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AP reported the loss of Justin Owen, a 26-year-old sprint car racer from Harrison, Ohio. He tragically died last week from injuries sustained in a crash at Lawrenceburg Speedway in Indiana. 

The violent collision took place during qualifying for a USAC AMSOIL Sprint Car National Championship race.

Owen's car jumped out of the groove upon entry to Turn 3, colliding with the outside wall. And overturning multiple times in mid-air before coming to a rest in Turns 3 and 4.

Owen was a local competitor at Lawrenceburg. And was the reigning track champion with two feature wins and the title in 2022. 

He had a decade of sprint car racing experience and was attempting to qualify for his third feature start in USAC events at the speedway.

 Owen had a victory in the season-closing Dick Gaines Memorial during his championship season in 2022. And he racked up wins at Lernerville Speedway in Pennsylvania and Paragon Speedway in Indiana.

Sprint Car Racer 1st Fatality in 7 years

The racing community has been devastated by Owen's tragic passing. Condolences are pouring in from fellow racers, teams, and fans. 

NASCAR Cup Series star and Indiana native Chase Briscoe and Tony Stewart Racing, the sprint car team owned by the star driver, both issued statements expressing their condolences. 

 Lawrenceburg Speedway released a statement expressing their grief and calling for love, comfort, and kindness in the racing community during this difficult time.

Owen's death marks the first a driver has been killed in USAC in seven years. The last driver to die in a USAC-sanctioned event was former NASCAR and IndyCar driver Bryan Clauson in August 2016 at the Belleville Midget Nationals.

The safety of sprint car racing has been under scrutiny in recent years. And efforts are being made to improve safety measures and reduce the risks associated with the sport.