Woman Killed by Flying Tire at Phoenix NHRA Drag Race

A female spectator was struck and killed by a tire that flew off Antron Brown's top fuel dragster when he crashed at the NHRA Arizona Nationals Sunday at Firebird International Raceway in suburban Phoenix.

The woman was pronounced dead at Good Samaritan Hospital Sunday evening, the NHRA reported. Earlier reports indicated the woman had been killed instantly. In any event, the sanctioning body did not make the death announcement until hours after the incident occurred.

Brown was not injured in the fiery crash of his dragster.

"The entire NHRA community is deeply saddened by today's incident and sends its thoughts and prayers to the woman's family and friends," the association said in an e-mailed statement.

The victim was not immediately identified, but USA Today reported that she was associated with a Nostalgia Funny Car team at the event.

After the woman was airlifted from the track and a rain delay ended, the event resumed. But deteriorating weather conditions and approaching darkness prompted NHRA to postpone the finals of the Top Fuel and Funny Car classes to Monday at 10 a.m. MT (Noon ET).

Doug Kalitta will face Cory McClenathan in the Top Fuel final, while John Force will face Jack Beckman in the Funny Car final. Late Sunday, in an unusual move, NHRA officials announced that the Pro Stock class, which was only able to complete one round Sunday, will resume its quarterfinal eliminations for the Arizona Nationals in two weeks during the Gatornationals in Gainesville, Fla. The Top Fuel and Funny Car finals will go on as planned for Monday at PIR.

The accident occurred during the first round of the event. Brown had qualified fourth in his Matco Tools dragster. He reportedly crashed just after leaving the start line after losing a cylinder and then losing the left rear tire. The tire rocketed down the track and apparently bounced into an area that included spectators.

The first report with details appeared at www.vintagefuel.com, which said Nostalgia Motorsports' Jim Broome reported from the track that the tire flew into the crowd and struck a female spectator just below the grandstands who was pushing another woman in a wheelchair. The report said the tire then flew into the pits and slammed into a team hauler, caving in a door and breaking out a window.

Brown was unhurt in the accident, the NHRA reported on its Web site. Brown was racing against Troy Buff when his engine dropped a cylinder and his tires and car began to shake. Then the big tire at the left rear sheared away and bounced down the track as Brown's dragster veered to the left and hit the wall, riding the top of the wall but not going over it, a witness said.

"It felt like the back end just dropped out and the car started pitching end over end," Brown said in an interview on the public address system after the accident. "At that point, I was upside down, and in my mind, things were going crazy. I was just hoping I didn't go into Troy or into the other lane. The next thing I knew, I hit the wall. I saw a little burst of flame come around my head, and I saw sparks.

"The [safety crew] guy was right there, and the next thing I knew somebody was trying to help pull me out of the race car. Thanks to the Safety Safari [crew]. All the guys at the track did an awesome job. It was a crazy ride."

Brown was able to walk unassisted to an ambulance and was released after a checkup at the track medical facility.

Brown, 33, was the defending champion of the Phoenix race. He has 24 career victories and is the only driver in NHRA drag racing history to win races in both Top Fuel and Pro Stock Motorcycle.

"We're racers and we race and I'm OK," Brown said in a statement released by his team. "It all happened so quickly and I want to thank the NHRA Safety Safari for being there so quickly to help me get out of the car and also the track medical team for tending to me so quickly."

NHRA officials said they were investigating the incident.