A spectator died Sunday after she was struck by a tire from a crashing dragster during the NHRA Arizona Nationals near Phoenix, Arizona.
The car flipped in the first-round race and caught fire.
During the accident, a wheel flew off the car and struck the woman in the stands. CNN
Brown, who was racing against driver Troy Buff, lost control when a rear tire came off his car, sending it into a retaining wall. Brown was unhurt but was sent to Chandler Medical Center for further observation.
“It felt like the back end just dropped out and the car started pitching end over end,” Brown said. “At that point, I was upside down, and in my mind, things were going crazy. I was just hoping I didn’t go into Troy or into the other lane. The next thing I knew, I hit the wall. I saw a little burst of flame come around my head, and I saw sparks. The Safety Safari guy was right there, and the next thing I knew somebody was trying to help pull me out of the race car.” FOXNews
Brown qualified in the No. 4 position Saturday during the 26th annual Arizona Nationals and is the defending event champion of the Phoenix race. Brown, 33, has 24 career wins and is the only driver in NHRA history to win races in both Top Fuel and Pro Stock Motorcycle.
“We’re racers and we race and I’m ok,” Brown said. “It all happened so quickly and I want to thank the NHRA Safety Safari for being there so quickly to help get me out of the car and also the track medical team for tending to me so quickly.” Auto Racing Daily
“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 National Hot Rod Association said in an e-mailed statement.
Franki Buckman, the track’s executive vice president, said Firebird International Raceway also is deeply saddened by the incident. New York Daily News
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