Driver Dies Following Multi-Car Wreck At Eldora Speedway
A Dirt Late Model driver died from injuries sustained in a crash on Saturday night at Eldora Speedway, a half-mile dirt oval in Ohio. The event continued after the wreck, as the driver was transported to the hospital for severe injuries at the time.
According to a release on the Eldora Speedway website, the driver was Shane Unger, 35, an Ohio native competing at the 46th annual World 100. Fox Sports reports that the wreck occurred during a late restart for the second heat race of the World 100, when Unger and several other cars crashed in turn three.
Emergency crews transported Unger to the hospital in an ambulance following the incident, and Fox Sports reports that the driver died that night at Mercer County Community Hospital. There are currently no reports on the cause of death, but Eldora Speedway General Manager Roger Slack told USA Today the car was equipped with a HANS device to protect a driver's head and neck in the case of a collision.
Current NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver and team owner Tony Stewart is the owner of Eldora Speedway, which also hosts an annual Camping World Truck Series race. The Sprint Cup Series was at Richmond International Raceway during the crash, and Fox Sports reports that Stewart was not immediately informed about Unger's death.
The speedway's release said the Unger family "conveyed their appreciation of the prayers and support expressed by the racing community and requests their privacy be respected at this time," and that additional information on the situation will be made available when appropriate.
According to Unger's Facebook page, he typically raced at least once a weekend from March to October with his brother as the team owner and crew chief. Their race car won the award for Best Appearing Car at Eldora Speedway in 2012, according to National Speed Sport News.
Per the Facebook profile, Unger and his brother "put everything into [their] racing" and he was the first car to make it through technical inspection for the World 100.