Mark Niver, 60, died at Pacific Raceways on Sunday after his Top Alcohol dragster ran off the end of the racetrack and crashed into netting.
Later, in an emotional, impromptu ceremony, winning driver Chris Demke presented Niver’s wife, Tanis, and his children and grandchildren who were at the race, the winning trophy.
Niver, who owned a machine shop in Phoenix and had been racing more than 40 years, won his semifinal race and then died after his parachutes failed to function properly at the finish line while he was traveling at 271 mph. His race car skidded through the gravel at the end of the track and then buckled when it hurtled into netting.
Niver’s death, at the 23rd annual NHRA Northwest Nationals, was the first at Pacific Raceways from an accident. It is the second drag racing death in the last month. Neil Parker, 58, was killed in an Alcohol Funny Car on June 14 in Englishtown, N.J. Seattle Times
Pro Stock drivers threatened not to race over track conditions in the opening round, but they continued later in the day.
Niver’s accident and the Pro Stock issues were unrelated, but it still doesn’t look good for the NHRA.
The event was delayed for close to two hours after the accident. The race eventually went on.
“When we heard the news, your whole focus is just to leave,” said Tim Wilkerson, who won in Funny Car for the second consecutive year at Seattle. “You’re so upset. You get to the line and try to take your mind off it, but you really can’t. Your heart’s in your stomach and you just want to get out of town.”
Veteran Cory McClenathan won in Top Fuel, defeating teammate Antron Brown in the final. But the victory wasn’t the most important thing for Cory Mac.
“I raced Mark Niver 20 years ago,” McClenathan said. “I know we’re supposed to thank our sponsors now, but this is about family and what we do. Mark was a great guy and great machinist with a great family. My heart goes out to all of them. Sometimes we just have to remember who we are.”
No victory ceremonies were held Sunday. No one felt like celebrating.
“You can’t help but think that,” McClenathan said. “We’ve had some strange things happen. It is part of racing, but this has been a tough year for everybody and we’re feeling the impact of that. Sometimes we don’t know God’s plan, but these things have overshadowed the year.” ESPN
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