Danny Milburn's Fatal Crash @ Phoenix International Raceway 1991
- 7 months ago
Credit to Wildturnip.
Danny Milburn raced sprint cars for ten years before joining the USAC series in 1981, when he was named Rookie of The Year. His good results continued, and already the following season he scored enough points to finish the year in third place. In 1983 Milburn obtained his first win in the series when, on 18 September, he clinched an event at Lawrenceburg, Indiana, driving a Stenger-backed car. He would be classified fourth in the final championship table that year. A year later, in 1984, he would win again – this time with the Smith Speed Shop sprinter out of Eaton – and would once again finish the year in fourth place.
Milburn also competed in the USAC Silver Crown; although he led several races, he never obtained a win in his forty-one starts in this series. His best finishes were a fifth in the Golden State 100 at Sacramento in 1989 and two sixths – one at Eldora Speedway in 1986 and another in the Hoosier Hundred, at Indiana State Fairgrounds three years later. Milburn was particularly proud of this last result, as the Hoosier Hundred was one of the races he loved the most.
On 03 February 1991 Milburn competed in the Copper World Race, a round of the USAC Silver Crown. On the seventh lap Milburn went to overtake Mark Alderson’s car outside of Turn 1, but the left rear wheels of his vehicle touched the right rear one of Alderson’s. According to some witnesses, Alderson was having problems with his machine, therefore traveling on a fast but low line, and it is possible that Milburn did not expect to find him at that point of the track. The two cars careened together towards the outer wall of Turn 1; Alderson’s car spun and hit the concrete barrier with its rear, but Milburn’s crashed against it in a flat angle, shattering its right side before sliding along the wall and then spinning down the banking. While Alderson was uninjured, the impact caused Milburn severe head injuries. He was transported by a helicopter to the St. Joseph’s Hospital in Phoenix, but died at that clinic shortly after admission. His death was announced at the track just after the end of the race.
Danny Milburn was forty-one and operated a garage door company with his father. He was survived by his wife Linda and children Amy and Betsy. The Milburn Family agreed to donate Danny's organs and is still in touch with the man who received one of his kidneys.
R.I.P
Danny Milburn raced sprint cars for ten years before joining the USAC series in 1981, when he was named Rookie of The Year. His good results continued, and already the following season he scored enough points to finish the year in third place. In 1983 Milburn obtained his first win in the series when, on 18 September, he clinched an event at Lawrenceburg, Indiana, driving a Stenger-backed car. He would be classified fourth in the final championship table that year. A year later, in 1984, he would win again – this time with the Smith Speed Shop sprinter out of Eaton – and would once again finish the year in fourth place.
Milburn also competed in the USAC Silver Crown; although he led several races, he never obtained a win in his forty-one starts in this series. His best finishes were a fifth in the Golden State 100 at Sacramento in 1989 and two sixths – one at Eldora Speedway in 1986 and another in the Hoosier Hundred, at Indiana State Fairgrounds three years later. Milburn was particularly proud of this last result, as the Hoosier Hundred was one of the races he loved the most.
On 03 February 1991 Milburn competed in the Copper World Race, a round of the USAC Silver Crown. On the seventh lap Milburn went to overtake Mark Alderson’s car outside of Turn 1, but the left rear wheels of his vehicle touched the right rear one of Alderson’s. According to some witnesses, Alderson was having problems with his machine, therefore traveling on a fast but low line, and it is possible that Milburn did not expect to find him at that point of the track. The two cars careened together towards the outer wall of Turn 1; Alderson’s car spun and hit the concrete barrier with its rear, but Milburn’s crashed against it in a flat angle, shattering its right side before sliding along the wall and then spinning down the banking. While Alderson was uninjured, the impact caused Milburn severe head injuries. He was transported by a helicopter to the St. Joseph’s Hospital in Phoenix, but died at that clinic shortly after admission. His death was announced at the track just after the end of the race.
Danny Milburn was forty-one and operated a garage door company with his father. He was survived by his wife Linda and children Amy and Betsy. The Milburn Family agreed to donate Danny's organs and is still in touch with the man who received one of his kidneys.
R.I.P