Francis Affleck
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Francis Archibald Affleck (Born 4 March 1950 - Died 7 February 1985) was a Canadian race car driver. He raced late model NASCAR as a hobby when he was living in Montreal. He continued racing in NASCAR late models at local tracks and ARCA when he moved to Charlotte in 1977.
In practice for the ARCA 200 race at Daytona International Speedway on 7 February 1985 while traveling at an estimated 195 miles per hour, Affleck got his car sideways between turns 1 & 2, went airborne, and barrel rolled end over end at least 7 or 8 times. The protective window netting on his car failed and the young Affleck was thrown partially out of his car and sustained horrendous head and neck injuries after being pinned under his Ford. Affleck was killed instantly, he was only 34 years old. He left a wife Kathleen of 15 years and 2 sons. Affleck's crash also changed the way that the protective window nettings are constructed on both NASCAR and ARCA cars to this very day. Francis Affleck became the first ARCA driver to be fatally injured at the Daytona International Speedway in its then 26 year history.
