List of Daytona International Speedway fatalities

Daytona International Speedway has seen 40 on-track fatalities since its opening in 1959: 23 car drivers, twelve motorcyclists, three go-kart drivers, one powerboat racer, and one track worker. The most notable death may have been that of Dale Earnhardt, who was killed on the last lap of the Daytona 500 on February 18, 2001.

Name Date of accident Vehicle Sanction Event Session Course of events References
Marshall Teague February 11, 1959 Car USAC Speed record attempt Testing Teague conducted test runs preparing for a speed record attempt in a "Sumar Special", a reconfigured Indy car with a canopy and streamlined fenders, classified as Formula Libre; when he entered the west turn, the high-speed aerodynamic lift caused his racer to spin and flip end-over-end, throwing Teague, still strapped to his seat, from the car. He was killed instantly. [1][2][3]
George Amick April 4, 1959 Car USAC Daytona 100 Race Exiting the west turn, Amick's "Bowes Seal Fast" Indy car smashed into the outer guard rail on the backstretch straightaway, overturned, and traveled upside down before coming to a standstill in the infield. He died instantly. [1][4]
Byrne E. Taylor June 14, 1959 Boat APBA Southeastern States outboard championships on Lake Lloyd Heat race Approaching the west turn, Taylor's C racing runabout spun, flipped and ejected him into the water where he was hit by an onrushing competitor. The 53-year-old physician was pronounced dead of a broken neck on arrival at Halifax Hospital. [5]
Martin Every June 18, 1960 Car American Motors passenger car test Testing Leaving the east turn, Every lost control of his Rambler, apparently due to a blown tire, and overturned. The 23-year-old amateur driver died at Halifax Hospital about an hour later. [6][7]
Habe Haberling February 21, 1961 Car NASCAR 250-mile race Practice Having entered the east turn, Haberling's Modified Chevrolet spun sideways, veered down the banking, and ran it up again before rolling over several times and coming to a stop near the infield grass. Haberling was killed instantly. [8][9]
Billy Wade January 5, 1965 Car Goodyear tire test Testing Wade was approaching the west turn when his Mercury blew a tire. After ramming and sliding along the outer retaining wall, the car skidded down to the apron, ran up the turn, crashed into the wall sideways and jerked to a halt. Wade was pronounced dead on arrival at Halifax Hospital from internal and head injuries. [1][10]
Don MacTavish February 22, 1969 Car NASCAR Daytona Permatex 300 Race Coming out of the east turn, MacTavish hit an opening in the outside wall covered by metal guard rail, shearing off the front of his Sportsman Mercury Comet, which was then struck by Sam Sommers. MacTavish was killed instantly. [11]
Wayne Harris Bartz March 12, 1969 Bike 76-mile novice lightweight race Heat race Riding a Suzuki, Bartz crashed into two downed bikes on the east turn. He was flung through the air and slammed on the ground. The 30-year-old motorcyclist died of massive injuries in the speedway hospital a short time later. [12][13]
Tab Prince February 19, 1970 Car NASCAR 125-mile race Race A blown engine caused Prince's Dodge Charger Daytona to slide sideways as it was going into the west turn where it was t-boned by Bill Seifert. Prince died of a broken back and compressed spinal cord. [14][15][16]
Rusty Bradley March 14, 1971 Bike AMA Daytona 200 Race Bradley lost control of his Kawasaki in turn one of the road course, his helmeted head hitting the track. The 21-year-old college student died of skull injuries in Halifax Hospital several hours later. [17]
David Pearl July 31, 1971 Car SCCA Central Florida meet — Paul Whiteman Trophy Race Coming to a halt in the center of the track after spinning out, Pearl's Brabham BT29 was broadsided by Milo Vega on the west infield turn of the road course. The 30-year-old university graduate was dead on arrival at the track hospital, having suffered a broken neck and a fractured skull. [18]
Friday Hassler February 17, 1972 Car NASCAR 125-mile race Qualifying Race Hassler was involved in a multi-car pileup on the backstretch. His Chevrolet hit a wall, spun, and was struck by Jimmy Crawford, Hassler being knocked back into the wall. He was dead of neck and head injuries. [14][19][20][21]
Don Williams February 17, 1979 Car NASCAR Sportsman 300 Race Coming out of Turn Two, Williams, who was driving a Sportsman Chevrolet Chevelle, was involved in a multi-car pileup, incurring permanent brain damage, which left him in a semicomatose state until his death on May 21, 1989. [22][23]
Ricky Knotts February 14, 1980 Car NASCAR 125-mile race Qualifying Race Going into Turn One, Knotts, driving an Oldsmobile, made contact with Slick Johnson, crashed into the outside wall, collided with Blackie Wangerin, and skidded across the track and the infield grass before slamming into a concrete wall passengerside. Knotts was dead of head injuries. [1][14][24][25][26]
Bruce Jacobi February 17, 1983 Car NASCAR UNO Twin 125 Qualifying Race Caught by a gusty headwind exiting Turn 2, Jacobi drifted towards the wet infield grass where his Pontiac became airborne and somersaulted until its remains came to a stop near a dirt bank. Jacobi suffered head injuries and remained semicomatose until his death on February 4, 1987. [27][28]
Francis Affleck February 7, 1985 Car ARCA Daytona ARCA 200 Practice Entering the backstretch, Affleck's Ford started to spin and flipped several times. Due to a failure of the window net, he was partially ejected, sustaining head and neck injuries. He was pronounced dead at Halifax Medical Center shortly after the crash. [29][30][31]
Charles Ogle December 15, 1985 Car Pontiac race car test Testing A tire failure led to Ogle's Dash Series Pontiac Sunbird digging into the infield grass near the bus stop chicane and becoming airborne. The car landed on its roof and only stopped sliding near an infield embankment. Ogle succumbed to his head injuries at Halifax Medical Center eleven days later. [32][33][34]
Joe Young February 13, 1987 Car NASCAR Komfort Koach 200 Race Involved in a multi-car pileup, Young's Dash Series Chevrolet Cavalier was slowly sliding backwards between Turns 3 and 4 when hit almost head-on by Duell Sturgill with the impact ripping apart the front end of Young's car. The 38-year-old auto mechanic was dead of multiple internal injuries. [35][36][37]
James Kolman December 27, 1987 Kart WKA Enduro World Championships Practice About to enter the infield section of the road course, Kolman, driving a Yamaha kart in the S Lite Class, left the course and hit a barrier. A short time later, the 25-year-old computer employee was pronounced dead at Halifax Medical Center. [38][39]
Randy Glenn February 27, 1988 Bike CCS Lightweight Superbike/SuperTwin races Practice Exiting the infield section of the road course, Glenn was killed in a crash with his Kawasaki EX500. The 38-year-old hobby motorcyclist was pronounced dead of massive head injuries at the infield care center. [40]
Dale Robertson December 27, 1989 Kart WKA Enduro World Championships Race Starting in the Sprint Sit-Up class, Robertson and several other drivers were involved in a crash. The 26-year-old racer died of massive head and chest injuries. [41]
Slick Johnson February 11, 1990 Car ARCA Daytona ARCA 200 Race Between Turns 3 and 4, Johnson lost control of his Pontiac Grand Prix, which was sliding sideways when hit by David Simko's car and thus deflected into the outside wall from where it rebounded into the path of an oncoming spinning car before being broadsided by another one near the infield. Johnson sustained a basal skull fracture, a crushed chest, and other internal injuries. He died at Halifax Medical Center three days later. [42][43][44]
Joe Booher February 12, 1993 Car NASCAR Florida 200 Race Entering Turn One, the right rear of Booher's Dash Series Chevrolet Beretta clipped the left front of Carl Horton's car, which sent Booher head-on into the outside wall. Coming down across the track, he was struck in the right front by Rodney White. Booher was pronounced dead of massive head and internal injuries at Halifax Medical Center. [45][46]
James Adamo March 7, 1993 Bike AMA Daytona 200 Race Exiting the infield course, Adamo's Ducati 888 went straight into a stack of hay bales before striking a retaining wall and guardrail. The crash was caused by front brake failure. The 36-year-old motorcycle parts shop owner was dead of massive head injuries. [47][48]
Neil Bonnett February 11, 1994 Car NASCAR Daytona 500 Practice Bonnett's Chevrolet Lumina swerved when coming off Turn 4, slid onto the apron, went up the banking, and crashed into the wall nearly head-on. Bonnett was pronounced dead of massive head injuries at Halifax Medical Center a little later. [1][49][50]
Rodney Orr February 14, 1994 Car NASCAR Daytona 500 Practice Entering Turn 2, Orr's Ford Thunderbird spun onto the apron, went up the banking, flipped over, and hit the wall roof-first. The crash, in which Orr was killed instantly, was triggered by a broken mounting stud, a part that holds the shock absorber to the car. [51][52]
Michael Himes January 31, 1997 Car IMSA Two-Hour Endurance Championship Race Having entered the bus stop chicane, Himes's Honda Civic del Sol SI, instead of turning right, hit a tire wall head-on. The 42-year-old driver, who had retired from working in the computer chip manufacturing industry, was pronounced dead of severe trauma at Halifax Medical Center several hours after the crash. [53][54]
Roger Reiman March 4, 1997 Bike BMW Battle of the Legends Practice A collision involving several motorcycles caused Reiman to be thrown from his bike on the infield section of the road course. The 58-year-old Harley-Davidson dealer was pronounced dead at Halifax Medical Center. [55][56]
Chad Matteson October 31, 1997 Bike NASB Lightweight Sport Bike/GT3 race Practice Coming out of the infield section of the road course, Matteson crashed on his Yamaha 400. The 24-year-old motorcycle mechanic was declared brain dead at Halifax Medical Center in the afternoon of the same day. [57]
Chris Tatro March 2, 2000 Bike CCS Practice Riding a 600cc Kawasaki, Tatro crashed into the outside retaining wall on the high bank off turn four. A short time later, the 22-year-old amateur rider died of head injuries and multiple trauma at Halifax Medical Center. [58][59][60]
Dale Earnhardt February 18, 2001 Car NASCAR Daytona 500 Race Going into the final turn, the rear of Earnhardt's Chevrolet Monte Carlo made contact with Sterling Marlin's front bumper, which caused Earnhardt to briefly slide towards the apron before shooting up the banking. His car was hit passengerside by an oncoming Ken Schrader so that the two cars were deflected towards the outside wall, which Earnhardt hit at a sharp angle. Their cars slid down the track, coming to a halt on the infield grass. Earnhardt died instantly, but wasn't pronounced dead until his arrival at Halifax Medical Center, killed by a basilar skull fracture. [1][61]
Dirk Piz March 11, 2001 Bike AMA Buell Pro Thunder Sprint Race Entering the bus stop chicane, Piz's Ducati 748 collided with Kiyoshige Watanabe's crashed bike, was lifted up, and sent Piz into the tire barrier to his right. The 45-year-old privateer was pronounced dead of internal injuries at Halifax Medical Center. [62][63][64]
Stuart Stratton October 19, 2001 Bike CCS GTO Pre-race Practicing a start on his Yamaha YZF-R6 on pit road, Stratton hit and hurt an official, and veered into the wall. The 35-year-old rider was pronounced dead at Halifax Medical Center. [65]
Michael Davis Jr. December 30, 2001 Kart WKA Dunlop Tire National Road Racing Race Davis, a 17-year-old go-kart racer, was either killed by suddenly veering sideways and hitting a wall on the infield road course or by being bumped from behind and thrown from his Yamaha Sportsman Lite vehicle in Turn 4. [66][67]
Bryan Cassell Jr. October 18, 2003 Bike CCS/FUSA Fall Cycle Scene race Practice Slowing down at the exit of Turn Four, Cassell's Lightweight/ThunderBike Ducati was rammed and run over by Jeff Tatham, who couldn't evade him. The 28-year-old rookie was pronounced dead at Halifax Medical Center. [68][69]
Roy Weaver III (Marshal) February 8, 2004 Car IPOWERacing IPOWER Dash 150 Race Weaver was picking up debris on Turn 2 during a caution period when he was struck by Ray Paprota's Dash Series Pontiac Sunfire. Once Paprota spotted the track worker, he hit his brakes, but went into a lateral slide and caught Weaver with the rear of the passenger side. The 44-year-old supervisor of track crews was killed instantly. His death was ruled an accident by the Daytona Beach Police Department. [70][71]
Robert Boswell February 3, 2008 Car Richard Petty Driving Experience Racing school Boswell, slumped over the steering wheel and driving erratically, skidded down the Turn 2 embankment and hit a retaining wall. A medical examiner found that the 60-year-old man had suffered a heart attack. [72][73]
Alan Burgess August 9, 2009 Car SCCA Central Florida meet — Daytona Double SARRC Race Burgess managed to drive his flaming GT-2 Porsche 944 into the pits, but by the time the fire was extinguished the 54-year-old facilities director had sustained severe burns, succumbing at an Orlando hospital 15 days later. [74]
Eric Desy October 17, 2013 Bike Team Hammer Advanced Riding School Racing school After Shaw, a 65-year-old driving school instructor, and Desy, his 45-year-old student, had collided on an oval turn, they were admitted to Halifax Health hospital where they succumbed to their injuries on the same day. [75][76][77]
Rick Shaw

References
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