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According to Marty OBrien of the Virginian-Pilot, Balluzzo is the winningest motorist in Langley Speedway history.
Balluzzo finished in second location in the first of two Modified Division races Saturday and then crashed in the second one. The Associated Press (h/t USA Today) noted Balluzzos car crashed into a wall after it went airborne when it ran into another car.
Motorist Shawn Balluzzo died at the age of 64 on Saturday night after he crashed during a race at Langley Speedway in Hampton, Virginia.
The Speedway launched a statement that said, in part, “He won the hearts of our fans with 11 track championships and a driving design that made him one of the most respected competitors weve ever understood.”
Langley Speedway @LangleySpeedwayOfficial statement on the passing of Shawn Balluzzo https://t.co/FLwxVxOSCY
” I saw him affect the wall head-on, and you know thats never a good hit,” chauffeur Mark Wertz stated. “You do not believe its as bad as it was, but it was type of surreal.”
Emergency employees liberated him from his lorry by cutting the roofing system off the cars and truck, and he was required to a medical facility, where he died.
OBrien noted it was the very first death from a racing mishap at the track since Dale Lemonds passed away in 2004.
