THOMPSON, Conn. -- A racer was killed Sunday when his car made contact with another, cleared a concrete wall and hit a billboard at the Thompson International Speedway.
Shane Hammond, 27, of Halifax, Mass., died at Day Kimball Hospital in Putnam. His car collided with another and rolled over while racing in the 2008 Ice Breaker at about 1 p.m.
A call was placed with the speedway seeking comment.
Hammond was involved in the crash on the fourth of 25 laps in the Northeast Midget Association race. His car made contact with a car driven by Chris Leonard of Pelham, N.H., The Hartford Courant reported.
Leonard said Hammond's car may have had a mechanical problem which caused it to flip over the wall and into the sign board, the Norwich Bulletin reported.
"We started going into the corner and I think his throttle stuck," Leonard told the Bulletin. "He caught my (right rear) tire and when he started going up, I could still hear the motor screaming."
State police are investigating with help from NASCAR.
It was the second fatal accident at the speedway in less than eight months. John Blewett III of Howell, N.J., died after his racing car and the car of his brother, Jimmy Blewett, hit a wall in the 107th lap of the 150-lap NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour on Aug. 17.
(Copyright 2008 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
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