A woman died Sunday after being hit by a tire from a crashing
dragster at the NHRA Arizona Nationals.
The woman was watching a first-round Top Fuel run at Firebird
International Raceway when Antron Brown's Matco Tools/U.S. Army
dragster went out of control on the strip and its left rear wheel
came off.
Alia Maisonet, a spokeswoman for the Gila River Indian
Community, said the woman was airlifted to a Phoenix-area hospital
for treatment and later died. Gila River emergency responders were
among the first to respond to the scene.
Maisonet said she didn't know the victim's name or hometown.
"The entire NHRA community is deeply saddened by today's
incident and sends its thoughts and prayers to the woman's family
and friends," the association said in an e-mailed statement.
Franki Buckman, the track's executive vice president, said
Firebird International Raceway also is deeply saddened by the
incident.
Brown was released by the track medical staff, but went to
Chandler Regional Hospital for further observation, according to a
statement put out by Don Schumacher Racing before the woman died.
The NHRA said Brown wasn't injured.
The racing continued after the accident, and John Force
advanced to his second straight Funny Car final before the session
was postponed because of rain. Force, the 60-year-old star who
ended a 40-race winless streak last week with his record 127th
victory, will meet Jack Beckman on Monday.
