Dirt-racing legend Scott Bloomquist dies Friday in plane crash in Tennessee
Famed dirt-track racing legend Scott Bloomquist died Friday in a single-plane crash near the city of Mooresburg in Hawkins County, Tennessee. He was 60.
The Hawkins County Sheriff's Office said a small plane crashed Friday morning into a barn near the Bloomquist family farm and the Scott Bloomquist Racing team shop in Mooresburg. The lone person on board was Bloomquist, according to the sheriff's office. The FAA investigation into the crash is ongoing.
The World of Outlaws Late Models series released a statement on Bloomquist's death, saying the "legendary" driver's "passion for the sport and innovative mind will be deeply missed by all."
The county's rescue squad first reported news of a crash via Facebook at 7:47 a.m. Friday.
Bloomquist was known as one of the premier dirt super late model drivers from the late 1980s through the 2010s, winning 33 World of Outlaws Late Model races and 94 Lucas Oil Late Model races among a long list of accomplishments on dirt. He last won the Lucas Oil Late Model series season title in 2016.
Tributes have been posted across social media throughout Friday morning by Bloomquist's friends and competitors.
"Scott Bloomquist was one of a kind, and he’s probably the smartest guy I’ve ever been around when it comes to dirt racing. What he could do behind the wheel of a racecar was matched by the ingenuity he put into building his racecars. He was a force on the track and off, with a personality as big as his list of accomplishments. He made dirt racing better with a presence that will be greatly missed," former NASCAR champion Tony Stewart wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter.