Veteran race driver dies in 283mph crash while trying to set speed record at famous event

Experienced racing driver Chris Raschke has died at the age of 60 when he lost control of his vehicle while attempting to set a new land speed record on the Bonneville Salt Flats of Utah.

The salt flats are a popular part of the world to try and set land speed records, and are home to a racing event known as 'speed week'.

With an incredibly flat surface, it is nature's ideal place to try and test the records of how fast a human can travel on land, but going at such high speeds is not without danger.

The 60-year-old had been driving a rocket-like vehicle called the Speed Demon when he lost control of it going 283mph at around two-and-a-half miles into his run.

Dennis Sullivan, president of the Utah Salt Flats Racing Association, told the Associated Press: "Motorsports is inherently a dangerous sport. People get hurt. People get killed. That's just the nature of the sport. It doesn't happen a lot."

The veteran driver had been racing in the Speed Demon (Instagram/@speeddemonracingteam)

The previous death he could remember occurred nine years ago in 2016 when the 72-year-old Sam Wheeler lost his life after his motorbike went airborne at 200mph.

Southern California Timing Association, which organises the 'speed week' event, released a statement explaining the crash, which claimed Raschke's life and that the matter would be investigated.

They said: "At approximately 3:03 pm Mountain Time today (3 August), driver Chris Raschke, age 60, was attempting a speed record and lost control of his land speed vehicle at approximately the 2 1/2 mile.

"Chris was treated by medical professionals at the scene. Unfortunately, Chris passed away from his injuries. The cause of the incident is currently under investigation."

Many people have offered their condolences to Raschke's family and the Speed Demon team on social media.

60-year-old Chris Raschke died when he crashed at 283mph (Speed Demon 715)

Among the tributes were people saying he was a 'wonderful guy to be around' and calling him a 'legend' for his years of exploits in motorsport.

Others said that at least 'he passed doing something he loved' and that his death was 'gut-wrenching to witness'.

The speed week events will continue, with the event having started on 2 August and running until 8 August.

According to a profile of him from Speed Demon, Raschke got involved with motorsports at a young age and worked at the Ventura Speedway in the 80s.

They said he was invited onto the Speed Demon team after becoming friends with their crew chief and had previously managed to achieve speeds of 391mph in the rocket-like vehicle.