Mar 18, 2013 08:59 AM EDT
Race Car Driver Kills Cousin During Warm-Up Laps At California Racetrack (VIDEO)

A race car suddenly lost control and slammed into the pits at a racetrack this weekend in California, killing two people according to Reuters.

The crash took place during warm-up laps, which takes place an hour before a scheduled race, at Marysville Raceway Park.

The Yuba County Sheriff's Department stated that one of the victims, Dale Richard Wondergem Jr., 68, of Grass Valley, died at the scene according to Reuters.

The second victim, Marcus Johnson, 14, of Santa Rosa, C.A., was taken to a hospital where he was later pronounced dead.

"One of the cars left the track and drove into the pit area," Yuba County Sheriff's Captain Ron Johnson said according to Reuters.

The driver of the car was Chase Johnson, 17, was driving the number 24 car and was not hurt in the crash. Six other drivers were testing out their cars at the time of the incident according to Yuba police.

The Yuba County Sheriff's Department and California Highway Patrol have already started investigating the crash. Autopsies will also be conducted on the victims this week as well.

Marcus Johnson's father said that his son was "helping out in the pit" when the car flew 100 to 150 feet and hit his son.

"Our family has suffered an unspeakable tragedy with the passing of our precious Marcus Johnson and Dale Wondergem. There are no words to express our sorrow. Our family has been racing for four generations and loves the sport that has now brought us so much pain," said Don Johnson, the boy's father in a press statement said according to ESPN.

"Everybody's hurting. There's nothing we can do. This is terrible," the father said according to ESPN. "He had so much to look forward to."

The dirt-track race was scheduled as the first round of this year's California Sprint Car Civil War Series, according to a press statement from race organizers, which was released before the event.

Related Articles:

Auction Set For First 2014 Corvette Stingray Convertible To Benefit Karmanos Cancer Institute (PHOTOS/ VIDEO)

Corvette Racing Wins GT Class At 12 Hours Of Sebring With Corvette C6.R (VIDEO)

100-Game Suspension For Detroit Tigers Pitcher Cesar Carrillo (VIDEO)

Toyota Recalls 209,000 FJ Cruisers For Seatbelt Issues

13-Page Suicide Note Left By Mother Who Jumped From 8-Story Building In Manhattan Holding Baby (PHOTOS/ VIDEO)

See Now: OnePlus 6: How Different Will It Be From OnePlus 5?

 PREVIOUS POST
NEXT POST 

EDITOR'S PICK    

Hyundai to Invest $16.1 Billion for EV Business; Sets Annual Sales Goal of 1.87M Electric Cars by 2030

World's Most Expensive and Most Heavily-optioned Porsche 928 GTS is Coming Home to the U.S.

Major Boost as Tesla Giga Berlin Facility in Final Phase of Approval Process; Delivery Event Set This Month

Audi Looking for e-tron Electric Vehicles to Spur Car Brand's Growth in India in 2022

Toyota Offers Free EV Charging to Owners of 2023 bZ4X After Partnership Agreement with EVgo

2022 Suzuki Baleno Finally Unveiled in India: What are the Specs and Features of this City Car?