[ND4SPD]

Race-car accident kills flag man


Driver at Nelson Ledges Road Course loses control, hitting Cleveland man

By Ed Meyer

Beacon Journal staff writer

RAVENNA - A Cleveland man was struck and killed by a race car Sunday during a driving school at Nelson Ledges Road Course.

The victim, Glenn C. Miller, 56, was working as a flag man, warning drivers of course conditions, when he was hit, authorities said.

Thomas Decker, chief investigator for the Portage County Coroner's Office, said Miller died of injuries at the scene.

The driver, Kurt T. Niemeyer, 46, of Cincinnati was driving a red 1996 Acura on the back straightaway when he dropped off the left side of the track field, tried to steer back onto the course and spun sideways into the victim, according to a crash report by the Portage County Sheriff's Office.

The driver's side of the Acura struck the victim, the report stated.

Niemeyer said in a telephone interview Monday that it was ``a tragic accident.'' He declined to comment further, except to say he was a ``participant'' in the driving school.

Sheriff Duane W. Kaley also said the crash appeared to be accidental. When the investigation is completed, he said, the case will be presented to the county prosecutor for consideration of charges.

An ambulance crew from Warren reported the crash at 11:06 a.m. Sunday, about an hour after it occurred, Kaley said. The two-mile course is about six miles east of Hiram on state Route 305 in Nelson Township.

Nelson Ledges General Manager Kerrie Lane declined to comment.

The driving school was sanctioned by the Sports Car Club of America, national club spokesman Eric Prill said. He said Miller was a volunteer member of the Lake Erie flagging and communications crew and had been a club member since 1991.

Prill said the driving school was the first step toward gaining a competitive racing license in Sports Car Club-sanctioned events. Participants take several hours of classroom training before driving a car on the race course -- first with an instructor, and then alone.

Niemeyer, the driver, was not with an instructor when he lost control of the Acura, Prill said.

Prill said it was the first Sports Car Club fatality since April 2004, when a driver was killed at Heartland Park in Topeka, Kan.

He said Miller is survived by his wife, Carol, and three children.

Ed Meyer can be reached at 330-996-3784 or emeyer@thebeaconjournal.com

[nhfirefighter13]

the case will be presented to the county prosecutor for consideration of charges.

Give me a break. It's sad, but it was an accident. Being out there as a corner worker is just as dangerous as racing itself.

[TheEasterBunny]

MORE dangerous, I used to work corners at Mid-Ohio. I've been tackled to the ground a couple times only to stand up and see tire marks on both sides of my footprints. I feel safer on a bike.

[Pete]

Originally Posted by nhfirefighter13

Give me a break. It's sad, but it was an accident. Being out there as a corner worker is just as dangerous as racing itself.

+1

[EDDIE110171]

With any SCCA santioned event it is the responsibility of the safty steward to position the workers away from dangerous areas. With the schools they normally try to keep the speed down, but the cars will still hit over 100 mph. With cars going that fast you have to be paying attention, if you look away for a second that is all it takes.

[ND4SPD]

Nelson's isn't necessarily known for their safety, and I'll just leave it at that. I felt a little uneasy going into one of the sessions of my race school last summer as I noticed the EMT's playing frisbee in the paddock while there were 30-40 bikes out on the track.

[abtech]

Originally Posted by ND4SPD

Nelson's isn't necessarily known for their safety, and I'll just leave it at that. I felt a little uneasy going into one of the sessions of my race school last summer as I noticed the EMT's playing frisbee in the paddock while there were 30-40 bikes out on the track.

Tell me about it. My worst crash ever happened when a lapper blew his motor and the corner worker was yelling at his GF and never saw the oil. I hit the oil and actually made the other side of the track into oncoming traffic. I was told they didn't throw the red flag for nearly 2 minutes because no one knew what happened . . .