Scott Kalitta, NHRA driver Dies in Fiery Crash
 

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/06/22/sp.../22driver.html

Scott was 6 years younger than I but I remember spending time with him in the late 60's, early 70's each year at the Winternationals in Pomona California. My father was a police officer and I would go the races with him each year and spent a lot of time in the Kalitta pits.

Let's all take a moment to remember how short life is. Even though this was a sporting accident, it could have been any one of us in our line of work.

Ironic that he died at the same track he made his first start at. Ugly video that ESPN was showing last night. I really hope he was gone before he hit the end of the track or at least unconsicous so that he never felt that ending.

Such an untimely and tragic loss for the Kalitta family. My thoughts and prayers are with them. I was there friday night, and seen some fantastic nitro qualifying under the lights. Scotts crash definately cast a dark shadow on an otherwise terrific event. I've been going to E-Town since 1974, and they really need to do something about the topend. It was fine back then, when these cars were going 250 mph, but the shutoff area and sandtraps are way too short for the 320 mph speeds that these cars are traveling now. I sure hope the Napp bros. take a serious look into it, as well as other drag strips across the country.