R.I.P. Jason Leffler

[bdcardinal]

http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/nascar-fro...-015742662.html

"New Jersey state police have announced that NASCAR driver Jason Leffler has died as a result of injuries suffered in a wreck at Bridgeport Speedway in New Jersey, according to the Associated Press. Leffler was 37.

Leffler was racing a Sprint Car at the track's "Night of Wings" when his car apparently flipped on the front stretch of the 5/8-mile, high-banked dirt oval. According to eyewitness accounts, he was extracted from the car on a board and airlifted out of the track via helicopter. The remainder of the night's racing was cancelled.

According to state police, Leffler was pronounced dead at 9:02 p.m. ET.

Leffler, from Long Beach, Calif., spent most of his decade-plus career in the Nationwide series, running full schedules from 2006 to 2011. He had two wins, 42 top fives and 107 top 10s in the Nationwide series. He's also run 73 races in Sprint Cup, most recently at Pocono last week, and 56 races in the Camping World Truck Series, where he posted one victory."


So sad to see a racer pass. Even though I was not a fan, no real fan of racing wants to see this. I was at Las Vegas Speedway when Dan Wheldon was killed, so I can just imagine what it was like at a smaller track for the fans.

 

[dparm]

Not a NASCAR fan either, but this is really sad.

 

[JavierG]

Yeah sad anytime something like this happens. I was watching on TV when Wheldon was killed, so you're right. This must have been really hard for the crowd. RIP Jeff.

 

[MinamiKotaro]

[censored]. He was my age. He had a lot more living left to do.

 

[bdcardinal]

Originally Posted By: JavierG
Yeah sad anytime something like this happens. I was watching on TV when Wheldon was killed, so you're right. This must have been really hard for the crowd. RIP Jeff.


What was tough at the track is we were all calling people watching on TV because they knew more than we did. I was sitting with Charlie Kimball's family in the turn 2 stands, his mom was freaking out until we figured out he was alright. We all knew it was bad when Dan's car was brought back with a cover over the cockpit and the airbox was obviously crushed.

 

[zloveraz]

Such a shame RIP Jason Leffler!



Racing is Life, Anything that happens before or after is just waiting....

-Late Steve McQueen

 

[zloveraz]

Originally Posted By: bdcardinal
Originally Posted By: JavierG
Yeah sad anytime something like this happens. I was watching on TV when Wheldon was killed, so you're right. This must have been really hard for the crowd. RIP Jeff.


What was tough at the track is we were all calling people watching on TV because they knew more than we did. I was sitting with Charlie Kimball's family in the turn 2 stands, his mom was freaking out until we figured out he was alright. We all knew it was bad when Dan's car was brought back with a cover over the cockpit and the airbox was obviously crushed.


That was such a tragic day, was not a dry eye in my home that day.

 

[daves87rs]

So sad...RIP jason.

 

[A_Harman]

I saw the crash on TV that killed Rich Vogler. I still remember seeing his helmet bouncing down the front stretch.

I saw the crash on TV that killed Greg Moore. I still remember the sickening angle at which his car hit the wall.

Both bad days.

If you're going to die with your boots on, it's better to be doing something that you love.

 

[UNC017]

Dang, that's sad to hear. I remember when he was driving Winston Cup in the 41 car on Ganassi's (then) new team with Sterling Marlin in the 40 car.

It also points out that safety has come a whole lot further in the "big" series like Cup, IRL, F1, V8SC, etc. than in the local "bullrings." :-(

 

[UNC017]

Originally Posted By: 440Magnum
Dang, that's sad to hear. I remember when he was driving Winston Cup in the 41 car on Ganassi's (then) new team with Sterling Marlin in the 40 car.





Make that the 01 car. I forgot the number changed after Cingular sponsorship left Ganassi.

 

[dailydriver]

Yes, it is especially heavy when you are present at the venue (or even a part of the event organization/running itself), and a competitor dies in a crash/accident.

I was working the STPR (Susquehannock Trail Pro Rally) based in Wellsboro, Pa. as a volunteer marshall some years ago, and a driver from Long Island, N.Y. died as a result of crashing his first gen Quattro Coupe (AWD/turbo model).
The pall this cast was so thick one could cut it with a knife.

R.I.P. Jason

 

[sprintman]

Sprint cars are dangerous. Ask Tony Stewart!