Sad News – driver killed UPDATE track reconfigures: Driver John Baker was killed Saturday night in a crash during the NASCAR Featherlite Southwest race at Irwindale Speedway (CA). Baker, 49, of Tucson, AZ, was taken to Kaiser Permanente Medical Center in Baldwin Park, where he died, said Reyna DelHaro, a spokeswoman for the hospital. Baker’s wife was by his side. “Our thoughts and prayers are with the Baker family, crew and race team,” Doug Stokes, Speedway spokesman, told the San Gabriel Valley Tribune. NASCAR officials did not immediately comment. Baker, who was wearing a neck restraint, was slowing on the second turn of the half-mile oval when his car went headlong into the exit. Baker, who had won the pole position, was the first driver killed in the series during a race. It was the fourth death at the speedway. Casey Diemert of Roseburg, Ore., and Keith Cowherd of Phoenix died in 1999, the track’s opening season. Christopher Shields of San Bernardino died June 7, 2001.(ThatsRacin.com/AP)(6-9-2002) UPDATE: Irwindale Speedway today announced the postponement of. its Saturday night, June 15 NASCAR racing event. All tickets purchased for that night will be honored at any future event. The oval track will be closed for reconfiguring from Thursday, June 12 through Friday, June 21 and will reopen with its regularly-scheduled racing card on Saturday, June 22. The Demolition Derby and Figure 8 Races which were scheduled for June 15 have been rescheduled and added to the spectacular June 29 ‘4th of July NASCAR and Fireworks Show’. “We’d like to thank all the fans and competitors in advance for their support and understanding,”. said Vice President /Chief Operating Officer Robert DeFazio.. “We look forward to seeing everyone back on June 22.”(Irwindale Speedway site) AND The funeral for Tucson driver John Baker, who was killed Saturday in a NASCAR Featherlite Southwest Series crash at Irwindale Speedway, is Saturday at 10:00am at St. Pius X Church, located at 1800 N. Camino Pio Decimo in Tucson. The viewing is Friday from 6:00-9:00pm at Bring Funeral Home, 6910 E. Broadway Blvd. in Tucson.(6-13-2002) (6-12-2002)
