ESTORIL, PORTUGAL - OCTOBER 08: A circuit assistant hoists a sign indicating 3 minutes for the start of a classic endurance race on the 2nd day of Estoril Classics in Fernanda Pires da Silva Estoril Circuit on October 08, 2022 in Estoril, Portugal. More than 300 racing cars are present at the Estoril Circuit during the weekend, for Estoril Classics is back after the interruption due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Among the racers there are 16 Formula 1 cars, that competed from 1971 to 1986. Lotus 78, Ligier JS11, Williams FW07 and Lotus 91, including the Lotus 78 and the Williams FW07 driven by Mario Andretti (1978) and Alan Jones (1980) to be crowned F-1 champions and their teams winners of the Constructors' World Championship. In addition to Formula 1, cars races include GT's, prototypes, and other classics. Estoril Classics was created in 2017 with the goal of bringing to the Estoril Circuit the world's most important classic cars and competitions, quickly becoming a mandatory event for classic car lovers. The sixth edition of Estoril Classics takes place between October 07 and 09 and brings together four disciplines of classic car racing on the same stage: Formula 1, Sports Cars, GTs and Touring Cars. (Photo by Horacio Villalobos#Corbis/Corbis via Getty Images)Horacio Villalobos#Corbis/Corbis via Getty Images

Sprint Car Driver Justin Owen Dies From Injuries Sustained in Crash at Age 26

Timothy RappApr 9, 2023

Justin Owen died from injuries he sustained at the USAC's AMSOIL Sprint Car National Championship event at the Lawrenceburg Speedway in Indiana, according to Nathan Brown of the Indianapolis Star. He was 26.

Per that report, Owen was doing his qualifying run on Saturday evening when "he drifted high into Turn 3, lost control and then slammed into the wall. His car then went airborne and flipped several times before coming to rest in the middle of the track."

USAC shortly thereafter canceled the event, and they later announced Owen had died:

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The racing world reacted to the news of Owen's tragic death:

According to the USAC, Owen was the "reigning track champion at Lawrenceburg Speedway, scoring two feature wins and the title in 2022."

He grew up in Harrison, Ohio, just 20 minutes away from the Lawrenceburg Speedway.

He won the Dick Gaines Memorial in 2022 and earned three victories in 2019, winning at the Buckeye Outlaw Sprint Series at Pennsylvania's Lernerville Speedway, Indiana's Paragon Speedway and Lawrenceburg's Night of Champions event. He also won in 2016, earning victory at BOSS at Lernerville.

He made two featured starts with the USAC, both at Lawrenceburg in 2019 and 2021.