Tragedy at North Carolina short track claims life of racing veteran

American race car driver Robbie Brewer, 53, died on Saturday during a race at the Bowman Gray Stadium in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. According to CBS Sports, the cause of the accident was a sudden heart attack that the athlete suffered while driving.

The incident occurred four laps before the finish of the Sportsman division race. On the restart, Brewer was unable to control the car at the exit of turn four and crashed into the barrier at high speed. Rescuers quickly cut out the damaged bodywork to extract the driver and took him to the hospital, but doctors were unable to save his life. His death was officially confirmed by his family on Sunday.

Robbie Brewer had a rich career spanning 35 years and more than 300 races at the same track. During that time, he won 11 races and became the Sportsman division champion in 2011. This tragic accident was the fifth fatal incident in the history of Bowman Gray Stadium. Previously, in 2002, another driver died there - Bubba Beck, also after a heart attack.

Bowman Gray Stadium is one of the oldest asphalt short track tracks in the United States, built in 1938. In 2025, it will be on the NASCAR Cup Series calendar for the first time in half a century, hosting the preseason exhibition event Cook Out Clash.

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