It was as far back as 2006 that Chris Raschke and Wayne Jesel would flirt with the idea of teaming up. But that same year, Bonneville icon George Poteet approached Raschke to work for his Speed Demon streamliner… And he simply couldn’t say no to turning wrenches on a famous car. His love for speed also pushed him to earn his driving credentials in the famous 369 Roadster. But when Jesel later returned with an offer for Raschke to drive his Blown Fuel Modified pickup, his racing career began gaining momentum.

He drove 200 mph in that truck. That was just the beginning, though. When George Poteet later requested him to drive the Speed Demon, Raschke thought it was a joke. Reality struck when Poteet showed up at the track and they drove around for four hours. Poteet told Raschke everything he needed to know to race in the car. “Then I went back out and I ran 391 with a broken engine, kicked some rods out of it, but that was pretty exciting,” the driver revealed once.

Last year, the Speed Demon team won the 12th Hot Rod trophy with Raschke in the driver’s seat. His best speed was 459.734 mph. And so, he returned to Bonneville, a dry lakebed on the border of Utah and Nevada, which attracts about hot rods, roadsters, and motorcycles each year. Its flat and white surface has captivated racers seeking to make new land speed world records. It also served backdrop for movies such as ‘Independence Day’ and ‘The World’s Fastest Indian’. And on Sunday, Raschke strapped himself into the Speed Demon in order to set a record at Bonneville. As the vehicle zipped at a speed of 300 mph, he lost control of the vehicle at approximately the 2 1/2 mile.

He was treated by medical professionals but died at the accident scene. He was 60.

The Southern California Timing Association (SCTA), which governs the event, stated that the accident was being investigated by the Tooele County Sheriff’s Office. While not much information has been divulged from the investigation, Sgt. Dane Lerdahl, a spokesman, shared: “We know it was an accident of some sort.” 

The SCTA has not revealed what record Raschke was trying to break.

Following the incident, Speed Demon’s team released a statement which read: “At this time, we ask everyone to please respect Chris’s family, friends, and the Speed Demon team. We are deeply devastated. If you come across any inappropriate comments on our pages, please let us know so we can address them. Thank you for your understanding.”

Racing was suspended in Bonneville after the accident. However, it resumed on Monday. Addressing that, President Keith Pedersen shared: “We’ve been doing Speed Week for 77 years, and over those years, there have been other fatalities out here. And it’s always a tragedy… But we typically regroup. … We grieve and we race. Chris would have wanted us to race, and we’re continuing to do that.” The last death at the venue had happened back in 2016. Sam Wheeler lost his life after his bike went out of control at 200 mph.

Racing at Bonneville Salt Flats goes as back as 1914

“Motorsports is inherently a dangerous sport,” said Dennis Sullivan. He is a former racer who set a land speed record in his 1927 Model T street roadster and also serves as president of the Utah Salt Flats Racing Association. “People get hurt. People get killed. That’s just the nature of the sport. It doesn’t happen a lot.”

And while motorsports have stringent safety requirements, Bonneville Salt Flats, which has 7 miles (11km) for racing, it doesn’t have stands like other venues. Spectators need to gather at about two-tenths of a mile away from the cars.

The track hosted its first race in 1914. A Blitzen Benz had rolled in for the first-speed record attempt with driver Teddy Tetzlaff behind the wheel. He took the car half-mile in 12.6 seconds at about 143 mph. The hard salt on the track would give the tires a firm grip. Slipping or skidding was almost impossible. And with Tetzlaff’s record, Bonneville Salt Flats was put on the map!