NEED TO KNOW
A 60-year-old man has died after losing control of his land speed vehicle while attempting to set a new record
Chris Raschke was taking part in the annual “SpeedWeek” event in Utah on Aug. 3
Rashke reached almost 280 mph before crashing, race director Keith Pedersen told local media outlet KUTV
A man has died after losing control of his vehicle while attempting to set a new land speed record at the annual “SpeedWeek” event in Utah.
Chris Raschke, 60, crashed his land speed vehicle on the Bonneville Salt Flats in northwestern Utah’s Tooele County on Sunday, Aug. 3.
“At approximately 3:03 p.m. Mountain Time today, driver Chris Raschke. age 60, was attempting a speed record and lost control of his land speed vehicle at approximately the 2 1/2 mile,” the event’s organizer Southern California Timing Association (SCTA), shared in a statement on Facebook. “Chris was treated by medical professionals at the scene. Unfortunately, Chris passed away from his injuries.”
“The cause of the incident is currently under investigation,” the post concluded.
Getty
Bonneville Salt Flats in Utah
SpeedWeek began on Saturday, Aug. 2 and will end on Friday, Aug. 8, local media outlet Fox 13 reported.
PEOPLE has contacted the Tooele County Sheriff’s Office for comment.
Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE’s free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.
Chris Raschke
Race director Keith Pedersen revealed that Raschke almost reached 280 mph before crashing.
“It’s much more of a camaraderie and community, and that builds a lot of friendships and trust. He’s a big part of it, and he will be sorely missed,” Pedersen told local media outlet KUTV.
He added that the event will continue on Monday.
Raschke’s team Speed Demon 715 paid tribute to their late driver on social media.
“At this time, we ask everyone to please respect Chris’s family, friends, and the Speed Demon team. We are deeply devastated,” a statement read on their Facebook page. “If you come across any inappropriate comments on our pages, please let us know so we can address them. Thank you for your understanding.”
Read the original article on People
