Devil's Bowl Speedway: A Trio Of Tragedies

So I have no idea what is going on at Devil’s Bowl Speedway. From 2015-2018, there were three NASCAR drivers to pass away at the track. They all occurred as part of the NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series. This is just bizarre. All three of NASCAR’s fatalities in the last decade occurred at the track, within four years of each other- but they are nothing like you’d expect. Watch to find out the stories behind NASCAR’s recent tragedies at Devil’s Bowl Speedway.
0:00 Introduction
0:54 Track History
2:49 Tragedies
Devil's Bowl Speedway: The Silent Killer
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[@Eibarwoman]

I'd say the bigger shock to me is that we don't have more of these tragedies of drivers in their 50s, 60s, and beyond given the heart rate goes way up when driving these things and cardiovascular disease in men tends to show up in those older ages. But then, races aren't exactly long either.

[@jbj7599]

But any sort of racing isn't a workout! Literally my high school PE teacher. Luckily, we had heart rate monitors,we kept throwing egg on his face lol I never hurt so much after racing go karts(ones you actually race, not the novelty fun ones at amusement parks.

[@ScooterLee-ei1ep]

@@jbj7599 🤣🤣 then you don’t drive as hard as you think.

[@cudwieser3952]

@@ScooterLee-ei1ep Simply sitting in a tin can with nomex and a helmet for 20 minutes can be stressful on a warm day. Trying to wrestle a 400+hp tin can in the same conditions ain't light work. It mightn't be a high G stop and start kind of fatigue at 6 times the duration, but it ain't without effort.

[@Corky3D]

There is quite a few drivers that have heart attacks or heart troubles in the car and end up dying. I won't say it's super common, but happens a lot more than most think about. Terry Babb, sprint car. Art Goodier, sportsman modified all died from a heart attack while racing in 2022. There were several in 2021. Terry, was leading the A Main and pulled into the infield to a stop. Where Art had wrecked, due to the heart attack.

[@scottmcbride836]

Probably should clarify which Devils Bowl Speedway this is in the title. A more famous one is located in Texas.

[@johnmanley9485]

Agree. Some are saying age has something to do with these deaths. . As you know the original devils bowl . Theres been drivers that have been racing there for years. Russell shoulders is in his 70s and still very competitive in the sprints. And theres troy Taylor and Kevin ramey

[@sleepysxb7710]

the one in Texas is so close to me. it made my heart drop because I've wanted to check it out for a while now. only unable bc of my work schedule but still !!

[@TheBlackdog8]

Less clicks then

[@YaM0MsAh03]

Never heard of it, obviously not that famous.

[@yungpablo1656]

@scottmcbribe836 he did a minute into the video

[@randynichols4691]

Dawg I was so damn confused at the start of this video talking about asphalt late models. I legit thought this was a video on Devil’s Bowl in Mesquite, Texas 😂

[@nascarfan4888JJ]

Haha, I didn’t know they were two separate tracks until I started researching a little bit more. I was very confused at first.

[@alimcg376]

Me too. Unfortunately, I was at the Mesquite Devil's Bowl in 96ish when a sprint car went off the end of the track into the pit area killing someone. Sad night of racing.

[@rjskillz92]

At first I thought this video would be about my home track, the Devil's Bowl Speedway in Mesquite, TX, the birthplace of the World of Outlaws sprint car series. My dad used to race street stocks there when I was a kid.

[@AClayton172]

I thought the same lol

[@GlizzyBeans]

I live kinda close to this devils bowl in vt and I thought it was the one in texas

[@thameholland2769]

Hell I live just an hour away from Fair Haven VT and have raced go carts and been a spectator at Devils Bowl many times and I thought for sure the video would be about the Texas track also known as Devils Bowl....not the little known dirt oval in the farmlands of Vermont. Cool to see familiar scenery here though!

[@GlizzyBeans]

@thameholland2769 I haven't been to devils bowl and probably won't just a little to far

[@thameholland2769]

@@GlizzyBeans Ahhh man...I gotta say you gotta make the trip once....its not the best place I've ever been hit its unique and there's a few shows every year worth the trip....the Slate Valley 50 at least, ofcourse.

[@BrodyMK64]

yes I am so glad someone is talking about this! A friend and I were going to work on a project about the last 3 fatalities that not even the most die hard fans know about in 2020 but never got to it

[@cartergrady1217]

I grew up watching Leon race at Airborne Speedway in Plattsburgh NY and my father knew him well as he raced along side him in the asphalt modifieds. Everyone from the track was upset when he died as he was a great man and just pleasant to be around. It was very interesting to learn that he had won the race and died during his victory lap, he went out doing what he loved.

[@intotheracingline]

There is a forth nascar associated fatality, Langley Speedway's Shawn Balluzo went head on into the turn 2 wall and passed away the next day

[@Hmoney42069]

I legit thought you were gonna talk about the devil's bowl speedway down in Mesquite Texas

[@squirrel_25]

Vermont 200 is an awesome event! Highly recommended it! Should see the sunset at this track.

[@racegrubb2152]

I think it's a combination of age and what shape they were, with a high heart rate. I mean they prob got a heart rate in the 190s. Shoot Tyler Reddick at cota had a heart rate in the 170s during that race and is young and in good ahape.That is a sad and scary story either way. Peace be with them

[@patrickracer43]

Also with Reddick's heart rate he's driving at a over three mile long road course with lots of elevation change in the Texas heat

[@racegrubb2152]

@@patrickracer43 oh yeah true, heart rates up with someone running a marathon, his heart rate was that high in the 1st stage. Shoot I know my heart rate is high just on iracing lol. Sometimes feel like that crap gonna give me a heart attack hahahaha. I'm glad that at least they went doing what they love but still sad. I was nervous for Bill Elliott when he ran a road race in Xfinity a few years ago, may have been 5 years now because of his age.

[@eggreedgious5194]

Well they did race with a guy named Phillip Morris.

[@racegrubb2152]

@@eggreedgious5194 dam lol🤣

[@8CountAudio]

I saw Reddick’s heart rate also on the COTA broadcast…that plus the age and shape of local racers is something the sport should probably pay more attention to. Cramped cockpit, g forces and vibrations, high emotions, hot temps, exhaust…imma go down to single burgers instead of doubles starting tomorrow

[@TMVideoProductions]

0:43 "All 3 of NASCAR's fatalities in the last decade..." That phrase feels like a misunderstanding of racing at the local level. The only thing that made these 'NASCAR fatalities' is that the track paid for NASCAR sanctioning. Some tracks do, some tracks don't. NASCAR sanctioning doesn't really change anything about the track, the cars, or the drivers. Any fatality in racing is a tragedy. However, older drivers passing away from a 'medical event' at a local short track happens every year. Sometimes multiple times a year. It's just a strange coincidence that it happened 3 times in a 3 year period at one track. Using the Motorsport Memorial website, going from 2023 back to 2019 there have been no less than 14 driver fatalities at local short tracks in North America. Information found on Motorsport Memorial indicates that at least 8 of those fatalities were caused by a heart attack, stroke, or undisclosed medical event.

[@tonypighetti6221]

The whelen modified series in general lost many of our greats in the 80's. Martinsville to the lives of HOF driver Richie Evans and Charlie J. Amongst many others those years throughout New England. It was a sad time and im still distraught over it

[@ThatNascarGuy]

I saw devil’s bowl and immediately thought Tx. Used to hear the races from my bedroom as a kid

[@SouperGoose62]

Cool to see a Vermont track getting recognition, sad that it's under such tragic context. Glad thunder road will host SRX this year so this isn't all we're known for

[@cooltechstuff4387]

Spoke a little to soon. As of today the SRX race was cancelled :/

[@SouperGoose62]

@@cooltechstuff4387 so I heard. bummer :(

[@Venator1230]

Those three men are racing the hell out of each other in heaven, I bet... May they rest in peace and their families know comfort.

[@bradsanders407]

Isnt it obvious whats going on there? Senior citizens are racing and their heart's cant take the adrenaline anymore.

[@cooltechstuff4387]

A little back story as to why the Asphalt and dirt track at once. A podcast Uncommon Deeds (out of Vermont) interviewed Bruno. Bruno was already operating the track when the owner decided to do a “rent to own” deal with Bruno as the owner didn’t trust his kids taking over the track. Bruno was making payments when the owner got ill and passed away. Then the kids where outraged that they had no control over the track according to the contract written so in the contract it stated there was a length of time that the asphalt tried to remain. To which the kids used that to try to make Bruno fail so he would default on payments to which Bruno just make a track inside the asphalt as he realized the West Haven, VT market is not suitable for asphalt racing.

[@itsjusta602]

Great video man

[@silentbob3208]

They all have one thing in common. They passed away while doing what they loved.

[@LegendsUnboundTTRPG]

Grew up goin to theis track. My uncle is a a pro stock champ. Miss those days!

[@LennyisFast]

Maybe they should change the name

[@wheressteve]

The Hallelujah Bowl Speedway ?

[@joshysbrand3567]

Tracks just to much excitement for the old fellows

[@section8usmc53]

Nothing is going on. You literally hammered it all out. Strenuous physical activity with mediocre health, middle age, and not exactly next door to Mass General for immediate medical attention.

[@JamesStewart-lx5wb]

All 3 deaths were tragic but Stevenson’s was the most tragic and unfortunate. 20 years since his last race. He chooses to retain. His first race back after 20 years, and he died. Should he have stayed retired? Is it because he was away so long that his heart couldn’t handle it when he returned? Was it his age? So many questions that makes it that much more tragic.

[@JamesStewart-lx5wb]

Meant return, not retain.

[@JeffWeselyan]

Three ment God Jesus and holy spirit number of trinity and men died age of 60s but three men are age 60s so now u got three 6s as in 666

[@bradsanders407]

​@@JeffWeselyanSLAYER!!

[@bradsanders407]

​@JamesStewart-lx5wb I mean yeah, they were getting up there in age and weren't exactly fit and trim.

[@TopwizSoft]

I used to live in a nearby town. I went there 2 or 3 times while it was a dirt track. Once I sat in the front row and had to shower when I got home from all the dirt in my hair.

[@KrazyKeith4]

There's a Devil's Bowl Speedway in Mesquite, TX that's known as being the birthplace of the winged sprint car. I thought this video was about that Devil's Bowl Speedway, not the Devil's Bowl Speedway this video is about.

[@scottbremkamp7841]

Crazy that the speedway has that in its past. Even crazier to randomly run into a photo of myself working as an official at Colorado National Speedway. (In the clip with the yellow and silver cars crashed. I'm left side of photo in the stars and stripes shirt.)

[@bradsanders407]

That is wild. If it was a video about that track then you got to be thinking it's a possibility but maybe not likely but a track 2000+ miles away? Astronomical

[@didgereemedia194]

I can't deny these are tragic deaths, but it also reminds me of Denny Hulme's tragic death in 1992 during that years Bathurst 1000.

[@joestephan1111]

I've been around racing for 73 of my 76 years. If you don't like racing don't come to the race. Racing has taken me half-way 'round the world. I've seen every kind of racing ever invented. I've yet to one single time see where someone held a gun to their head and made them to do it. Racing is a dangerous sport where people get hurt and sadly sometimes die. Again. If you don't like that, why are you there???

[@somethinburnin]

Mr Mohawk (Speedway) Billy Cook must be almost 80 still going. His grandson has raced recent at DB in the 200 not sure on Billy himself.

[@DSmith1997]

I live a few hours away in NH have been to this track a few times Before it was a Dirt track, Have yet to see it as a dirt track. it is crazy hearing all the news about it over the years for sure it was always a tough track so when the news popped up you always figured oh heres the deadly crash weve all thought was coming and it never was. Very very odd for sure may they all RIP and God Speed to them and Prayers with their families.

[@dillonpierce7869]

Sooo just like street names they can't come up with different names for every race track....? Immediately knew it wasn't my devil's bowl in mesquite tx. 👀

[@kendesotell4593]

Some of the comments were not needed Leon was a great friend of mine and I was a crew member

[@johnriordan-xs1pm]

spent many a Sunday night at 'the bowl' as we called it back in the 70's and 80's... there was a man that raced there every week that, at the time was well into his seventy's.. they called him the grand old man.. Albert Lulek was his name. also in the mid seventy's they ran the Busch North Series with drivers like Robbie Crouch, Randy Lajoie Bobby and Beaver Dragon and Jean Paul Cabana. also John Bruno (current owner Mike Bruno's dad) was a regular there. ah those were the days.. thanks for the memories and condolences to the families

[@gailharris3640]

Here's a thought , what was the land history that the Devil's Bowl speedway sits on. It may not be the track itself, it maybe the land.

[@bradsanders407]

I think it's the driver's ages and overall health. Seems pretty obvious.

[@stalehunter]

need to put in the title where you are talking about. I thought you were talking about the Devils Bowl in Mesquite TX. it too is a half mile dirt and i thought you were full of it until i heard you are talking about Vermont

[@williamford9564]

7:03:" Out of respect for the families"??? In all the major series, NASCAR, Indy Car, Formula 1 etc. discloses the reasons of death. Track management is being disingenuous and deceitful. It is plain from a common sense standpoint that the second driver was killed from bodily injuries caused by hitting a wall head on at 75 MPH. The common sense take away is that 50 and 60 year old people should think about the risks to their health of driving a race car. All appear related to heart failure at least at the initial onset. The heart rate at the wheel of a race car at speed is astronomical. Terry Stevenson was at the wheel of race car for the first time back in 20 years. Imagine the shock that put on his systems.

[@thejetracing61]

Having to deal with the promoter of that place and his band of clowns is enough to give anybody , a heart attack!

[@StankWilliams]

"How the the fuck can a racetrack kill someone? It's not even a person, that's fucked!"

[@JBofBrisbane]

Are you quoting someone with that?

[@StankWilliams]

@@JBofBrisbane It's a reference to a show. I wouldn't say something that crazy on my own

[@outlawtaylor3]

Dam! All survivable wrecks. I’ve hit the outside wall at a few dirt tracks going around 100-120. Only received 1 concussion and lots of sore muscles.

[@jimgomez5396]

Don't blame the track or its name for a driver having a heart attack!

[@CSDonohue11]

Wowwzers…. Name Fitz

[@kevinashcroft2028]

A bit crass , but the age of the drivers = 666 ; with their odd years making an additional 6 , and all happening at THE DEVILS BOWL SPEEDWAY Great subject matter about my favourite sport bar none .

[@amaccama3267]

The more old blokes you have in your racing series the more likely it is you'll have fatalities.

[@PlayLikeBugs]

Division 5 are compact cars. Friendly FYI!

[@billwheeler2902]

The real devils bowl is in mesquite, Texas . Been there since the 50 s

[@regdor8187]

Creating angxt where their is no reason....

[@anthonyrausch5708]

7:21 - If all of these guy’s had “UNDISCLOSED MEDICAL CONDITIONS”??? Probably Heart attacks…..

[@shaunstrasser1]

Or Stroke

[@jamieday6602]

Not many people in their 60's race! Age and health was the factor!

[@kurtfoulke5130]

Sounds like you are stirring up some shit that isn't there ? Make a effort to support grass roots racing, not tear it down !

[@fernandoueno8668]

I dont know the track or the cars, but how tough are them to drive? If drivers have to constantly steer, brake and correct the car, that might have had something to do with the drivers' medical issues

[@yoshichad2349]

I’m going to devil’s bowl

[@jwilson5072]

didn't Doug Wolfgang nearly died in a fire involved crash????

[@marcimarcimarci5101]

i reckon its because each of these drivers drove exactly 666 miles and 666 feet at this track. and no further.

[@vermontvermont9292]

I want to go

[@seanwilson9117]

I mean, it's the Devil's bowl. So. Checks out.

[@amelierenoncule]

You want an answer, mon ami?...consider this track's name !

[@gavinallen8604]

Devils bowl is in Texas

[@COASTER_CHASER_1]

There are 2 devils bowl tracks

[@Mbrown553]

Seems like they were all heart attacks

[@cmphighpower]

They were old guys wit poor living habits. They died of heart attacks

[@racer193wr]

As you get older your heart doesn't keep up as well as it once did.. For most racers they don't think much about a health emergency during a race season as it's time energy and hard work that make up for no budget. I'm willing to bet that any of these 3 would have said there would be no better way to die.. as a former low budget racer and heart disease I'd probably agree with them. Yet for me I'd probably have to put some work into making myself as healthy as possible if I where to ever race a car at any level again..

[@whydontmynameswork]

Nothing shocking about a bunch of unhealthy amateur race car drivers. They all seemed like great guys. RIP Case closed.

[@ethanweeter2732]

Was it built on a Native American burial ground?

[@jameslink1660]

It's haunted

[@SuperNASCARrocks]

They should change the name of the track

[@kainhall]

3:25 heart attack would be my guess..... or passed out from low blood sugar i dont mean to pry... but ya . all these deaths are from old dudes with medical issues.... not safety issues or track issues my dads in his late 60s and i worry about him just driving to see my sister lol . but hey... they are their own person... an adult... and can make their own choises going out holding the checkered is how id want to go.....

[@kainhall]

like.... if you removed all the drivers that are older than 50...... how many drivers would the field have? 5? 10? . it seems like their is a LOT of old racers at this location and we NEED old racers... to pass down info... get their kids into it.... and keep the fields full, the winnings pot big, and asses in grandstands

[@BobbyEngels-Natsariym]

The name is “devils bowl speedway” ffs.

[@ryansmiley5495]

Meth

[@DSN_editsHttyd]

First comment

[@ShabToTheZilla]

Meth. The answer is meth.

[@J.C...]

Yea. I'm gonna say you probably shouldn't be racing around a track at 61 years old. This is a young man's game. Many of these old guys needs to let their ego go. IMO, anyone over 50 shouldn't be doing it, period.

[@ccrider00]

Ahh----------soooo !😭😱🎯🥳🤮

[@Corky3D]

Age isn't a concern, it's their health which is a concern. A friend of mine is 70 and races, amazing reflexes, works out and everything. He's in better shape then some of the guys I race against, which are in their 30's. Let alone all the other classes of cars that race that night. Cars we race are dirt midgets, cars you need good reflexes, quick mind and to be a little bit muscular. Not easy cars to drive, you're always up on the wheel.

[@KellieLeigh48]

Good video @nfjj

[@georgeanthony8999]

They all went out doing the things they loved doing...I couldn't ask for a better way...