List of Daytona International Speedway fatalities

The Daytona International Speedway has had numerous fatalities since it opened in 1959.

Many notable drivers and participants, including one of NASCAR's most notable drivers Dale Earnhardt, have been fatally injured during auto, motorcycle, and powerboat racing events at the track.

Driver Date Event Cause References
Marshall Teague February 11, 1959 Testing Test runs preparing for speed-record attempt in reconfigured Indycar with canopy, high-speed aerodynamic lift caused crash. [1][2]
George Amick April 4, 1959 USAC 100-mile race Crash at the exit of turn 2 and backstrech [1][2]
Dr. Bernie Taylor June 14, 1959 Powerboat race in infield lake [2]
Harold Haberling February 21, 1961 Daytona 500 practice [2]
Billy Wade January 5, 1965 NASCAR Grand National tire test Died of internal injuries in a crash during a tire test session for Goodyear. The crash happened on the west turn caused by the burst of one of the tires he was testing. [1][2]
Don MacTavish February 21, 1969 Permatex 300 Killed when his car hit the outside wall on the frontstretch, tearing the motor out of the car, then was hit by Stan Sommers. He was killed instantly. [2]
Wayne Harris Bartz March 12, 1969 Lightweight motorcycle race [2]
Talmadge "Tab" Prince February 19, 1970 Twin 125s [3][2]
Joe "Rusty" Bradley March 14, 1971 Daytona 200 [2]
David Pearl July 30, 1971 Paul Whiteman Trophy Race [2]
Friday Hassler February 17, 1972 Twin 125s Killed in a crash while racing [3][2]
Ricky Knotts February 14, 1980 Twin 125s [1][3][2]
Francis Affleck February 7, 1985 ARCA practice [2]
Dr. Charles Ogle December 26 1985 Stock car testing Died of injuries suffered December 15, 1985. [2]
Bruce Jacobi February 4, 1987 Twin 125s Died of injuries suffered during crash in February 1983. [2]
Joe Young February 13, 1987 Charlotte-Daytona Dash Series race [2]
James Kolman December 27, 1987 Kart testing [2]
Randy Glenn February 26, 1988 Motorcycle practice [2]
Don Williams May 21, 1989 Permatex 300 Died on injuries suffered in February 1979. [2]
Dale Robertson December 27, 1989 Daytona Kart Week race [2]
Julius Johnson February 11, 1990 ARCA 200 race Died three days later on February 14, 1990 [2][4]
Joe Booher February 12, 1993 Florida 200 Dash Series race
James Adamo March 7, 1993 Daytona 200 Crash caused by front brake failure, causing bike and rider to strike trackside barrier [2]
Neil Bonnett February 11, 1994 Daytona 500 qualifying practice Crash in turn 4 [1][5][2]
Rodney Orr February 14, 1994 Daytona 500 second-day qualifying practice Killed in a crash while practicing for the 1994 Daytona 500 [5][2]
Michael Himes January 31, 1997 IMSA Showroom Stock sportscar event)
Roger Reiman March 4, 1997 Motorcycle practice for a racing legends event
Dale Earnhardt February 18, 2001 Daytona 500 Basilar skull fracture suffered from crash in turn 4 on the final lap of the Daytona 500 [1][2][6]
Dirk Piz March 11, 2001 Daytona 200 [6]
Stuart Stratton October 19, 2001 Fall Cycle Scene motorcycle event [6]
Michael Davis Jr. December 30, 2001 Daytona Kart Week race [6]
Bryan Cassell October 18, 2003 Motorcycle practice, CCS/FUSA Fall Cycle Scene Died in crash in turn 4. [2]
Roy H. Weaver III February 8, 2004 IPOWER Dash Series 150 Track worker; struck and killed by driver Ray Paprota [6]
Robert Boswell February 3, 2008 Richard Petty Driving Experience Heart attack when driving [7]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f Daytona: From the Birth of Speed to the Death of the Man in Black. Hinton, Ed. Warner Books, 2001. ISBN 0-446-52677-0.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z Time Magazine article "The Last Lap", March 5, 2001
  3. ^ a b c Bill Fleischman/Al Pearce The Unauthorized NASCAR Fan Guide (1998-99), page 237. Visible Ink Press, 1999 ISBN 1-57859-111-2
  4. ^ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mMf3NQc8FxM
  5. ^ a b Father of NASCAR crash victim Rodney Orr sues Web site over autopsy photos at Daytona Beach News-Journal
  6. ^ a b c d e Racing Related Deaths at Daytona at Orlando Sentinel website, complete through 2006
  7. ^ "Apopka Man Dies At Petty Driving Experience". WESH.com. 2008-02-04. http://www.wesh.com/news/15210634/detail.html. Retrieved 2008-02-04. 

External links