Kenny Irwin was the 1998 Winston Cup Rookie of the Year for Robert Yates Racing. He never won a Cup race – his two national-series victories came in the 1997 Craftsman Truck Series – but the former USAC standout from Indiana was considered one of the sport's brightest young talents.
In July 2000, just eight weeks after Adam Petty's death, Irwin's throttle stuck in practice at the same Loudon track and he hit the wall head-on, dying at 30. The twin tragedies forced NASCAR's hand on safety reforms at New Hampshire and accelerated the push for the HANS device.
At a Glance
- Born: August 5, 1969, Indianapolis, Indiana
- Died: July 7, 2000, Loudon, New Hampshire
- Age: 30
- Cause of death: Head injuries from a practice crash at New Hampshire Motor Speedway
Final Resting Place
Oaklawn Memorial Gardens, Fishers, Indiana.
Photo: Warrick L. Barrett via Find a Grave
From the Book
This profile is adapted from Legends at Rest: NASCAR Legends by Howard Wear.
Portrait: from the Legends at Rest: NASCAR Legends book files. Grave photo: Photo: Warrick L. Barrett via Find a Grave.