| | FONTANA, Calif. -- Greg Moore was killed Sunday in the season-ending CART race when he lost control of his car at 220 mph and crashed into a wall, spinning wildly and slamming into the ground several times.
The 24-year-old Canadian, a budding star in the open-wheel circuit, was airlifted to a hospital and declared dead of massive head injuries about an hour after the wreck at California Speedway.
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Greg Moore File
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Birthdate: April 22, 1975
Birthplace: New Westminster, British Columbia
Residence: Maple Ridge, British Columbia
Career victories: 5
Career poles: 5
Career starts: 72
CAREER HIGHLIGHTS
Won 1999 season-opener in Homestead, Fla.
Won twice in 1998, winning the Rio 400 and Michigan 500.
Finished a career-high fifth in 1998 PPG Cup standings.
First two CART FedEx Series wins came in 1997 when he became the
youngest driver to ever win a CART event, at age 22, in Milwaukee. Followed
up Milwaukee win with victory in next event, Detroit Grand Prix.
Was runner-up to Alex Zanardi in 1996 CART Rookie of the Year voting.
Finished ninth in 1996 PPG Cup points as a rookie.
Won 1995 Indy Lights championship at age of 20 with record 10 wins and seven poles in 12 events.
As the youngest driver in Indy Lights, finished third in 1993 series championship after winning three races.
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He almost missed the race after he hurt his hand when a car hit him Saturday while he was riding a scooter in the paddock area.
Moore was the second driver in the CART FedEx Series to die this year. Rookie Gonzalo Rodriguez of Uruguay, preparing for only his second race, was killed instantly in a crash Sept. 11 during practice at Laguna Seca Raceway in Monterey.
Rodriguez, 27, was the first driver fatality in the CART series since Jeff Krosnoff was killed in a crash during a race in Toronto in July 1996.
Richie Hearn crashed coming off turn two on lap four of Sunday's Marlboro 500, bringing out the first caution flag. He was not injured and the green flag was waved again for the start of lap 10 in the 250-lap event.
Moore lost control of his car coming off Turn 2 on that lap in virtually the same spot.
Television replays showed the Reynard-Mercedes skidded onto the infield grass, became airborne and crashed hard into a retaining wall, with Moore apparently
striking his head on the concrete. The car then broke into pieces, with the open-cockpit driver's compartment spinning and hitting the ground several times before coming to a halt.
Moore was declared dead at Loma Linda Medical Center after resuscitation efforts failed, said Dr. Steve Olvey, director of medical affairs for CART.
The race continued, but CART chief steward Wally Dallenbach
canceled post-race celebrations and the flags at the speedway were
immediately lowered to half staff.
Adrian Fernandez went on to win the race but broke into tears
when told of Moore's death.
"It's so hard. Greg was such a good friend of ours," Fernandez
said. "We've been racing for a while and shared so many good
moments on and off the track.
"This is a tragedy for all of us. the win doesn't matter
anything. My heart goes out to his family."
|  | | Christian Fittipaldi, left, Adrian Fernandez, center, and Max Papis bow their heads in a moment of silence for Greg Moore during a somber post-race news conference.
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Andrew Craig, president and CEO of CART, said the sanctioning
body and its major sponsors initially decided to cancel the awards
banquet scheduled Monday night in Los Angeles, but decided to go
ahead with it after Moore's family asked them to do so.
"Obviously, I am going to make some major changes in the program," Craig said.
Moore's father, stepmother and girlfriend were at the track when
the wreck occurred. They were at the hospital when he was declared
dead and departed immediately for their homes in Maple Ridge,
British Columbia.
Moore was extremely popular in home country and province.
"The tragic death of Greg Moore has left a hole for all of those who knew him and the millions more who watched this hometown hero as he brought racing to a whole new generation of motorsports fans," said Stuart Ballantyne, the Vancouver Molson Indy general manager and a close friend Moore's family. "In every way, Greg
was a winner both on and off the track, contributing countless
hours to local charities and other worthwhile causes."
As a youngster in Canada, Moore chose auto racing over hockey.
Sunday night, a friend from his second-favorite sport reacted to the terrible news.
"We both had made it in our sports and it's sad," said Mighty
Ducks of Anaheim star Paul Kariya. "We spent some time together
at the All-Star Game in Vancouver (in 1998). He was in a
dangerous sport and unfortunately, sometimes those things happen. It's just a tragedy."
On Saturday, Moore broke a finger, badly cut his right hand and
bruised his right hip when his scooter was hit by a car in the
paddock area. He was cleared to drive after a six-lap test on the
two-mile oval late Saturday, starting the race last in the 27-car
field.
Olvey said Moore's injured hand was examined again Sunday
morning and that it was unlikely it had anything to do with the crash.
This was the 72nd start in Moore's CART FedEx Series career. He
had five victories, including the season-opening race in Homestead,
Fla., this season, and was the runner-up in last year's Marlboro 500.
Moore, who drove for Player's Forsythe Racing for all four
seasons in CART, was to move to Team Penske next year.
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ALSO SEE
Moore's hometown mourns loss of local hero
Moore was sadly prophetic before final race
Montoya wins title in wake of Moore tragedy
 Kreidler: Where reality meets sports
AUDIO/VIDEO
 RPM 2Night examines Sunday's tragedy in California and reviews the all-too-short career of Greg Moore.
RealVideo: | 28.8
Greg Moore's car slams into the inside restraining wall in a horrifying crash.
avi: 832 k
RealVideo: 56.6 | ISDN | T1
 CART's CEO Andrew Craig discusses the death of Greg Moore.
wav: 290 k
RealAudio: 14.4 | 28.8 | 56.6
Forsthye Racing VP Neil Mickelwright says Greg Moore will be missed.
wav: 134 k
RealAudio: 14.4 | 28.8 | 56.6
Juan Montoya talks about the loss of a friend.
wav: 86 k
RealAudio: 14.4 | 28.8 | 56.6
Race winner Adrian Fernandez reacts to the death of Greg Moore.
wav: 160 k
RealAudio: 14.4 | 28.8 | 56.6
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