Photo: USAC
Sprint car driver Justin Owen, 26, died from injuries sustained in a crash that took place during a qualifying race for the AMSOIL Sprint Car National Championship at Lawrenceburg Speedway in southeastern Indiana on Saturday (April 8), the U.S. Auto Club announced on its official website.
"Justin Owen, a competitor in the sprint car ranks for more than a decade, succumbed to injuries sustained in a qualifying crash during Saturday night’s USAC AMSOIL Sprint Car National Championship event at Indiana’s Lawrenceburg Speedway," USAC Racing wrote.
Owen's vehicle struck the outside wall of the track before flipping several times along the third turn during the qualifying event, which the USAC canceled following the fatal crash. Owen was the reigning champion at Lawrenceburg Speedway at the time of his death, having claimed two feature wins and the title, his first Sprint Car National Championship during his decade-plus career, in 2022.
The 26-year-old had also previously won the second-ending Dick Gaines Memorial race during his Lawrenceburg championship season, as well as three victories in 2019 at the Buckeye Outlaw Sprint Series at Lernerville Speedway in Pennsylvania, which h had also previously won in 2016; Paragon Speedway in Indiana; and the Night of Champions event in Lawrenceburg.
Owen made two feature starts with USAC, both taking place at Lawrenceburg in 2019 and 2021.
"USAC expresses its deepest condolences to Justin's family, team and many friends throughout the racing community," the club said.