BRIDGEPORT, N.J. — NASCAR driver Jason Leffler died after an accident Wednesday night at a dirt car event at Bridgeport Speedway.
The 37-year-old Leffler, a two-time winner on the Nationwide Series,
was pronounced dead shortly after 9 p.m., New Jersey State Police said.
Bridgeport Speedway is a 5/8-mile, high-banked dirt oval.
Leffler finished last Sunday at Pocono in his first NASCAR Sprint Cup start of the year.
It is being reported that New Jersey State Police are lauching an investigation into the death, which is routine.
on his car coming out of Turn 4 during a heat race. According to
reports, the car veered towards the fence and hit the wall head on.
to witnesses, Leffler was unconscious at the scene. He was taken by
medevac to Cooper Trauma Center where he later died from his injuries
according to NBC10Philadelphia.
Although he never made it at the Sprint Cup Series level, Leffler ran
almost the entire 2001 season for Chip Ganassi Racing and ran 19 races
in 2005 for Joe Gibbs Racing in the car now driven by Denny Hamlin.
Leffler is survived by 5-year-old son Charlie Dean.
“Really sad for Jason Leffler and his family,” NASCAR Sprint Cup
champion Brad Keselowski said on Twitter. “Thinking about his little
boy.”
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