[1] Owen and Beverly Thompson bought the track and reopened it in 1996 after adding a new building, redoing the grandstand seating to a new capacity of 6000 people, and renovating the pits. Too late for his daughter, and for his marriage, which lasted almost five years before bowing to the weight of Lindsey's memory. After a complicated, sometimes off-and-on courtship, they were married in 1953. AUTO RACING: Salem Speedway has new owner DANIEL SUDDEATH daniel.suddeath@newsandtribune.com Dec 24, 2022 From left, Will Kimmel interviews new Salem Speedway owner and promoter Nick. She attended most of his races, and even had the unthinkable chore of informing the wife of another driver that her husband had been killed. That was Bobs favorite of the half-mile tracks, Dorie Sweikert said. hunting for them, to call them to supper. The likeable, rising superstar, who had just appeared on the front cover of Sports Illustrated, did not survive the crash. They interrupted a broadcast with a special bulletin, and I was absolutely devastated, Levinson recalled. After 1949 Sweikert became close friends with Johnny Boyd of Fresno, California when he met him on the California racing circuit. I just raced. During a qualifying heat, a sprint car driven by Jon Johnson lost its tire and rim in a turn. He ran seventy-two races that first BCRA season, finishing 14th out of 130 active members in the annual point standings. "My stamina's not what it should be. Fifteen were gone within just seven years. Donald Davidson, historian for the Indianapolis 500, said Sweikert is highly regarded among those familiar with the sports heritage. Days before his 40th birthday, Vogler was competing in a nationally broadcast ESPN Thunder Joe James / Pat O'Connor Memorial sprint car event at Salem Speedway. In early 1948, he married Marion Edwards. He had that charisma.. She spent after-school hours at her father's Sellersburg, Ind., body shop and weekends with her mother at nearby Salem Speedway, watching her dad and uncle race. LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- Racing is returning to Salem, Indiana. Sweikert's car, on the outside, brushed a piece of metal . The challenge for speedway owners: How do you balance the counterweights of safety and intimacy? ", But: "Everywhere I go, I check out their fence.". Vogler, who was leading the event at the time and was about to take the white flag signaling one lap to go, hit head on with the turn 4 wall, violently throwing tires, Vogler's helmet, and other pieces of Vogler's car all over the track. Former USAC Midget racer Nick Bohanon has taken over ownership of the iconic Salem Speedway Fueled by the Hoosier Lottery, located in Salem. For over 65 years Salem Speedway Fueled by the Hoosier Lottery has enjoyed the recognition of being one of the most unique and renowned race tracks in America. Vogler was the National Alliance of Midget Auto Racing (NAMAR) midget champion in 1973. There, Dawn Mayden and her daughter had left their lawn chairs for some barbecued chicken at a concession stand. SALEM, IND. "He would be going if it were me that died. Speedway. Roger Bruce Hassing. Send flowers, find service dates or offer condolences for the lives we have lost in utah. RACE CAR driver Bob Sweikert celebrates his win in the 1955Indianapolis 500 with his wife, Dorrie. In late 1944, Sweikert enrolled in the US Army Air Force, but suffered a severe knee injury while training at Lowry Field in Colorado. Weinberger and Ostapenko began artificial respiration. SALEM - Salem Speedway is set to host the 33rd Halloween 200 from Oct. 22-24. Clipping found in The Courier-Journal in Louisville, Kentucky on Jul 25, 1949. "I still love to go to races," Cynthia says now. ". Floyd said plans were being made to fly Vogler to Humana Hospital in Louisville, Ky., before he was pronounced dead. Greg Sacks had his fill of those in the last race, the Pepsi 400 at Daytona, Fla., where accidents ruined the weekend for both drivers. He won the midget car track championships at the Indianapolis Speedrome in 1984 and 1985. You go to Salem, and you go home a widow. Most race fans don't. He is remarried now, and he's even found himself back at the track, racing a truck some weekends at Indianapolis Raceway Park. Weeks later, Sweikert's fatal sprint car crash occurred on June 17, 1956, at Salem Speedway. Search Provo obituaries and condolences, hosted by Echovita.com. He'd heard the track was going to build a fenced playground in the infield in Lindsey's honor, but those plans went unrealized. Find an obituary, get service details, leave condolence messages or send flowers or gifts in memory of a loved one. Paved Oval located in Salem, IN: Track Status: Still In Operation (Opened: 1947 ) TOURING SERIES & MAJOR EVENTS ; Date Sanction Winner Laps 22 June 1947: AAA Midwest Big Car Series: He won numerous major national events: the Hut Hundred eight times, the 4-Crown Nationals midget car event four times, the Copper Classic twice, the Hoosierdome Invitational twice, the WWRA Florida Winter Nationals in 1983, and the Night Before the 500 once. Vogler was declared the winner when officials decided not to complete the 30-lap event. There are improvements that I want to make to the pavement, the pit area, lighting, infield concessions, infield restrooms and the scoreboard. They were joined by Myron Weinberger, 221 East 70th That year the family moved briefly to San Francisco, then across the bay to the rural town of Hayward, California. He died a week later. As firemen worked, the Rev. TOLEDO, Ohio (Feb. 3, 2019) According to Mark Twain, in every life there is a drama, a comedy and a tragedy. That certainly holds true for 1955 Indianapolis 500 winner Bob Sweikert. Such is what Jeff Mayden believed before his daughter was killed. He would make consecutive starts at Indy from then on, up until 1990. The fencing had been laid in position on the ground and Sweikert "If you tell them what they have to do, and then something happens and they haven't done what you told them, then you're opening yourself up to a lawsuit," says Dave Rhead, president of operations at Red Cedar Speedway in Menomonie, Wis. A small-track Saturday night: mid-September at the Lancaster (S.C.) Speedway, and the season has taken its usual toll. Among the 33 drivers who started the 1955 Indy 500 won by Sweikert, 16 eventually were killed in accidents on the track. He is tied with Pat Flaherty for the record of the driver with the fewest points to have won a race. Track officials voiced the same hesitance. I know that sounds corny, but thats the way it was. [4], The ASA National Tour ran six races at the track, from 1998 through 2003 and the winners were Scott Hansen (twice), David Stremme, Tim Sauter, Gary St. Amant and Robbie Pyle. For over 65 years Salem Speedway has enjoyed the recognition of being one of the most unique and renowned racetracks in America. The In 2018, Kody Swanson broke the all-time USAC Silvercrown record with his 24th series win at Salem. Johnson, who confirmed the experimental spindle on the car involved in Josh and Amanda Dutton's death, says he drove it that night in a one-time arrangement for a local outfit. There were exciting, happy, even playful moments, she said. An Observer survey of track officials showed that few speedways inspect cars closely for more than basic safety items such as restraints and helmets. Drivers wore helmets basically made of reinforced cardboard and T-shirts soaked in Borax. If you are experiencing difficulties logging in or are a subscriber getting a paywall, please try one or more of the following steps. Star, as published on Aug. 12, 1956, Mother Finds Pair in "We don't want the legal system to say, `You approved this car inspection thing.' Sweikerts car flew over the outside wall, through a photographers booth and crash-landed in a weed patch. Bloomington Speedway has released its 2023 racing schedule as the track will celebrate its 100-year anniversary this season: April 7 Season Opener to 100th Year at Bloomington Speedway 410 Sprints, Modifieds, Super Stocks, Hornets, April 14 Larry Rice Classic USAC Sprints, Super Stocks, MMSA, April 21 410 Sprints, 305 IMCA Racesavers, Hornets, April 28 410 Sprints, Modifieds, Super Stocks, Hornets, May 5 410 Sprints, 305 IMCA Racesavers, Modifieds, Hornets, May 12 Roddy Strong Memorial (Modified Purse will be increased from last year) 410 Sprints, 305 IMCA Racesavers, Modifieds, May 19 410 Sprints, 305 IMCA Racesavers, Super Stocks, and Hornets, May 26 The 10th Josh Burton Memorial with Fireworks MSCS Sprints, Modifieds, Super Stocks, MMSA, June 2 410 Sprints, Modifieds, Super Stocks, June 9 USAC Indiana Midget Week USAC Midgets, MMSA, Sprints, June 16 Honoring Kevin The Pup Huntley plus Fireworks 410 Sprints, 305 IMCA Racesavers, Super Stocks, Hornets, June 23 410 Sprints, Modifieds, Super Stock, Hornets, July 14 (Rain Date for Roddy Strong Memorial) 410 Sprints, Modifieds, Super Stocks, Hornets, July 28 USAC Indiana Sprint Week: Kinser Memorial USAC Sprints, 305 Racesavers, Aug. 11 410 Sprints, 305 IMCA Racesavers, Modifieds, Hornets, Aug. 18 410 Sprints, Super Stocks, Hornets, MMSA, Aug. 25 410 Sprints, Super Stocks, Hornets, Sept. 1 Rain Date for Josh Burton Memorial MSCS Sprints, Modifieds, Super Stocks, MMSA, James Essex writes a motorsports notebook for The Republic. Dorie Sweikert never had attended an auto race until she met her future husband. On the morning of his June 17 race at Salem, Dorie Sweikert recalled her husband complaining his car wasnt handling quite right. The following morning, in part because of Vogler's testimony, the penalty was overturned and Fittipaldi was credited with the runner-up position. Michaels Catholic Church, arrived and gave last rites. A year later, on June 17, 1956, Sweikert, just turned 30, was killed when his sprint car shot over the edge of the high-banked, half-mile track at Salem, Ind. Not all would race The Hills. Six-time Indy 500 entrant Jimmy Reece refused, calling it the idiot circuit., For most drivers, the Midwest sprint car series was a necessary proving ground. And with good reason; with 33-degree banking in the corners, Salem Speedway was built in 1947 with all out speed in mind. in the driveway beside the vacant house. [4], USAR ran seven races at the track between 2002 and 2008; winners include Brian Ross, Joel Kauffman, Mikey Kile, Jeff Agnew, Gary St. Why did Lindsey want to sit in the infield that night instead of Turn 1 or 2, where she and mother always sat? He won 1 race and accumulated a total of 8 championship points. ''I knew him well but we never talked about his father`s death. Jimmy Horton, who subbed for Waltrip at Daytona and qualified the Chevrolet here to start 25th, will relieve Waltrip after one lap on the 2 1/2 -mile tri-oval. On September 26, 1953 Sweikert won the Hoosier Hundred, at the Indiana State Fairgrounds, a race which is chronicled by many as "the greatest race ever" run. Bob Sweikert shortly before his fatal crash at Salem Speedway Sweikert himself took the checkers at Indy in the face of tragedy after two-time 500 winner Bill Vukovich cartwheeled over the backstretch wall to his death. Comment * document.getElementById("comment").setAttribute( "id", "a1fe75f612aa39abd4fbfcf156e736a1" );document.getElementById("hc1b4e368d").setAttribute( "id", "comment" ); document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Published In. And there were sad ones. That grief gripped the loved ones of dozens of race car drivers in the 1950s. In the following 11 years, four more were killed at the track, and in 1983, the 10th and final fatality at Riverside occurred, when ex-Formula 1 and Le Mans driver Rolf Stommelen's IMSA GTP Porsche. That wasnt what qualified him as an early victim of the SI jinx. Before this season, he had 122 victories in sprints, midgets and dirt cars. Marjorie Ann Bitter. Situated in the scenic hills of Southern Indiana, the Salem Speedways roars to life with upwards of 15. In late 1952 his first wife, Marion, started divorce proceedings. On May 30, 1955 Sweikert finally won the Indianapolis 500 race, from the 14th starting position in the Zink Kurtis roadster #6. He was awarded a 40th-place finish (as a "Did Not Start").[6]. Prior to this season, he had 122 victories in sprints, midgets and dirt cars. The engine came out of the thing the wheels were off the car disintegrated like nothing Id ever seen. That was your job. In 1988, Vogler was running 20+ laps down in the race when he waived his position to former Formula 1 champion Emerson Fittipaldi. You just couldnt be afraid all the time.. The two often raced together, and Boyd qualified for entry in the 1955 Indianapolis 500 when Sweikert helped him overcome mechanical handling problems in Boyd's car. Sweikert himself took the checkers at Indy in the face of Mrs. Sweikerts last order before leaving Indianapolis, the neighbors said, was that the fence be completed at once. Veda wrote many racing articles. another. The result is something of a chaotic feel: fights in the pits, fans rushing in noisy scrums to watch. "I'm happy to be in the front of the field, even if it's not on the pole.". Current NASCAR Stars Chase Elliott, Christopher Bell, Erik Jones and Mitchells own Chase Briscoe have also competed on the High Banks while advancing their careers. Johnson's car, said C. Ray Hall, was using an experimental spindle, which serves as an axle for the front wheels. Robert Charles Sweikert (May 20, 1926 June 17, 1956) was an American racing driver, best known as the winner of the 1955 Indianapolis 500 and the 1955 National Championship, as well as the 1955 Midwest Sprint car championship - the only driver in history to sweep all three in a single season. The race was red flagged and would never restart. 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[2] Major auto racing series that run at Salem are ARCA and USAC. This page was last edited on 23 December 2014, at 08:46. The .555-mile oval that features imposing 33-degree banks was built strictly for speed. It had been there in my head and in my heart for a long time, she said. Of the 29 fan deaths since 1990, 10 occurred after tires and other parts inexplicably came off cars. "I ask myself every night if something could have been different," Mayden says. Mrs. Tomlinson ran behind the Sweikert house. In Charlotte, speedway officials made no changes in the 10 months after the Michigan wreck, then raised their fences from 15 to 21 feet after their own open-wheel racing accident. Usually, his mother and his sons appear at the annual fund-raiser. Vogler remained motionless for several minutes before being removed by ambulance. A good Sunday was when every driver cheated death and went home alive.. * Most laps led. In May 1952, Sweikert ran his first "Indy 500" race. Salem Speedway opened in 1947, providing fans with exciting fast paced racing on the .555-mile oval that features imposing 33-degree banked turns that were built strictly for speed! Last edited on 17 December 2022, at 23:08, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Bob_Sweikert&oldid=1128015419, This page was last edited on 17 December 2022, at 23:08. 1 sprint car, just one year after he won the worlds most famous race, tumbled over the turn one wall at Salem Speedway. "Some people said it went over the fence." [1] He competed in the Indianapolis 500 five times, and his best finish was eighth in 1989. A naturally gifted mechanic, he frequently won street races throughout the East Bay. Learn how your comment data is processed. Sweikert was pronounced dead upon arrival at Washington County Hospital. firemen drained it before leaving the scene. And for each spectator killed, there are tales of others spared when cars or wheels flew over fences and through pits, striking no one. It was a time before safety thats just the way it was, said Steven Levinson, a semi-retired attorney and amateur auto racing historian, who grew up in Indianapolis in the 1940s and 50s. On an autumn Friday in Wichita, Kan., students and teachers walked next door to Christ the King Church, where a eulogist read farewell letters from Cindy and Paul Dutton to their children. But I'm doing therapy every day.". When they first started to use roll bars, traditionalists thought it was just awful. In a 1998 incident, an out-of-control race car climbed over a fence at a Phoenix speedway and came to rest just 15 feet from fan seating. USAC, however, did not see Vogler waive Fittipaldi by, and, as a result, they penalized Fittipaldi two laps. Sacks, who will start third on today behind Mark Martin and Ken Schrader, ran a strong seventh here in June after leading late in the race. [2] Major auto racing series that run at Salem are ARCA and USAC . LONG POND, Pa. -- Darrell Waltrip will be satisfied with a short day on the track today. [1], Bob Sweikert grew up in pre-war Los Angeles. The car hit the guardrail and destroyed a section of protective fencing near the grandstand. See more of Salem Speedway on Facebook. "And it gets worse at the end of the night.". priest, took them word that the boys were dead. The following paragraphs have been transcribed from the Indianapolis [2] The ARCA qualifying record is 16.785 seconds/119.035mph by Gary Bradberry in 1994.[6]. Finishing first among the survivors was a young driver from Pittsboro, Indiana, named Jeff Gordon. Death. The first major fund-raiser for the fund has been a Daytona 500 viewing party in Indianapolis, today well-attended with a silent auction and notable names in auto racing in the state as guests. Both tracks also increased their fences' overhang. The banks were spooky. With the deaths have come questions -- about track fencing, about uninspected cars, about supervision in restricted areas. Create new account. But he liked to race on them.. Sheriff Robert A. ONeal ordered the pool be drained. of his death. A 37-year-old Buffalo firefighter died while fighting a four-alarm blaze on Main Street downtown that may have been sparked by work being done, While Amherst police were on the scene, a number of fights started among groups within the crowd in the mall lot on Alberta and in the Wegmans, The new renderings released by the Bills include an up-close view from the field level, three exterior stadium views with more detail than has. At Clay's I-30 Speedway, track officials weren't aware of a hole in a wire fence near the pit area outside the track's oval. His mother Eleanor started a college scholarship fund for aspiring Indiana students as part of Rich's concern over his sons, and the fund was started by USAC officials and sponsor Valvoline. The event at one of the iconic short tracks in the county is being . It would do no good for anyone to tell Bob Sweikert to quit racing. About. Waltrip, preparing to make his 500th NASCAR start in that July 7 race, sustained a slight concussion and broke his left leg the day before in a crash in practice and couldn't start. "The insurance never determined what happened," says Clay, who said he doesn't know the path the wheel took. win at Indy, Vuky, who was leading when he crashed, would have been tough to For as long as he remembers, his view of Saturday nights was framed by the edges of a driver's helmet. In September 1955 Sweikert became the only driver in history to win the original American motor sports Triple Crown, by sweeping the Indianapolis 500, the AAA big car National Championship, and the Midwest sprint car championship. Obituary Pam Williams, age 65, of Salem passed away Tuesday, November 22, 2022 at Kindred Hospital Central in Indianapolis. Track inspections vary, as well. Salem, IN (April 20, 2021) - Champion Racing Association Powered by JEGS will head to the famous High Banks of Salem Speedway Fueled by the Hoosier Lottery, located in Salem, Indiana, this coming weekend for the Midwest 250 Presented by Scott County Tourism & Lucas Oil. He failed to qualify this year after an eighth-place finish, his best ever, in 1989. NASCAR hadnt yet arrived to swallow the sport. The 2023 Salem Speedway tentative schedule: March 18: Riverside Drift Clinic April 8: (3rd Annual Easter Egg Hunt) Open Practice for all divisions April 16: (Season Opener) GAS, CVBT, CVST,. Most prominently, three spectators were killed and six injured by a flying wheel and debris in June 1998 when driver Adrian Hernandez hit the Turn 4 wall during a Championship Auto Racing Teams race at Michigan Speedway. Nobody planned this tragedy, he told them. He was one of the good guys. Community See All. Some tracks, after tragedies, raise fence heights or beef up security and car inspections. Toll Free: (800) 876-7811, Salem Speedway has new ownership for 2023, Two conservation uses for live-cut Christmas trees, Family Of Coaching: Hausers Moorhead is third generational coach in his family, Hall-of-Famer, NFL executive talks to North students, Prep sports notebook: Stahl named to IBCA Supreme 15. His "Indy 500" win was over-shadowed by the fatal crash of two-time winner Bill Vukovich during the race earlier that day. Find the History Mystery Man on social media! Salem Speedway is a .555 miles (0.893 km) long paved oval racetrack in Washington Township, Washington County, near Salem, Indiana, United States, approximately 100 miles (160 km) south of Indianapolis. She died five hours later, early the next day. There was always the darkness the thing about Vukie.. Forgot account? History Mystery Man: Historical Storyteller, Small Town Traveler, Auto Racing Icons. Drivers sit so low in modern cars, nestled safely into a protective cockpit, that you can hardly see them. Five-time USAC midget champion Rich Vogler was killed Saturday night after his car crashed during a feature sprint-car race at Salem Speedway of which he was later declared the. One of his frequent local competitors on the streets was Ed Elisian, a teenage boy from nearby Oakland, California. When Vogler got word of Fittipaldi's penalty, he went up to USAC to testify for him, calling the penalty "unjust." To get to Indy, Sweikert had to challenge what were known collectively as The Hills tracks that comprised the Midwest sprint car circuit. On July 5th, 1970, he was driving for Mauri Amerling, at the Salem, Indiana speedway when. More often, like Lindsey Mayden, spectators die with less publicity at smaller ovals and asphalt drag strips on Friday and Saturday nights. Speedway infield. William M. Ostapenko, 38, who was working in his yard at Sweikert's mother, Grace, often visited Bob's firstborn until Grace died. At least 70 have been injured, some suffering life-altering afflictions, including a Florida father of three now living in a New Jersey home for people with brain damage. At the time, Vogler was scheduled to run the full Winston Cup Series in the near-future for U.S. Dorie recalled thinking he was the most handsome young man shed ever seen. Your email address will not be published. beat that day. The Indianapolis native raced in five Indianapolis 500s. Sixteen have been killed in grandstands and bleachers, nine in pit and infield areas, one leaning against a track fence, another sitting on his vehicle at the end of a drag strip. Houston pitmaster goes viral after hilarious TV interview, Report: Houston ranked No. While completing the third lap, Sweikert was running near the outside wall in 4th place, side by side with his past teenage East Bay streets rival, Ed Elisian, in 5th. Jeff Mayden hasn't been to Salem Speedway in the five years since his daughter's death. "The spindle just locked up and came off," he remembers. Vogler, now dead at the age of 39, was declared the winner posthumously because of USAC National Sprint Car Series rules on a red flag reverting to the previous completed lap. [2] A thunderstorm had ripped the roof off the grandstands and fences were damaged. [3] Former driver Nick Bohanon bought the racetrack in December 2022. tragedy after two-time 500 winner Bill Vukovich cartwheeled over the [5], As of 2019, the track has held more ARCA races than any other track (106th visit); it held races at the track since 1955. two months, went home while firemen worked. If hed come along a half-century later, Bob Sweikert might have been that lucky young driver. On Memorial Day, May 26, 1947 Sweikert ran his first race for prize money at the Oakland Speedway, and finished second. Their shoes where on the pools rim. I definitely want to clean the place up, paint it, do something with the signage out front. Ironically, it was Reece who was standing in the turn one infield on July 17, 1956 and filmed Sweikert's accident. Country Club golf course behind the Sweikert home. Keep reading with unlimited digital access. 1 most stressful city for workers in U.S. Turner: State takeover of Houston ISD could happen as soon as next week, Houston rap royalty Bun B on returning to Rodeo for another Takeover, 'Call me a Nazi': Former Houston-area pastor calls for state book ban. Sweikert finished sixth at Indianapolis the following May, but then died weeks later, at age 30, in 1956 after crashing a Sprint car at Salem Speedway. ), Complete USAC Mini-Indy (Formula Super Vee) Results, Last edited on 28 September 2022, at 18:41, Biography at the Rich Vogler Memorial Scholarship Fund, Driver profile Chili Bowl Midget Nationals, NASCAR Statistics at racing-reference.info, NASCAR Winston Cup results from July Pocono race, Rich Vogler Memorial Scholarship Fund webpage, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Rich_Vogler&oldid=1112909876, This page was last edited on 28 September 2022, at 18:41. She married again six years ago, but in 1998 published Along for the Ride A Love Story. The book is a personal, poignant and sometimes painful look back on her time with Bob Sweikert. You have permission to edit this article. ''They were both at the track practicing. The sprint car flew over the edge of the track, down the embankment, and landed a hundred feet below, where it briefly burst into flames. There was kind of a machismo attached to it. Bob Sweikert participated in 5 World Championship races. Vogler, a native of Glen Ellyn, Ill., who lived in Indianapolis with his wife and three children, was pronounced dead from massive head injuries at Washington County Memorial Hospital, said USAC Vice President Bill Marvel. The tragedy brought complaints from neighbors about the open Ostapenko and Karsch removed the boys from the water. I was 17 when I first started racing. Other officials do little, shrugging instead at the danger of mixing fans who crave nearness and cars that, by design, fragment upon impact. Fifty years later, her memories of those days paint a picture of the entire experience. 4.3. Washington Township volunteer firemen and an Indianapolis fire department The track has 33 degrees of banking in the corners. I dont know how you could be the wife of a race car driver in those days. No other cars were involved and no other injuries reported. Just 12 days after Sweikerts bitter-sweet win at Indianapolis, the sport suffered its worst tragedy when a car at the 24 Hours of Le Mans in France went off the track and into the crowd, killing 80 spectators. Coming out of the 4th turn, the two cars started down the straightaway in front of the grandstand. The series has visited Salem more than any other track in its almost 70-year history. A dozen years later, Elisian and Sweikert were engaged in the racing duel that led to Sweikert's fatal crash at Salem Speedway. Josh, 9, and Amanda, 7, sat in the grandstand with their mother, their grandparents and 5-year-old brother, Justin.