Speedway crash claims driver's life

A 33-year-old race car driver died Thursday night in a crash involving his brother and several cars at Thompson Motor Speedway in Hartford, Conn.

John Blewett III, of Howell, N.J., died after he and Jimmy Blewett hit a wall in the 107th lap of the 150-lap NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour event in Thompson.

John Blewett's car ended up on top of his brother's car, said Woody Pitkat, who was behind the crash.

"Jimmy got out of his car. He was yelling and screaming. He was just a wreck," Pitkat said Friday. "He was yelling at people to get [John] out of the car."

John Blewett, who suffered head and neck injuries, was extricated from the car and taken to a hospital in Webster, Mass., where he was pronounced dead, state police said.

A NASCAR spokesman said the Blewett brothers were veteran drivers. Pitkat estimated the speed of the cars at more than 100 mph at the time of the crash.

Also at Thompson speedway, a professional all-terrain vehicle driver from Easthampton, Mass., was killed during practice laps in May 2006. In 2004, race car driver Tommy Baldwin of Moriches, N.Y., was killed in a crash in a Featherlite modified race.

NHRA QUALIFYING: Funny Car driver Del Worsham led the field Friday in qualifying for the Toyo Tires NHRA Nationals at Maple Grove Raceway in Mohnton, Pa.

Worsham's 4.800-second pass at 323.97 mph placed him alongside fellow low qualifiers "Hot Rod" Fuller (4.521 in Top Fuel), Greg Anderson (6.685, Pro Stock), and Angelle Sampey (6.987, Pro Stock Motorcycle) at the midway point of qualifying.

Ashley Force was sixth with a best of 4.870 at 306.67 mph. Her father, John Force, was 10th with a 4.902 at 305.91 mph.

Top Fuel points leader Fuller started the day with a 4.606 at 314.68 mph, which led the first session, and then had his 4.521 at 327.19 mph under the lights.