2 Killed at Marysville Raceway Park Tragic Accident

A 14-year-old boy, Marcus Johnson, and 68-year-old Dale Wondergem Jr., were both killed Saturday evening, March 16th, as the result of an accident at Marysville Raceway Park, in northern California. The dirt track, located just outside Yuba City in northern California, approximately 40 miles north of Sacramento, was hosting the first round of this year’s California Sprint Car Civil War Series.

The two were standing next to each other in the pit area when a car, driven by 17-year-old Chase Johnson, apparently lost control and struck both of the men, who were properly credentialed to be in the pit area. Chase, who was not injured, is reported to be the cousin of young Marcus Johnson, and Wondergem was the owner of another car scheduled to compete in the race. The accident occurred while drivers were taking their warm-up laps, and it is not clear if Chase was trying to enter the pits on purpose, or if he lost control. The cause of the crash is still being investigated.

Sprint cars are compact, high-horsepower cars designed with a large metal wing mounted on top of the roll cage. Their safety record has improved significantly in recent years due to many mandatory safety regulations such as roll cages, fuel tank bladders, and driver suit standards.