26-Year-Old Champion Race Car Driver Killed in Major On-Track Crash
Another young competitor has been taken from us far too soon.
Sprint car racer Justin Owen died this weekend after colliding with the outside wall around the track at Lawrenceburg Speedway in Indiana and flipping several times during a qualifying round just before 6:30 p.m. Saturday, the Indianapolis Star reported. United States Auto Club Racing announced his death shortly after midnight.
He was 26 years old.
Despite his youth, USAC said Owen had been competing in sprint cars for over a decade.
Fellow competitors were quick to express their sorrow and offer condolences to Owens’ family and friends online.
It’s Never easy to be reminded how quickly things happen in this sport or that we’re not promised tomorrow. Keeping the family, friends and fans of Justin Owen in our prayers. We’re so sorry for your loss.
Godspeed, @OwenTwoSix
— Tony Stewart Racing (@TonyStewart_Rcg) April 9, 2023
This win is for fellow dirt racer Justin Owen. My sincere condolences go out to his family and friends. pic.twitter.com/IRjPYyls5g
— Christopher Bell (@CBellRacing) April 10, 2023
Ended up 7th tonight banging the boards, had a lot of fun and appreciated the opportunity.
Post race I learned about the passing of Justin Owen, raced against Justin quite a bit in sprint cars. Thoughts and prayers are with him and his family. pic.twitter.com/losYQ36rU0
— Chase Briscoe (@ChaseBriscoe_14) April 9, 2023
“Justin Owen, a competitor in the sprint car ranks for more than a decade, succumbed to injuries sustained in a qualifying crash during Saturday night’s USAC AMSOIL Sprint Car National Championship event at Indiana’s Lawrenceburg Speedway,” USAC said in a statement.
“The remainder of the event was canceled following the incident involving the 26-year-old Harrison, Ohio native after his car made contact with the outside wall and flipped multiple times in turn three.”
Owen had a history of success at the Lawrenceburg Speedway, USAC said. Last season, he won there twice, and eventually captured the title there as well.
The organization called him the “reigning track champion, explaining that he’d also made feature starts there in 2019 and 2021.
Former racer Kendall Eberhart, who has both raced at Lawrenceburg and had sons race there, told WLWT-TV in Cincinnati that racers have to try to put the dangers inherent in the sport out of their minds.
“As someone who raced and my son raced, you know the reality is there, but you try to put it in the back of your head,” he said. “But every now and then you realize this is the real deal and lives can be taken in a blink of an eye.”
“You got to have nerves of steel. You are out there going close to 100 miles per hour,” Eberhart said. “You got a guy who was a champion leader last year and something like this happens. It’s not something you think that would happen.”
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