Driver killed in crash at Evergreen Speedway
A 41-year-old man died Friday night after the sprint car he was driving slammed into a wall during an evening practice session at the Evergreen Speedway in Monroe.
Rory Price of Seattle, a veteran of the Puget Sound race circuit, was test-driving the car as a favor to the car's owner. He was taken to a Monroe hospital and pronounced dead on arrival.
Speedway officials impounded the badly damaged car but have not determined whether a mechanical failure caused the crash just after 8 p.m. Rich Niebush, spokesman for the Snohomish County Sheriff, said the crash is not considered suspicious.
Price's father, Dard Price of Blaine, said his son had been racing professionally since he was 16, starting with midgets. He was married with an infant daughter who turned 1 year old Saturday.
"He was pretty much retired," Dard Price said. "[And Friday night] he was just helping a friend sort out a car.
"He was gregarious, athletic, handsome. He was just a wonderful son."
The practice session was a tuneup for the first races of the season, scheduled for Saturday. But the races, which were to have included 38 NASCAR elite cars and about 20 winged sprint cars, were canceled because of weather.
Price's death is the first at the speedway since 1988, and appears to be just the second in the track's 51-year history, said Terry Buell, speedway manager.
"It's inherently a dangerous thing we do, and that makes it exciting," he said. "Whether practicing or racing, it's equally dangerous. This is tragic."
The car involved in the crash was a USAC-class, or non-winged, sprint car capable of speeds up to 125 mph. It wasn't scheduled to race Saturday.
"He was a great person, a fun person to be around," said Rob Lindsey, president of the Washington Midget Racing Association. "He'd do anything for you. As a race-car driver, he was very competitive. He had his fair share of wins, but he was a guy who would jump out of his car to help you."
Jonathan Martin: 206-464-2605 or jmartin@seattletimes.com