Gehrke Dies From Injuries Suffered in Talladega Crash

Chris Gehrke, who suffered severe head injuries in last week’s ARCA race at Talladega Superspeedway, died Tuesday at a Birmingham hospital.

Cullen Clark, spokesman at Carraway Methodist Medical Center, said Gehrke, 25, of Lincoln, Ill., died at 10:25 a.m. in the neuro-intensive care unit, where he was treated following surgery to relieve pressure on his brain.

“Our sport can be very exciting and a beautiful thing, but it also can be very violent,” said Ron Drager, vice president of the Automobile Racing Club of America.

Gehrke never regained consciousness after suffering the “massive head injury,” Clark said.

Gehrke’s Oldsmobile was involved in a five-car wreck late in the Poulan Pro 500-K race on Saturday. His vehicle was bumped from behind, spun backward and flew into the air, setting off a multicar crash on the main straightaway.

The car wound up sideways on the banked track and several cars barely missed it before Carl Miskotten Jr., his view momentarily blocked by another car, slammed his Buick into Gehrke’s vehicle, spinning both cars into the infield grass.

Miskotten, 42, of Nashville, Tenn., is recovering from a head injury that did not require surgery. He has been transferred to a private room at University of Alabama-Birmingham Hospital, Drager said.

“His family and medical staff are pleased with his progress,” the ARCA official said. “From what I can understand everything looks pretty good.”

Talladega officials said Gehrke was the fourth ARCA driver and eighth person to die during a race at the 2.66-mile oval.