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Veteran driver Chris Raschke died on Sunday after he lost control of his vehicle while traveling at a speed of 283 mph in an attempt to set a record at the famed Bonneville Salt Flats in Utah, event organizers confirmed. He was 60.
The Southern California Timing Association (SCTA), which hosts SpeedWeek at the Bonneville Salt Flats, released a statement confirming Raschke’s death.
The Bonneville Salt Flats are located around 100 miles west of Salt Lake City and have, for decades, been utilized as racing grounds because of their glass-like surface. (Blake Benard/Getty Images)
“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. Chris was treated by medical professionals at the scene. Unfortunately, Chris passed away from his injuries,” the statement read.
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SCTA noted that the cause of the incident is under investigation. The Tooele County Sheriff’s Office, which is investigating Raschke’s death, did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.
Sgt. Dane Lerdahl, a spokesman for the law enforcement agency, told The Associated Press, “We know it was an accident of some sort.”
Raschke had reportedly reached a speed of 283 mph while driving the “Speed Demon.” The SCTA did not specify what record he was attempting to break, but according to Speed Demon Racing’s website, Raschke’s top speed in the streamliner was 391 mph.
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“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 in a statement on Facebook.
The American Hot Rod Foundation also released a statement following Raschke’s death, adding that he was “piloting the latest iteration of the Speed Demon streamliner when the crash occurred.”
Cars form a line near the race track at the Bonneville Salt Flats near Wendover, Utah, Aug. 13, 2016. (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer, File)
“Chris was known to many as the face of ARP, but to those who knew him on the salt, he was someone who found the perfect balance of friendly and competitive. Never a usual combination and one that speaks to the quality of his character. We send our deepest sympathies to Chris’ family and friends.”
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The Bonneville Salt Flats are located around 100 miles west of Salt Lake City and have, for decades, been utilized as racing grounds because of their glass-like surface. The first race there took place in 1914.
The last known racing death at the flats occurred in 2016, when Sam Wheeler lost control of a high-performance bike. He crashed going 200 mph.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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