Sad News: A driver was killed in a crash Thursday during a qualifying run for the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb. Witnesses said 31-year-old Ralph Chandler Bruning Jr.’s 1999 Chevrolet Monte Carlo crashed three-eighths of a mile from the starting line at 6:50 a.m., race officials said. Race officials said it was the third fatality in the competition’s 79 years. “It is as if we’ve all lost a close family member today,” said race spokesman Tim Bergsten. An autopsy showed Bruning died of chest injures after a tree entered the driver’s compartment through a side window, said Teller County Coroner Debbie Smith. Bruning was pronounced dead at the scene, becoming the first driver to die on the mountain. The other two drivers died in hospitals. Race Director Bill Connor said Bruning’s family asked for the event to continue, and qualifying was to resume Friday. The race is scheduled for Saturday. Bruning’s father, Ralph Senior, was the winningest driver(with 8) in the race’s stock car division. He competed in his last race in 1998 and died from pancreatic cancer in March 2000. This was Bruning’s fifth year driving the race. Tuesday, he said he was dedicating it to his late father. Bruning is survived by his wife Amy, his mother Marsha, and sister Dawn(ESPN/AP). thoughts out to family and friends of Chandler(6-29-2001)
