Champion driver dies following crash at small Virginia track
Championship modified driver Shawn Balluzzo passed away following a crash at Langley Speedway on Saturday evening. Balluzzo, 64, was so good racing at the Hampton, Va. short-track that last year his former competitors said they would award $1,000 to anyone who could beat him.
Balluzzo won 10 championships at the speedway that claimed his life Saturday.
Balluzzo crashed during the second of two 50-lap races. He was running in third when his car and second-place Chris Johnson’s made contact rounding Turn 2 less than halfway through the race, according to the Daily Press. Balluzzo’s car went airborne over Johnson’s hood then crashed front-first into the Turn 2 wall at around 70 mph, according to the same Newport News-based outlet.
“Our hearts are heavy this morning,” a statement from Langley Speedway said. “Driver Shawn Balluzzo passed away following an incident during Saturday Night’s modified feature at Langley Speedway, leaving behind a championship legacy both on and off the track.”
Balluzzo, a Hampton-native, won 11 total track championships in the Modified Division. He was the winningest driver at Langley Speedway.
His daughter, Bryce, was diagnosed with pediatric Leukemia three years ago.
“The Langley Speedway family grieves at this terrible loss and offers our deepest condolences to his wife Terri and his three children,” the statement from the speedway said. “We ask that you respect the family’s privacy during this trying time.”
This story was originally published July 12, 2020 at 10:33 AM.
