Chris Raschke Bonneville crash: Who died during ‘SpeedWeek' event; how fast was Speed Demon going?
Southern California Timing Association (SCTA), the event organizers, said the 60-year-old was trying to set a new land speed record, when he lost control of the vehicle and crashed. The incident took place around 3 pm.
Though medical staff tended to him, Raschke succumbed to his injuries. The Tooele County Sheriff's Office and the SCTA are conducting their own investigations into the matter, Fox 13 reported.
Meanwhile, here's a look at who Chris Raschke was and how fast he was going.
Who was Chris Raschke?
Speed Demon, the team Raschke drove for, says 'Chris Raschke's world is speed. His journey to the cockpit of the record setting Speed Demon streamliner has given him perspective and appreciation for the pioneers of the sport that came before him.'
Raschke is a motor sporting legend, and began work at an early age, becoming the first official employee of the Ventura Raceway in the early 80's. He started right at the bottom and learned all one needed to know about keeping a racetrack operating. Simultaneously, he would race ATC 3-wheelers. He later raced his Ford Pinto in the mini stock division too.
He helped with custom creations and developed an understanding of what it took to win, Speed Demon said about Chris.
Chris went to work for Kenny Duttweiler and Duttweiler Automotive in 1983. Kenny is now the brains behind Speed Demon's power. He learned to work on race cars at this time, while being involved with the Duttweiler's Buick drag racing.
While working there, Chris met Steve Watt, the Speed Demon crew chief, who asked him to join them. Chris joined the team at ARP in 1996. He was the Director of Sales and Marketing at ARP, and remained with the Speed Demon team for a good thirteen years.
Chris also drove the Wayne Jesel Truck which got him a record and a Red Hat in the 200HMP club. After this, he turned to the Speed Demon dreamliner. His 391 mph top speed during a qualifying run was a prelude to the speeds that Chris and the team were aiming for.
How fast was Speed Demon going?
While how fast Chris was going is not known yet, he was trying to set a new record. The current best record is 763.035 miles per hour, which also broke the speed of sound. It was set by Andy Green in his ThrustSSC.
The Speed Demon team was working on a vehicle that could be run on piston-power and hit the 500 mph mark, Hot Rod reported. George Poteet, who was initially supposed to drive this car died in July 2024 at age 76. This is when Chris came into the picture, and was expected to continue the Speed Demon legacy, until today's fateful crash.
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Hindustan Times
5 days ago
- Hindustan Times
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A driver trying to set a land speed record during a racing event at Utah's famed Bonneville Salt Flats died Sunday after he lost control of his rocket-like vehicle called the Speed Demon, organizers said. Driver Chris Raschke lost control about two and a half miles into a run and was treated by medical professionals at the scene, but died from his injuries, according to the Southern California Timing Association, which organizes the popular land-speed racing event known as 'Speed Week.' For decades, the flat, glasslike white surface has drawn drivers from all over seeking to set new land speed world records and motorcycle and car fans to watch. A remnant of a prehistoric lakebed, the salt flats that are about 100 miles (160 kilometers) west of Salt Lake City have also been a backdrop for movies like 'Independence Day' and 'The World's Fastest Indian.' 'Moto rsports is inherently a dangerous sport,' said Dennis Sullivan, a car builder and racer who set a land speed record in his 1927 Model T street roadster and serves as president of the Utah Salt Flats Racing Association. 'People get hurt. People get killed. That's just the nature of the sport. It doesn't happen a lot.' HT Image Sullivan said motor sports also have stringent safety requirements — such as stronger roll bars, special tires and more fire extinguishers — that help protect drivers. The last racing death Sullivan recalled at the flats came in 2016 when Sam Wheeler, a renowned land speed motorcycle racer, crashed at 200 mph (321 kilometers) when the high-performance bike he was testing fish-tailed and went airborne. The Bonneville Salt Flats, which had its first race in 1914, have about 7 miles for racing and an aquifer underneath that cools the tires of the cars. It's unlike other race venues in that it doesn't have stands. Spectators must stand two-tenths of a mile away from the cars. Raschke lost control of the vehicle about two and a half miles into a run. It's unknown how fast Raschke was driving when he lost control of the vehicle and what speed he was aiming to reach. The association and the Tooele County Sheriff's Office are investigating the death, said Sgt. Dane Lerdahl, a spokesman for the law enforcement agency. 'We know it was an accident of some sort,' Lerdahl said. For decades, people have used the flat, glasslike surface at Bonneville Salt Flats, 100 miles (160 kilometers) west of Salt Lake City, to set speed records, sometimes topping 400 mph (644 kph). Speed Week has long been a draw for motorcycle and car fans. Raschke, 60, was the driver of a streamliner — a long, narrow, aerodynamic car made to run at high speeds — known as the Speed Demon. He had worked in motor sports for more than four decades. According to the Speed Demon racing team's site, Raschke worked at the Ventura Raceway in the early 1980s, raced 3-wheelers and cars in the mini stock division, learned to fabricate and maintain race cars when working with an acclaimed engine builder and later became a driver for the Speed Demon team. 'The racing bug had bitten him and Chris was active on both sides of the fence,' the association said in its biography of Raschke. The Race Week event began on Saturday and runs through Friday.
Time of India
6 days ago
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Driver dies in 280 mph crash during Bonneville Salt Flats Speed Week racing event
Fatal crash occurs during second day of Speed Week A 60-year-old driver died Sunday afternoon, August 3, while attempting to set a land speed record at the Bonneville Salt Flats near Wendover, Utah, according to the Southern California Timing Association. Chris Raschke lost control of his vehicle approximately 2.5 miles into the race during the annual Speed Week event. Medical personnel responded immediately to treat Raschke at the crash site, but he succumbed to his injuries. Explore courses from Top Institutes in Please select course: Select a Course Category Technology Public Policy Project Management Data Science Artificial Intelligence Leadership PGDM Design Thinking others Product Management Others Data Science Operations Management MBA Healthcare Finance Digital Marketing Management Cybersecurity Data Analytics CXO healthcare Skills you'll gain: Duration: 12 Weeks MIT xPRO CERT-MIT XPRO Building AI Prod India Starts on undefined Get Details Skills you'll gain: Duration: 12 Weeks MIT xPRO CERT-MIT XPRO Building AI Prod India Starts on undefined Get Details Also read: 'Paul Newman: Blue-Eyed Cool': Book reveals Hollywood star's car racing talent. Check out the details Driver reached nearly 280 mph before Bonneville Salt Flats accident Race director Keith Pedersen confirmed Raschke was traveling at nearly 280 mph just before the fatal crash occurred. The cause of the accident remains under investigation by authorities. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like This Could Be the Best Time to Trade Gold in 5 Years IC Markets Learn More Undo "It's much more of a camaraderie and community, and that builds a lot of friendships and trust," Pedersen said. "He's a big part of it, and he will be sorely missed." Speed Week racing to resume at Bonneville Salt Flats The fatal crash took place on the second day of the weeklong August Speed Week event. Despite the tragedy, Pedersen announced that Speed Week racing will resume Monday at the Bonneville Salt Flats International Raceway. The Bonneville Salt Flats hosts two major racing events annually. Speed Week takes place in August, followed by the World Finals in September. Both events attract land speed record enthusiasts from around the world. Live Events Pedersen described Raschke's death as a significant loss for the entire racing community at the Bonneville Salt Flats
Hindustan Times
6 days ago
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Chris Raschke Bonneville crash: Who died during ‘SpeedWeek' event; how fast was Speed Demon going?
Chris Raschke died Sunday after he crashed on the Bonneville Salt Flats, during the "SpeedWeek" event, which takes place each year. Chris Raschke became the first official employee of the Ventura Raceway in the early 80's.( Southern California Timing Association (SCTA), the event organizers, said the 60-year-old was trying to set a new land speed record, when he lost control of the vehicle and crashed. The incident took place around 3 pm. Though medical staff tended to him, Raschke succumbed to his injuries. The Tooele County Sheriff's Office and the SCTA are conducting their own investigations into the matter, Fox 13 reported. Meanwhile, here's a look at who Chris Raschke was and how fast he was going. Who was Chris Raschke? Speed Demon, the team Raschke drove for, says 'Chris Raschke's world is speed. His journey to the cockpit of the record setting Speed Demon streamliner has given him perspective and appreciation for the pioneers of the sport that came before him.' Raschke is a motor sporting legend, and began work at an early age, becoming the first official employee of the Ventura Raceway in the early 80's. He started right at the bottom and learned all one needed to know about keeping a racetrack operating. Simultaneously, he would race ATC 3-wheelers. He later raced his Ford Pinto in the mini stock division too. He helped with custom creations and developed an understanding of what it took to win, Speed Demon said about Chris. Chris went to work for Kenny Duttweiler and Duttweiler Automotive in 1983. Kenny is now the brains behind Speed Demon's power. He learned to work on race cars at this time, while being involved with the Duttweiler's Buick drag racing. While working there, Chris met Steve Watt, the Speed Demon crew chief, who asked him to join them. Chris joined the team at ARP in 1996. He was the Director of Sales and Marketing at ARP, and remained with the Speed Demon team for a good thirteen years. Chris also drove the Wayne Jesel Truck which got him a record and a Red Hat in the 200HMP club. After this, he turned to the Speed Demon dreamliner. His 391 mph top speed during a qualifying run was a prelude to the speeds that Chris and the team were aiming for. How fast was Speed Demon going? While how fast Chris was going is not known yet, he was trying to set a new record. The current best record is 763.035 miles per hour, which also broke the speed of sound. It was set by Andy Green in his ThrustSSC. The Speed Demon team was working on a vehicle that could be run on piston-power and hit the 500 mph mark, Hot Rod reported. George Poteet, who was initially supposed to drive this car died in July 2024 at age 76. This is when Chris came into the picture, and was expected to continue the Speed Demon legacy, until today's fateful crash.
