Crash didn’t cause race car driver’s death at SC speedway, coroner’s office says

A race car driver died Saturday night after an event at Sumter Speedway, the coroner’s office said.

Following a race, the driver suffered a medical emergency, which caused the car he was driving to crash, Sumter County Coroner’s Office spokesman Bryan Rogers told The State on Sunday.

The driver was taken to Prisma Health Tuomey hospital where he died, according to the coroner’s office.

Although there was a post-race wreck, the driver suffered a natural death and it was not related to anything that happened at Sumter Speedway, Rogers said.

“He finished the race and was on his way back to the pits when the incident occurred,” Rogers said.

Because it was a natural death, the driver will not be publicly identified by the coroner’s office and no autopsy is planned, according to Rogers.

The driver was mourned in several posts on social media.

“Need prayers. My baby brother ... was killed tonight,” a woman said in a Facebook post. “Wish I could wake up and this was all a bad dream!”

“We kneel in the middle of the racetrack tonight at (Sumter Speedway) in honor of a friend and one of the best racer and man I’ve known,” another person posted. “Rest in peace my friend a mentor and one hell of a racer. I love you ... You always told it straight and helped so many. My heart cries out for the family for another good one gone to heaven. R.I.P.”

Another man wrote “Just got the call tonight, lost a great friend and dirt track driver tonight, rest easy my friend.”

Rogers said he could not recall the last time any death was reported at Sumter Speedway.