Former Driver And His Family Survived The Accident

NASCAR offered free tickets to the Bristol Motor Speedway race last weekend to the first responders who rushed to the scene of an airplane accident involving former driver Dale Earhhardt Jr.

Television station WTKR reports that the former driver and current NASCAR television analyst, his wife and daughter were aboard a private jet that exited the runway at Elizabeth Municipal Airport last Thursday and impacted a fence. The aircraft caught fire, but all five people, Earhardt Jr., his family and two pilots who were on board the aircraft escaped with minor injuries. All were taken to a local hospital for evaluation and released.

Among the agencies that were offered free tickets to the race was the Carter County, TN Sheriff's Office, who posted on Facebook that they had a "great time ... at the BMS race night."

Earnhardt Jr. was scheduled to be part of the NBC Sports broadcast team airing the race, but it was determined that he should take the weekend off to be with his family following the race.

(Image from Carter County, TN Sheriff Facebook post)

FMI: Source report