Lincoln car restorer and longtime racing buff Joe Haag died after his car crashed during an exhibition Saturday night at Junction Motor Speedway in McCool Junction.
The exhibition, including Haag’s Big Car Racing Association sprint car, featured vehicles from the Kansas Antique Car Association.
According to witnesses, Haag’s car collided with another car traveling much faster that had run into the wall. Rescue squads from McCool Junction and paramedics at the track treated Haag, who was then flown by helicopter to Bryan Medical Center West Campus.
“They were just warming up and they don’t really race, but they like to show some of the old speed,†said former JMS track director Mandy Oswald, who was at the track. “Joe wasn’t going all that fast. His car rolled, and they don’t have the roll cages, HANS devices and the safety of the modern cars. This is so sad, and everybody who was there was saddened by the accident.
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“These guys are trying to keep the tradition going by putting so much time and effort into making the cars able to run again.â€
Haag ran an “oasis†of hot rods shop in Lincoln. He restored “Bucket T†Fords and vintage race cars.