A driver ranging from 283 MPH trying to establish a property speed record during a race event in the famous Bonneville Salt Flats of Utah died on Sunday after losing control of his vehicle in the shape of a rocket called Speed Demon, the organizers said.
Pilot Chris Raschke has lost control at around two and a half miles in a race and was processed by health professionals on the scene, but died of his injuries, according to a press release from the Southern California Timing Association, which organized the popular racing event at earth speed known as “Speed Week since the late 1940s.
For decades, the flat and glass white surface attracted drivers from all over the search for new terrestrial world records and motorcycles and car fans to watch.
A vestige of a prehistoric lake bed, salt platforms that are around 100 miles west of Salt Lake City were also a backdrop for films like “Independence Day” and “The World’s Fast the most Indian”.
“Motorsports is intrinsically a dangerous sport,” said Dennis Sullivan, car manufacturer and runner who has set a land speed record in his 1927 street model roadster and is president of UTAH Salt Flats Racing Association. “People are injured. People are killed. It’s just the nature of sport. It doesn’t happen much.”
Sullivan has said that car sports also have strict safety requirements – such as stronger rollers, special tires and more fire extinguishers – which help protect drivers.
The last death of Race Sullivan recalled in the apartments came in 2016 when Sam Wheeler, a renowned terrestrial speed motorcycle runner, crashed at 200 mph when the high performance bike, he tested the fish tail and went in the air.
Rick Bowmer / AP
The Bonneville Salt Flats, who had its first race in 1914, have about 7 miles for the race and an aquifer below which cools the tires of the cars. It is different from other places of racing in that it has no stands. Spectators must be held two tenths from Mile cars.
Raschke lost control of the vehicle at about two and a half miles after a race. We don’t know what Speed Raschke was aimed at achieving. The association and the sheriff’s office of the county of Tooele investigate the death, said the SGT. Dane Lerdahl, spokesperson for the law application agency.
“We know that it was any accident,” said Lerdahl. For decades, people have used the flat and glass surface in the Bonneville salt plateaus, 100 miles west of Salt Lake City, to establish speed records, sometimes unfolding 400 MPH. Speed week has long been a draw for motorcycle and cars fans.
According to the Southern California Timing Association, 18 records were established on Sunday morning, 7 by cars and 11 in motorcycles in total of 261 points.
Raschke, 60, was the driver of a streamliner – a long narrow aerodynamic car made to operate at high speed – known as Speed Demon. He worked in car sports for more than four decades.
Keith Pedersen, president of the association and race director of the Speed Week, said that the death of Raschke was a major loss for the racing community, the affiliate of CBS Kutv reported.
“It is much more a camaraderie and a community, and it establishes many friendships and confidence,” said Pedersen at the station. “It does a large part, and we will miss a lot.”
According to the site of the Speed Demon Racing team, Raschke worked at the Ventura Raceway in the early 1980s, ran 3 wheels and cars in the mini stock division, learned to make and maintain racing cars when working with an acclaimed engine manufacturer and later became a driver for the Speed Demon team.
Pedersen said Raschke was a pilot respected in the shopping community and also worked for a company that makes ties for racing cars.
“He is one of the big ones. He had done all kinds of races,” said Pedersen.
The event of racing week started on Saturday and takes place on Friday.