Carrera GT crash In LA

[mambodave]

http://www.latimes.com/news/local/state/la-me-speedway3jun03,1,3734695.story?coll=la-news-state&ctrack=1&cset=true

Was anyone there at the track that day?

What a shame...poor guy got killed.

[Rmills944]

That was Ben - he was a regular visitor over on the Rennlist boards.

[Don 944 LA]

LA Times needs registration

Can someone cut&Paste please ??



Don

[SoCal Driver]

Go here:

http://www.nbc4.tv/news/4562562/detail.html

[Verruckt]

2 Amateur Racers Die in Crash at Speedway
The La Jolla men were driving the course during a club day at the Fontana racetrack.

By Martin Henderson, Times Staff Writer


Two San Diego County men died when the Porsche they were racing crashed and caught fire Thursday morning at California Speedway in Fontana, authorities said.

Benjamin Miles Keaton, 39, and his passenger, Corey Nicholas Rudl, 34, both of La Jolla, died from injuries after Keaton lost control of a 2005 Porsche Carrera GT.

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The car left the track, careened onto a grassy area and struck a barrier. The engine compartment then caught fire, according to a San Bernardino County sheriff's report.

On-site medical personnel, the same used for NASCAR and Indy Racing League events at the speedway, responded at 10:40 a.m. and quickly extinguished the fire, sheriff's officials said.

Rudl, who worked in Internet marketing, was pronounced dead at the scene; Keaton was airlifted to Loma Linda University Hospital, where he died about an hour later, according to the San Bernardino County Coroner's Office.

Both suffered multiple traumatic injuries, but neither suffered burns, said Supervising Deputy Coroner Randy Emon. The vehicle made a passenger-side impact at more than 100 mph. Both men were wearing helmets and safety belts, authorities said.

"The driver's side was in good shape, but the passenger side was obliterated," Emon said.

The accident occurred while the track was being rented by the San Diego chapter of the Ferrari Owners Club. Such events are common at the speedway; the facility is in use nearly 300 days a year for a variety of events, including track days by auto clubs and driving schools.

The men are the fourth and fifth fatalities at California Speedway since it opened in 1997.

Champ Car driver Greg Moore was killed during a race in 1999, and Ricky Lundgren died during competition at an AMA Superbike event in 2003. Another motorcyclist died during a track rental in September.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Times staff writers Susannah Rosenblatt and Lance Pugmire contributed to this report.

[scheistermeiste]

wow that REALLY sucks

[seaboltman]

and to think he was being safe by doing it on a track, and keeping it off the roads. That sucks.

[Dan in Pasadena]

Originally posted by seaboltman
and to think he was being safe by doing it on a track, and keeping it off the roads. That sucks.

...which only goes to show that no matter how "safe" you are, no matter how sophisticated the car and how good the driver, these cars and the things we do with them have their dangers and we'd all be well advised to be mindful of it...every time we drive them. Poor bastards, at least they died doing what they felt passionate about. God rest them.

[944 boy]

My dad talked to that guy not a week ago.

[J1NX3D]

theres a bit more to it. ben also posts at rennteam, flat-6 and ferrarichat

his car before the crash http://client.webshots.com/album/360128295MpblyR

The passenger was this guy:


his lambo overheated earlier in the meet and showed interest in buying a cgt to Ben who gave him that fateful ride

relevant threads
http://www.flat-6.net/forum/showthread.php?t=13819
http://www.ferrarichat.com/forum/showthread.php?t=61677

parting quote:

Registered: Mar 2005
Location: San Diego, CA
Posts: 57
Status: Offline
I have tears in my eyes as I write this. I witnessed the whole thing.

IT WAS NOT BEN'S FAULT!!! THE ORGANIZER HAD PICKED THE 150MPH ZONE AS THE ENTRANCE TO THE TRACK AND THE F-CAR DRIVER PULLED IN FRONT OF HIM NEAR THE END OF THE STRAGHT. THERE WERE NO CORNER WORKS AND NO FLAGS!!! HE TRIED TO AVOID HIM AND SPUN OUT AND HIT THE WALL AT NEARLY THAT SPEED.

The passenger died instantly on impact. Ben was airlifted to the hospital, but still had a pulse when they took him so PLEASE PRAY FOR HIM AND HIS FAMILY.

PLEASE DO NOT RESPOND TO THIS POST AND DO NOT MAKE THIS INTO A CIRCUS OUT OF RESPECT FOR THE FAMILIES. PLEASE!!!!!

I will not be responding to any questions

RIP

[auh]

I read on Rennlist that someone said everyone should drive with their headlights on at 2pm next Thursday in honor of Ben. I know I will, this is truely a sad loss

[PhillysMostWntd]

saddest thing ive ever seen, my condolences go out to his family and friends and those who knew him personally, i never met or spoke with him but i cant help feel so sad