A 60-year-old man has died after losing control of his vehicle during an attempt to set a new land speed record at Utah’s annual “SpeedWeek” event.
Chris Raschke was behind the wheel of his land speed vehicle on the Bonneville Salt Flats in Tooele County on Sunday, August 3, when the fatal crash occurred.
“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 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 crash remains under investigation, according to the SCTA.
The event, which draws speed enthusiasts from across the country, began Saturday, August 2 and is scheduled to run through Friday, August 8, Fox 13 reported.
PEOPLE has reached out to the Tooele County Sheriff’s Office for further information.
Race director Keith Pedersen shared with KUTV that Raschke had nearly reached 280 mph before the crash.
“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 said. He also confirmed that the event will proceed as planned on Monday.
Raschke’s team, Speed Demon 715, expressed their grief in a tribute posted to social media.
“At this time, we ask everyone to please respect Chris’s family, friends, and the Speed Demon team. We are deeply devastated,” the team wrote on Facebook. “If you come across any inappropriate comments on our pages, please let us know so we can address them. Thank you for your understanding.”
