Moore killed in Marlboro 500 crash

Mike Harris

Sunday, Oct. 31, 1999 | 2:26 a.m.

FONTANA, Calif. - Greg Moore was killed Sunday in a terrifying crash during the Marlboro 500 at California Speedway.

About an hour after the accident CART confirmed the 24-year-old Canadian was dead.

Moore was the second driver in the CART FedEx Series to die this year. Rookie Gonzalo Rodriguez of Uruguay, at only his second race, was killed in a crash Sept. 11 during practice at Laguna Seca Raceway in Monterey.

On the 10th lap of the 250-lap event Sunday, Moore appeared to lose control as his car coming off turn two. The Reynard-Mercedes skidded onto the infield grass, crashed hard into a retaining wall and broke into pieces, with the open-cockpit driver's compartment spinning wildly and slamming into the ground several times before coming to a halt.

Dr. Steve Olvey, director of medical affairs for CART, said Moore sustained massive head injuries and was airlifted to Loma Linda Medical Center.

Rodriguez, 27, was the first driver fatality in the CART series since Jeff Krosnoff was killed in a crash during a race in Toronto in July 1996.

Moore nearly missed Sunday's season-ending race after breaking a finger and suffering a deep laceration to his right hand and a bruised right hip on Saturday in an off-track incident in which his scooter was struck by a car in the paddock area.

Moore was cleared to drive after a six-lap test on the two-mile oval late Saturday, starting the 500-mile race last in the 27-car field.

This was the 72nd start in Moore's CART FedEx Series career. He has five victories, including the season-opening race in Homestead, Fla., this season, and was the runner-up in last year's Marlboro 500.

Moore, who drove for Player's Forsythe Racing for all four seasons in CART, was scheduled to move to Team Penske next year.

CART chief steward Wally Dallenbach canceled post-race celebrations and the flags at the speedway were lowered to half staff after Moore's death was confirmed.

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