Is Scott Kalitta the first Drag Racer to be killed this year?”
Veteran drag racer Shoemaker dies in Bakersfield accident 3/9/2008 John Shoemaker, a veteran drag racer from Sacramento, Calif., died from injuries suffered when his nostalgia Top Fuel dragster went out of control and crashed during a qualifying run Saturday at the March Meet at Auto Club Famoso Raceway in Bakersfield, Calif. He was 65. Shoemaker was airlifted to Kern Medical Center, where he was later pronounced dead. Shoemaker had competed in a variety of high-horsepower dragsters during his 42-year drag racing career and was a prolific chassis builder. Shoemaker was a pioneer in blown alcohol racing and made the first six-second run in Pro Comp at Irwindale Raceway’s Grand Premiere in January 1975 driving one of his own creations, Gene Gilmore’s Renegade blown alcohol dragster. Shoemaker was runner-up at the Winternationals and set the national record that year with runs of 6.78 and 6.87 at NHRA’s championship series event at Sacramento Raceway, all in Gilmore’s Renegade. Shoemaker
