Chris Raschke, a speed driver attempting to set a new land speed record at Utah’s Bonneville Salt Flats, died in a crash after his vehicle reached speeds of 283 miles per hour.
Raschke, 60, had driven just over two miles before his streamliner – a car specifically designed to reach extreme speeds – crashed. Rascke received medical treatment on the scene, but ultimately succumbed to his injuries, organizers say.
“It’s much more of a camaraderie and community, and that builds a lot of friendships and trust,” said Keith Pedersen, president of the Southern California Timing Association. “He’s a big part of it, and he will be sorely missed.”
Pedersen says that Raschke was well respected within the racing community.
“Motorsports is inherently a dangerous sport,” said Dennis Sullivan, a car builder and racer who serves as president of the Utah Salt Flats Racing Association. “People get hurt. People get killed. That’s just the nature of the sport. It doesn’t happen a lot.”
Sullivan recalled another somewhat recent death on the famed Utah salt flats in 2016, when a motorcyclist lost control of his bike while traveling at speeds up to 200 mph. The salt flats contain about seven miles of track for racing and contain an aquifer that cools the tires of the racing vehicles.
“He is one of the big ones,” Pedersen said of Rascke. “He had done all sorts of racing.”
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