Jason Leffler (lost footage of fatal 410 Sprint Car accident; 2013)
This article has been tagged as NSFL due to its discussion of a fatal motor racing accident.
Jason Leffler.
Status: Lost
On 12th June 2013, NASCAR driver Jason Leffler was competing in a 410 Sprint Car race at Bridgeport Speedway when his vehicle suffered a front suspension failure. The resulting crash into the wall, as well as the car flipping several times, resulted in Leffler passing away from a blunt force neck injury. It is believed footage of the accident was captured, with one Reddit user claiming they had two videos of the crash.
Background[edit | edit source]
Jason Leffler entered the 410 Sprint Cars event that headlined the Night of Wings 2013 show at Bridgeport Speedway in New Jersey.[1] As per the Night of Wings qualifying format, Leffler was drawn into a heat race group that help to determine the qualifying order.[1] During the time trials stage, Leffler posted the ninth fastest speed out of 29 competitors.[2] He was therefore set to compete in a heat race that would give him the opportunity to qualify for the main race.[1]
During the heat race, Leffler was running second on the fifth lap of the event.[3][4] Suddenly, the front suspension of his vehicle failed as a torsion arm got lodged between the right front wheel and its front steering arm.[5][3][4] This caused him to lose control of the car, as its steering locked up.[3][5][4] The car then crashed left side-on into an outside concrete wall at Turn 4, before flipping over and eventually landing on its wheels.[4][3][5] While it is not known how fast Leffler was going at the time of the component failure, drivers generally reached an average speed of 135mph, and a top speed of 150 mph on the straights.[3][5]
While Leffler did wear a restraint that protected him from frontal impacts, it was not designed to protect drivers against side-on crashes.[6][7] Ultimately, this proved fatal as Leffler suffered a blunt force neck and backbone injury.[3][4] Medics tried resuscitating him after he lost consciousness and was not breathing, but it was to no avail.[4] He was transferred to the Crozer-Chester Medical Center, but passed away from his injuries 30 minutes after the accident, aged 37.[3][5][4] A NASCAR driver who had competed in the Cup Series since 2001, Leffler had also achieved two wins in the Busch Series, and a victory in the Craftsman Truck Series.[3][5] His resilient personality and grit also made him a popular and respected individual among fellow racers in the three national NASCAR series.[3] The race itself was immediately red-flagged following the crash, and out of respect for Leffler, the other events held that weekend were cancelled.[4] Additionally, full restraints for racing are now mandatory in New Jersey.[7]
Availability[edit | edit source]
While photos and footage of the aftermath are publicly available,[4] no video of the crash has ever resurfaced.[7] It is known that a spectator recorded parts of the race, which ends a lap prior to the impact.[7] However, it is unknown whether they were still filming by the time the crash occurred.[7] Additionally, one Reddit user claimed they were in possession of two different videos of the crash.[8] Out of respect for Leffler's family, they decided against posting it online.[8]
Gallery[edit | edit source]
Videos[edit | edit source]
Image[edit | edit source]
Aftermath of the accident.
See Also[edit | edit source]
- 1960 Daytona 500 (partially found footage of NASCAR Grand National Series race; 1960)
- 1960 Daytona Races (lost CBS and NBC televised footage of NASCAR prelude events to Daytona 500; 1960)
- 1961 Firecracker 250 (lost ABC footage of NASCAR Grand National Series race; 1961)
- 1962 Daytona 500 (partially found footage of NASCAR Grand National Series race; 1962)
- 1962 Firecracker 250 (lost ABC footage of NASCAR Grand National Series race; 1962)
- 1963 Firecracker 400 (partially found footage of NASCAR Grand National Series race; 1963)
- 1963 Richmond 250 (partially found footage of NASCAR Grand National Series qualifying session and race; 1963)
- 1964 Atlanta 500 (partially found footage of NASCAR Grand National Series race; 1964)
- 1964 National 400 (lost footage of NASCAR Grand National Series race; 1964)
- 1964 Richmond 250 (lost footage of NASCAR Grand National Series qualifying session; 1964)
- 1964 World 600 (partially found footage of NASCAR Grand National Series race; 1964)
- 1965 Daytona 500 (partially found footage of NASCAR Grand National Series race; 1965)
- 1965 National 400 (partially found footage of NASCAR Grand National Series race; 1965)
- 1965 Rebel 300 (partially found footage of NASCAR Grand National Series race; 1965)
- 1966 National 500 (lost footage of NASCAR Grand National Series race; 1966)
- 1966 Southern 500 (partially found footage of NASCAR Grand National Series race; 1966)
- 1967 Firecracker 400 (partially found footage of NASCAR Grand National Series race; 1967)
- 1967 Rebel 400 (partially found footage of NASCAR Grand National Series race; 1967)
- 1969 Permatex 300 at Daytona (partially found footage of NASCAR Late Model Sportsman race; 1969)
- 1970 Alabama 500 (found footage of NASCAR Grand National Series race; 1970)
- 1970 National 500 (partially found footage of NASCAR Grand National Series race; 1970)
- 1970 Wilkes 400 (lost footage of NASCAR Grand National Series race; 1970)
- 1970 World 600 (lost footage of NASCAR Grand National Series race; 1970)
- 1971 Atlanta 500 (lost footage of NASCAR Winston Cup Series race; 1971)
- 1971 Medal of Honor Firecracker 400 (partially found footage of NASCAR Winston Cup Series race; 1971)
- 1971 Myers Brothers 250 (lost footage and official documents of NASCAR Winston Cup Series race; 1971)
- 1971 National 500 (lost footage of NASCAR Winston Cup Series race; 1971)
- 1971 Rebel 400 (partially found footage of NASCAR Winston Cup Series race; 1971)
- 1971 Twin 125s (lost footage of NASCAR Daytona 500 qualifying races; 1971)
- 1972 Atlanta 500 (lost footage of NASCAR Winston Cup Series race; 1972)
- 1972 Bowman-Gray 100 (lost footage of NASCAR Grand American Series race; 1972)
- 1972 Carolina 500 (lost footage of NASCAR Winston Cup Series race; 1972)
- 1972 Daytona 500 (partially found footage of NASCAR Winston Cup Series race; 1972)
- 1972 Firecracker 400 (lost ABC footage of NASCAR Winston Cup Series race; 1972)
- 1972 National 500 (partially found footage of NASCAR Winston Cup Series race; 1972)
- 1972 Rebel 400 (lost footage of NASCAR Winston Cup Series race; 1972)
- 1972 Twin 125s (partially found footage of NASCAR Daytona 500 qualifying races; 1972)
- 1973 Atlanta 500 (lost footage of NASCAR Winston Cup Series race; 1973)
- 1973 Medal of Honor Firecracker 400 (partially found footage of NASCAR Winston Cup Series race; 1973)
- 1974 Mason-Dixon 500 (lost footage of NASCAR Winston Cup Series race; 1974)
- 1974 National 500 (lost footage of NASCAR Winston Cup Series race; 1974)
- 1974 Twin 125s (lost footage of NASCAR Daytona 500 qualifying races; 1974)
- 1975 Champion Spark Plug 400 (lost footage of NASCAR Winston Cup Series race; 1975)
- 1975 Dixie 500 (lost footage of NASCAR Winston Cup Series race; 1975)
- 1975 Firecracker 400 (lost footage of NASCAR Winston Cup Series race; 1975)
- 1975 National 500 (lost footage of NASCAR Winston Cup Series race; 1975)
- 1975 Twin 125s (lost footage of NASCAR Daytona 500 qualifying races; 1975)
- 1975 World 600 (partially found footage of NASCAR Winston Cup Series race; 1975)
- 1976 Atlanta 500 (lost footage of NASCAR Winston Cup Series race; 1976)
- 1976 Champion Spark Plug 400 (lost footage of NASCAR Winston Cup Series race; 1976)
- 1976 Dixie 500 (lost CBS footage of NASCAR Winston Cup Series race; 1976)
- 1976 Firecracker 400 (lost footage of NASCAR Winston Cup Series race; 1976)
- 1976 National 500 (lost footage of NASCAR Winston Cup Series race; 1976)
- 1976 Rebel 500 (lost footage of NASCAR Winston Cup Series race; 1976)
- 1976 Riverside 400 (lost footage of NASCAR Winston Cup Series race; 1976)
- 1976 Talladega 500 (lost footage of NASCAR Winston Cup Series race; 1976)
- 1976 Winston 500 (lost footage of NASCAR Winston Cup Series race; 1976)
- 1976 World 600 (lost footage of NASCAR Winston Cup Series race; 1976)
- 1978 NAPA National 500 (lost footage of NASCAR Winston Cup Series race; 1978)
- 1979 Atlanta 500 (lost footage of NASCAR Winston Cup Series race; 1979)
- 1979 Daytona ARCA 200 (lost footage of ARCA Racing Series race; 1979)
- 1979 Dixie 500 (lost ABC footage of NASCAR Winston Cup Series race; existence unconfirmed; 1979)
- 1979 Gabriel 400 (partially found footage of NASCAR Winston Cup Series race; 1979)
- 1979 Southeastern 500 (partially found footage of NASCAR Winston Cup Series race; 1979)
- 1979 Sportsman 300 (partially found footage of NASCAR Late Model Sportsman Series race; 1979)
- 1981 Coca-Cola 500 (partially found footage of NASCAR Winston Cup Series race; 1981)
- 1981 CRC Chemicals 500 (lost footage of NASCAR Winston Cup Series race; 1981)
- 1982 CRC Chemicals 500 (lost footage of NASCAR Winston Cup Series race; 1982)
- 1982 Eastern 150 (lost footage of NASCAR Budweiser Late Model Sportsman Series race; 1982)
- 1982 Goody's Sportsman 300 (partially found footage of NASCAR Budweiser Late Model Sportsman Series race; 1982)
- 1982 Twin 125s race 1 (lost footage of NASCAR Daytona 500 qualifying race; existence unconfirmed; 1982)
- 1982 Winston Western 500 (lost footage of NASCAR Winston Cup Series race; existence unconfirmed; 1982)
- 1983 Goody's Sportsman 300 (partially found footage of NASCAR Budweiser Late Model Sportsman Series race; 1983)
- 1983 Mason-Dixon 500 (lost footage of NASCAR Winston Cup Series race; 1983)
- 1983 Southern 500 (lost footage of NASCAR Winston Cup Series race; existence unconfirmed; 1983)
- 1984 Delaware 500 (partially found footage of NASCAR Winston Cup Series race; 1984)
- 1984 Goody's Sportsman 300 (lost footage of NASCAR Busch Grand National Series race; 1984)
- 1984 Warner W. Hodgdon Carolina 500 (lost footage of NASCAR Winston Cup Series race; existence unconfirmed; 1984)
- 1985 Twin 125s (lost footage of NASCAR Daytona 500 qualifying races; existence unconfirmed; 1985)
- 1986 Twin 125s (lost footage of NASCAR Daytona 500 qualifying races; existence unconfirmed; 1986)
- 1988 Miller High Life 500 (partially lost footage of NASCAR Winston Cup Series race; 1988)
- 1989 Busch Clash (lost footage of pre-season NASCAR Winston Cup Series race; 1989)
- 1990 Daytona ARCA 200 (partially found footage of ARCA Racing Series race; 1990)
- 1992 Atlanta 300 (lost footage of NASCAR Busch Grand National Series race; 1992)
- 1995 Winston 100/1995 Duron Paints And Wallcoverings 100 (partially found footage of NASCAR Sportsman Division Series doubleheader; 1995)
- 1996 DeVilbiss SuperFinish 200 (partially found televised footage of NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series race; 1996)
- 2002 K&N Filters 150 (lost footage of NASCAR Featherlite Southwest Tour race; 2002)
- Jeff Gordon's 2008 UAW-Dodge 400 crash (lost on-board footage of NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race crash; 2008)
- NASCAR (partially found uncut footage of stock car races; 1960-present)
References[edit | edit source]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Fully Injected detailing the event and its qualifying format. Retrieved 25 Apr '22
- ↑ Ultimate Racing History detailing the time trial results prior to the heat race. Retrieved 25 Apr '22
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 3.6 3.7 3.8 USA Today reporting on the race and the fatal crash. Retrieved 25 Apr '22
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 4.5 4.6 4.7 4.8 The Crash Photos Database summarising the accident and providing photos of it. Retrieved 25 Apr '22
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 5.5 ESPN reporting on the cause of the fatal accident. Retrieved 25 Apr '22
- ↑ ESPN reporting on the lack of restraint protection that caused Leffler's death. Retrieved 25 Apr '22
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 7.3 7.4 Influential Moments in Racing detailing possible footage of the accident. Retrieved 25 Apr '22
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 r/NASCAR where a user discusses possessing two videos of the crash. Retrieved 25 Apr '22