Myers Racing Inc
01-20-2003, 10:24 AM
Here is an article I found from the local paper. It is sad to hear about another fellow racer dying. God speed Flip and condolences to the friends and family!
Accident claims life of 28-year-old racer
Merwin hits wall in semifinal event
By DAVE KALLMANN
dkallmann@journalsentinel.com
Last Updated: Jan. 18, 2003
Eagle River - Flip Merwin, a 28-year-old racer from Wausau, died Saturday night after crashing while leading the final event of the day at the 40th World Championship Snowmobile Derby.
Merwin wrecked by himself just off the fourth turn of the Derby Track's ice oval on the eve of the most prestigious event in his sport.
As Merwin was taken by ambulance to Eagle River Memorial Hospital, an official of the United States Snowmobile Association told fans that the driver was unconscious. Several hours later, a Vilas County Sheriff's Dept. dispatcher confirmed the death of a racer.
Merwin was leading the last semifinal of the day in the premier Champ 440 class with a little more than one lap to go when his snowmobile apparently hit a rut in the racetrack surface.
Merwin's machine darted quickly to the right and slammed the outside wall. Both the snowmobile and driver bounced back onto the track, but no other competitors were involved.
Dale Loritz, a close friend of Merwin's, had been gaining on Merwin and was no more than 30 feet behind when the crash occurred.
''He was running a higher groove, and it was really rough up there,'' Loritz, a two-time champion from Green Bay, said before learning of Merwin's death.
''The bumps coming out of 4, they really grab you. They really make your sled drift high. I was trying to run up there earlier, but it was getting too scary, so I came back down.''
Merwin, a veteran racer and the owner of an embroidery business, was on the verge of qualifying for his third World Championship feature. He finished eighth in 1999 and fourth in 2001.
After a delay of about a half-hour to repair the fence, the race was restarted. Loritz led the final two laps of the 10-lap race to qualify for the main event, set for 3 p.m. today.
Because they spend so many weekends together, many snowmobile racers are friends, but the bond between Merwin and Loritz ran deeper. Merwin had dated a niece of Loritz's, and the two kept in contact throughout the summer as well as during the season.
Merwin became the second Derby-related fatality in two years. Ed DeVault, of Cottage Grove, died in November after suffering head injuries in a crash witnesses described as similar to Merwin's.
''I don't know about that corner, if it's just the way you come out of there that pushes you up to the wall, or what,'' Loritz said. ''I'm just not sure.''
Accident claims life of 28-year-old racer
Merwin hits wall in semifinal event
By DAVE KALLMANN
dkallmann@journalsentinel.com
Last Updated: Jan. 18, 2003
Eagle River - Flip Merwin, a 28-year-old racer from Wausau, died Saturday night after crashing while leading the final event of the day at the 40th World Championship Snowmobile Derby.
Merwin wrecked by himself just off the fourth turn of the Derby Track's ice oval on the eve of the most prestigious event in his sport.
As Merwin was taken by ambulance to Eagle River Memorial Hospital, an official of the United States Snowmobile Association told fans that the driver was unconscious. Several hours later, a Vilas County Sheriff's Dept. dispatcher confirmed the death of a racer.
Merwin was leading the last semifinal of the day in the premier Champ 440 class with a little more than one lap to go when his snowmobile apparently hit a rut in the racetrack surface.
Merwin's machine darted quickly to the right and slammed the outside wall. Both the snowmobile and driver bounced back onto the track, but no other competitors were involved.
Dale Loritz, a close friend of Merwin's, had been gaining on Merwin and was no more than 30 feet behind when the crash occurred.
''He was running a higher groove, and it was really rough up there,'' Loritz, a two-time champion from Green Bay, said before learning of Merwin's death.
''The bumps coming out of 4, they really grab you. They really make your sled drift high. I was trying to run up there earlier, but it was getting too scary, so I came back down.''
Merwin, a veteran racer and the owner of an embroidery business, was on the verge of qualifying for his third World Championship feature. He finished eighth in 1999 and fourth in 2001.
After a delay of about a half-hour to repair the fence, the race was restarted. Loritz led the final two laps of the 10-lap race to qualify for the main event, set for 3 p.m. today.
Because they spend so many weekends together, many snowmobile racers are friends, but the bond between Merwin and Loritz ran deeper. Merwin had dated a niece of Loritz's, and the two kept in contact throughout the summer as well as during the season.
Merwin became the second Derby-related fatality in two years. Ed DeVault, of Cottage Grove, died in November after suffering head injuries in a crash witnesses described as similar to Merwin's.
''I don't know about that corner, if it's just the way you come out of there that pushes you up to the wall, or what,'' Loritz said. ''I'm just not sure.''