Track Worker Struck (killed) by Race Car (Daytona)

The Daytona Beach News-Journal ^ | February 8, 2004 | AP

[FReepaholic]

Track worker struck by race car

Associated Press

Last update: 6:50 p.m.

DAYTONA BEACH: A track worker was struck during a race for compact cars Sunday at Daytona International Speedway.

The worker was picking up debris in the second turn when he was struck. The IPOWERacing 150 was red-flagged for more than two hours as police conducted an investigation.

Neither the worker nor the car involved was identified. Track officials said they could not immediately comment on the accident because of privacy laws.

[FReepaholic]

Local Orlando broadcast news reported that the worker was killed. This is the only web source I could find on the event.

[Normal4me]

Not a good way to start off the season. :-(

[budman_2001]

Basically the same story from TBO/AP Sporting news without the worker condition.

Sad.

[budman_2001]

Speed Channel just breaking/confirming the news now.

Daytona employee, course marshal killed. Sounds like the finished the race, without Speed, under the lights.

[ChadsDad]

Wonder why the live coverage never came back. We left speed channel on just in case. Terrible for the Official, prayers for his family...

[budman_2001]

I wondered that myself, but flipped over to ESPN Classic to watch an old NASCAR race from Sears Point.

Speed Channel identified the worker as Roy Weaver. Did an Google internet search, and came up with a hit.

[FReepaholic]

Hmmm...the admin moderator apparently has pulled this thread from Breaking News.

This is an event that just occurred this afternoon yet I still see days old news remaining in Breaking News. Go figure.

[budman_2001]

A more complete story.

Track worker killed by race car going more than 100 mph PAUL NEWBERRY, AP Sports Writer

(02-08) 16:28 PST DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (AP) --

A worker at Daytona International Speedway was struck and killed by a paraplegic driver going more than 100 mph during a race for compact cars Sunday.

The worker, 44-year-old Roy H. Weaver III, was standing in the middle of the track picking up debris during a caution period when he was hit by a car driven by Ray Paprota of Birmingham, Ala., track spokesman David Talley said.

Paprota, who doesn't have use of his legs and drives a car equipped with hand controls, was trying to catch up the main pack of cars after a two-car crash at the opposite end of the track brought out a yellow flag. Weaver was struck in Turn 2 on the 21/2-mile trioval.

"The worker was standing right in the middle of the track when he hit him," said Jeff Tillman, who was behind Paprota when the fatal accident occurred. "It flipped him over the car."

Several drivers said Weaver's body already was covered by a tarp as they continued to circle the track under a yellow flag. Eventually, the IPOWERacing 150 was red-flagged for about 11/2 hours, finally running to the finish under the lights after police investigated the scene and took pictures of Paprota's car in the garage.

Paprota was loaded into a wheelchair-accessible van and left the track without commenting to reporters.

"I'm sorry," he said. "I can't say anything."

Weaver was the supervisor of track crew. He had been with the speedway for seven years.

[budman_2001]

DASH Series driver Ray Paprota, right, looks over his tarp-covered car with an unidentified man Sunday, Feb. 8, 2004, at Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Fla. after Paprota was involved in an accident during the IPOWERacing DASH 150 Paprota, a paraplegic, uses hand controls to drive. (AP Photo/Terry Renna)

[AgentEcho]

For those of you that watch Monster Garage, Ray Paprota was the paraplegic that helped build the handicap accessible Mercedes ML430.

Æ

[arichtaxpayer]

I told my husband that I thought somebody got killed. They didn't show the track at all, and it was just taking too long. Daytona is jinxed. Sympathies to the family.

[FReepaholic]

Orlando TV station says that today was Weaver's 45th birthday. Damn.

[budman_2001]

Updated AP Story

[glock rocks]

sad news ping

[budman_2001]

Corrected Link to Updated AP Story

Sorry....

[tubebender]

The time ran out for the Speed Channel crew. They may have leased satellite time and had to go. There was a very bad two car wreck on the strait away and it took a while to extract one driver.

Just as things were clearing up a race car came by with the deck lid ripped out of it. They didn't see or know why he had the damage but they mentioned a official injured and showed activity in a turn.

Then there was the long delay and they signed off. I thought at one time I saw a flag flying at half staff...

[Diddle E. Squat]

Makes one wonder if a paraplegic really belongs in a racing event. Yeah, it makes for feel-good stories, but someone is now dead. Perhaps the fact that the driver is a paraplegic makes no difference, but so far I have to wonder if it was a factor.

[tubebender]

Thanks for the link...

[VRWC For Truth]

It's just a tragic accident. The worker would never expect a car to be so far behind the other cars and went on to the track. The driver never expected the worker to be in the middle of the track since the major wreck cleanup was no where near the worker. More of a mis-communication really. They should tighten the communication but nothing will ever be 100% safe.

[NormsRevenge]

damn.

Condolences and Sympathies and Our Prayers go out to the family and friends for their loss.

Thanks for the ap updated link ,budman

thanks for the ping, tubebender