Family: Driver has died following Sunday crash at Lernerville
The family of the driver who was injured in a crash during a race at Lernerville Speedway on Sunday, Oct. 13, said he has died in a post to social media.
Shane Nolan, 51, of Chicora, was declared dead Monday, Oct. 14, according to the post.
The report from the Allegheny County Coroner says that Nolan was officially pronounced dead at 2:37 p.m. Monday, and listed the cause of death as “blunt force trauma to the head and trunk.”
“Lernerville Speedway and the Tomson family are deeply saddened by the passing of Shane Nolan, a cherished member of our racing community,” wrote the speedway in a statement on its social media. “We ask that everyone honor him and his family by respecting their wish for privacy at this time.”
Nolan had been participating in a race at Geibel Fest Day of Destruction at the Buffalo Township track when his car crashed into a wall, flipped and landed on its roof, according to eyewitness reports. The crash was reported around 2:30 p.m.
He was taken by helicopter to UPMC Presbyterian in Pittsburgh after emergency crews removed him from the car with the Jaws of Life.
Nolan, who drove car No. 61, only had two laps to go in the Enduro 100-lap race when the crash occurred. He was credited with finishing seventh out of 22 drivers in his race.
According to Nolan’s racer profile on myracepass.com, this was the fourth race that Nolan took part in, with the previous three also taking place at Lernerville.
Nolan was only the third driver to die in a racing accident in the history of Lernerville Speedway, which dates back to 1967.
The first was Clifford Haas, who died in an accident on Oct. 20, 1990, at the age of 41.
This was followed by Bill Henry, who was killed at a race on Oct. 22, 2015, at the age of 51.
