top Fuel and Funny Car classes to Monday at 10 a.m. MT (Noon ET).
Doug Kalitta will face Cory McClenathan in the Top Fuel final, while John Force will face Jack Beckman in the Funny Car final. Late Sunday, in an unusual move, NHRA officials announced that the Pro Stock class, which was only able to complete one round Sunday, will resume its quarterfinal eliminations for the Arizona Nationals in two weeks during the Gatornationals in Gainesville, Fla. The Top Fuel and Funny Car finals will go on as planned for Monday at PIR.
The accident occurred during the first round of the event. Brown had qualified fourth in his Matco Tools dragster. He reportedly crashed just after leaving the start line after losing a cylinder and then losing the left rear tire. The tire rocketed down the track and apparently bounced into an area that included spectators.
The first report with details appeared at www.vintagefuel.com, which said Nostalgia Motorsports’ Jim Broome reported from the track that the tire flew into the crowd and struck a female spectator just below the grandstands who was pushing another woman in a wheelchair. The report said the tire then flew into the pits and slammed into a team hauler, caving in a door and breaking out a window.
Woman Killed by Flying Tire at Phoenix NHRA Drag Race originally appeared on Motorsports FanHouse on Sun, 21 Feb 2010 17:39:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.