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The accident, which happened at about 9:40 p.m., occured during an Area Sportsman feature race. Thoma's car was involved in a crash on the front straightaway of the track, then crashed into and flew over a three-foot-high concrete retaining wall that separates the race track from the pit area. Both victims were members of a Modified race team, according to a track official.
According to several witnesses, the car hit, then popped over the retaining wall and crashed into an area used by other drivers and teams as a staging area. Two of the victims were thrown an estimated 25 feet before landing on the inside of the wall, according to witnesses.
Three ambulances were on the scene, and the Gundersen Lutheran Med-Link helicopter landed on the Turn One area of the track at 9:55 p.m. One victim was transported to a local hospital by ambulance, while the other was taken by Med-Link at 10:12 p.m. A condition report was not available on either victim. The driver suffered minor injuries, according to medical personnel on the scene, and was not immediately transported to a hospital.
"They took extra special care to ensure that all the necessary steps were taken to treat the people involved properly," Fairgrounds Speedway manager Chuck Deery said.
