YouTube video of a fatal crash at Nola Motorsports Park shows Jeff Hagaman racing his 2010 Nissan GTR at speeds of more than 200 miles per hour down the track on Saturday.
WWL-TV made the decision to not show the end of the video when the crash occurred, however the video shows the car spinning out and flipping before finally coming to a stop.
Financial analyst Mark Rosa has raced motorcycles and cars at high speeds and he says at more than 200 miles per hour, a lot can go wrong.
“We could be braking too late. We could be braking too hard or not hard enough. Too hard is going to lock those tires up and you're going to skid off the road,” Rosa said.
According to the Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office, 52-year-old Hagaman from Granite Falls, North Carolina, died at the scene from multiple traumatic injuries.
The WannaGOFAST ½ Mile shootout gave participants a chance to race their vehicles one at a time at top speeds down NOLA’s 5,300-foot straightaway. The event was canceled after the fatal accident.
Race promoter Blake Hutchison released the following statement:
“WannaGOFAST is heartbroken over the death of a racer that occurred at the NOLA Motorsports Park on Saturday morning. The racer had participated in many WannaGOFAST events over the years and was part of our extended family. Our deepest condolences and prayers go out to his family and friends."
NOLA Motorsports CEO Francisco Christian also told WWL-TV:
"Nola Motorsports Park routinely leases its facility to professional motorsports companies from across the country to conduct a variety of events. Our thoughts and prayers remain with the family of the driver. We do not anticipate releasing further comment until the investigation into the incident is completed.”
“The need for speed is out there. That's what tracks are for. Accidents do occur. It's a dangerous sport,” Rosa said.
Some race spectators took to social media complaining about bumpy conditions on the track. The official cause of the crash has yet to be determined, but according to the Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office, excessive speed was a major factor.