Veteran Driver Dies After 'On-Track' Emergency Mid-Race

Veteran racecar driver Robbie Brewer died after suffering a medical emergency and crashing during a Saturday night race at North Carolina's Bowman Gray Stadium, stunning the local racing community, Fox News reports. The longtime short-track driver careened head-on into a wall at the Winston-Salem track as the 53-year-old was competing in the 20-lap Sportsman Series race. Track workers quickly removed the car's roof to extract Brewer, who was taken to a local hospital but did not survive, according to the Winston-Salem Journal.

A statement from the stadium cited by WXII notes that Brewer experienced "an on-track medical incident," but race organizers have not released specifics regarding the medical issue. A statement from track officials describes Brewer as "a talented and passionate racer, and highly respected competitor among his peers," adding that their thoughts were with his family and friends.

Brewer was a familiar face at Bowman Gray, having raced there since 1990 and notched nearly 260 Sportsman Division starts. He captured the division championship in 2011 and was well-regarded in the local racing community. Fellow driver Brad Lewis called him "a wheelman through and through," reflecting on Brewer's role as a mentor and friend, and vowing to honor his memory at future races.