Our thoughts and prayers are with the family and friends of Brian Hetrick. We were deeply saddened to hear of this terrible tragedy. Even though we haven't been present at the track much since Jeff's retirement we will always remember what a great person and great racer Brian was. Rest in peace, Brian.

The Nehring (#9) Family, New London, Iowa

God Bless you Brian!!! Our thoughts and prayers are with you Joyce, Jim, Julie, Kevin and crew. If you need anything in preparations, CALL ME!!!

Beef

The Anderson family

thoughts and prayers to the family and friends. while I only met Brian once, this thread shows the impact that he has had on others.

This is from The Hawkeye Burlington NEWS paper.

Hetrick dies after cycle crash

Sprint car driver succumbs to injuries suffered in Sunday's accident.

By MATT LEVINS

[email protected]

All season long, Brian Hetrick was fighting for the 305 sprints points championship at 34 Raceway.

On Sunday night, Hetrick was fighting for his life after sustaining serious injuries in a motorcycle accident on Illinois 96 between Dallas City and Lomax.

Hetrick lost his fight late Monday afternoon, succumbing to massive head injuries after being airlifted to University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics in Iowa City.

Hetrick, from Stronghurst, Ill., was 29.

"We are all just devastated right now," said Joyce Hetrick, Brian's mother.

"I don't think it's hit me yet," said Kevin Hetrick, Brian's younger brother.

The loss will be felt not only by Hetrick's immediate family, but by his racing family at 34 Raceway.

"My heart goes out to his Mom, Dad (Jim) and brother and the whole family," said sprint car driver Jayson Ditsworth of Gladstone, Ill. "Any time you lose somebody it's a huge loss. But when you lose somebody like this ... it's just a tragedy."

"We are all pretty close out there," said sprint car driver Donnie Steward. "Brian and I were fierce competitors, but in the end we were friends too. I haven't thought about anything else since it happened. It's just a tough deal."

Randy Plath, a close friend and next-door-neighbor of Brian Hetrick, said Hetrick and Alexsha Alexander, of Roseville, Ill., were taking a ride on a friend's motorcycle when a raccoon ran out in front of them. When Hetrick swerved to avoid the raccoon, he lost control.

Hetrick and Alexander were taken to Great River Medical Center. Alexander sustained cuts and bruises, while Hetrick was airlifted to University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics in critical condition.

"He flew over the handlebars and hit his head on the asphalt," Plath said. "Alexsha didn't know where they were and Brian was unconscious. She was able to call for help and the ambulance finally found them."

Hetrick was taken to Great River Medical Center, then airlifted to Iowa City.

Byron Sebastian, a close friend of Jim Hetrick, said Brian Hetrick showed signs of improvement late Monday morning before taking a turn for the worse in the afternoon. The family, after consulting with doctors, decided to take Hetrick off the respirator and tubes at about 4 p.m. Monday afternoon.

Brian Hetrick was pronounced dead at 5:24 p.m.

"We just did what's best and he's in no pain," said Kevin Hetrick. "And we just have to face it now."

"We've known (Brian) since he was a little kid. We did some work for his Dad and his Uncle Bill back in the 1970s," said Kyle Olson of Olson Brothers Custom Shop. "Our little group of guys is pretty competitive against each other, but we are also a close-knit group. It's almost like a little family, really."

Hetrick, in his 10th year of driving sprint cars, was leading points standings at 34 Raceway. He had a 27-point lead on Steward, while Ditsworth was 42 points behind. All Hetrick had to do was take one lap in a heat race during Saturday's Season Championship Night to secure his first title.

Track co-owner and promoter Amy Laue said the 305 sprints race will go on as planned Saturday night, with one exception -- the race will not be a points race, meaning the title will go to Hetrick.

"To my thinking, the points race is over," a tearful Laue said. "In my eyes, the points race was over three weeks ago. There was no question who was going to win the championship."

That is exactly the way the other sprint car drivers wanted it.

"I don't want any part of any championship that way," Steward said. "I'm all for racing in his honor, but not for points. Brian earned this championship and he deserves to win it. It's his."

"Donnie and I talked about that this morning," Ditsworth said. "Unfortunately Brian won't be there this Saturday to get the trophy. He worked his (rear end) off all summer for this. He earned it and he deserves it. I don't even want to advance one position because of this."

"As far as I'm concerned, the points should stay as they are. We're done," Olson said.

"I wouldn't want anyone not racing because of me and I know that's how Brian would feel," said sprint car driver Nick Eastin of Burlington. "I'm all for lining them up according to points and doing the 'missing man formation.' I'm all for passing the helmet through the grandstands, too."

The family has some special plans of its own to honor their son and brother.

"Kevin wants to drive a parade lap in Brian's car. Then he's going to take a part of Brian's wing and put it on his car and race with it on," Joyce Hetrick said. "Kevin said his brother will always be a part of him and that is how he wants to honor him."

Brian played football at Union High School, where he became the school's first all-state player. He later landed a scholarship at Monmouth College, where he was the captain of the football team and majored in business.

"All I can say about my brother, that kid gave 110 percent to everything," Kevin said of his brother, weeping. "He succeeded in everything he had done."

Brian married Julie Russell in March, 2006. He enjoyed spending time with his wife and their golden retriever. Besides racing, Brian Hetrick was an avid hunter.

"Brian always wanted to do something. He was never one to sit around much," said Tyson Hart, a former sprint car driver and close friend of the Hetrick family. "In the offseason, we would go to swap meets together and trade parts with each other. We had a lot of good times together. He is going to be dearly missed for sure."

But it was through racing that Hetrick was best known. There will be a huge void come Saturday night.

"Brian was never, never, never one to come out here and complain," Laue said. "Every time I saw him he had a smile on his face."

"It's going to be weird without him, especially on Season Championship Night," Ditsworth said. "Not seeing him out on the track in that black No. 35 ... he's definitely going to be missed."

"This is a very sad day. We are all a pretty tight group," Steward said. "It's definitely going to be a somber night."

Jesse Wagler

Here's another nice write-up about Brian in The Hawkeye

By MATT LEVINS

Always with a smile

Brian Hetrick walked through the pits Saturday night at 34 Raceway during the Sprint Invaders' "Night of the Twins." Hetrick had a smile on his face as he walked by on his way to his pit area, waved and said, "Hello."

That, in a nutshell, was Brian Hetrick.

Win or lose, bad day or good, Hetrick always had a smile on his face and a kind word for anyone who would listen.

I grew up watching races at 34 Raceway. I first started going to the races in 1971 when I was seven years old. When your best friend is Kyle Olson, racing just kind of gets in your blood. I've gotten to meet and know a lot of race car drivers through the years, but Brian Hetrick will always hold a special place in my heart.

I didn't know Brian that well and I don't proclaim to be his best friend by any stretch of the imagination. But I knew Brian well enough to consider him a friend.

In fact, I first got to know Brian when he was playing football at Union High School under Coach Galen Noard. Noard used to call him "the energizer bunny. He just keeps going and going and going."

I got a chance to chat briefly with Brian and his wife Julie at the 34 Raceway banquet last January at the Comfort Inn and Suites. We sat together at the same table along with Seth Wilke. Brian was excited about the upcoming season, couldn't wait to get started. You could see the excitement in his eyes as he talked about the 2008 season. You could sense he had a feeling this was going to be his year.

I always had to smile and laugh a little every time I saw Brian on Saturday nights. We would say hello and exchange a few pleasantries. He would always part by saying, "I hope to talk to you later tonight." Of course that meant that if I was talking to him, he had won the feature race. And he won plenty of them through the years.

You see, racing is a funny sport. I often will get to the races early and walk through the pits. I like to see who is there and where they are parked, but more importantly I enjoy talking to some of the crews and watching them work.

Brian Hetrick was as unselfish a driver as you would ever want to meet. Need a part? If Hetrick had one, it was yours. Need a hand? Hetrick would be the first to pitch in. Win a race? Hetrick would be one of the first to shake your hand and congratulate you on a job well done.

The 305 sprint car drivers and crews are, essentially, an extended family. Don't get me wrong, when that green flag drops, they are all out there to win. But before and after, they are all pulling for one another, helping each other out.

I had the pleasure of watching Brian Hetrick come up through the ranks of the sprint cars. In just 10 years, Hetrick went from being a green rookie to one of the top sprint car drivers around. He had a knack for finding his way to the front and was known for his "clean" racing style.

In fact, Brian may have driven one of his best races Saturday night in the Sprint Invaders feature. While he didn't win, he gave Bobby Mincer all he could handle before finishing second.

"There couldn't be a prouder Mom than me on Saturday night," said Joyce Hetrick, Brian's mother.

Hetrick's dream, his main goal, was to win the season points championship this summer at 34 Raceway. And Brian went out and did just that, earning his first season title.

Unfortunately, Brian won't be there to see it. Brian passed away Monday afternoon from massive head trauma sustained in a motorcycle accident Sunday night.

Saturday night is not going to be an easy night for anyone at 34 Raceway. Just over three years ago, late model driver Brent Slocum was killed in a freak accident at 34 Raceway. Later this week, another popular driver will be laid to rest.

I, like others, am not looking forward to walking through the pits, seeing that empty stall on the northwest part of the pits where Hetrick always pitted.

When they call for the drivers' meeting, someone will be missing. And when the drivers take their spots for the feature race, there will be a vacant spot where Brian Hetrick should have been.

But Brian will be there in spirit. He will be looking down as his fellow sprint car drivers race one final time. Only this time, it will be for Brian. And you had better believe that Brian will be smiling, just as he always was.

Which is just the way Brian Hetrick should be remembered.

Turning wrenches for Hetrick 35

Congrats to Brian on winning the championship. You earned it!!...........God Bless the rest of the family. We will miss Brian at the track but we will be there to honor him this Sat. please let me(us) know if there is anything at all that we can do. Our prayers go out for you.

From the entire #6 sprint crew.

God Bless you Brian!!! Our thoughts and prayers are with you Jim, Joyce, Julie, Kevin and crew. If there's anything we can do... Please call!

The Campbells,

Jeff, Marcia, Jason, Jodi & Tucker

34 raceway is planning a parade lap tribute to Brian this Saturday and are requesting all the Sprint Invaders to bring out your cars and participate in Honor of Brian's Championship. This is a wonderful idea and I hope to see a ton of cars and fans. More detail will be forth coming. Keep an eye on www.34raceway.com

Tell me how much money you got and I'll tell you how 
fast you can go!

Jerry,
In honor of Brian Hetrick, 34 Raceway and the Hetrick family are asking
that all area sprint car drivers attend our event on Saturday night and
do a couple parade laps in his honor. Please pass the word. 34 Raceway
& Sebastian Sandblasting will purchase a pit pass for each sprint car
that comes through the gate Saturday night that will take part in
honoring Brian.

Thanks! Amy

Tell me how much money you got and I'll tell you how 
fast you can go!

Brian Hetrick was a class act. It didn't matter if he was first or last at the end of the night he still had that familiar smile on his face. I got to know his family very well through the years. I watched Jim and Bill race years ago and then Kevin and Brian following the family tradition. If you walked up to Brian and said you need a new right rear for tonight and bought one for him he was so appreciative of it. I remember on night getting him two new front tires and you would think I had given him a million dollars. To all you sprint Car drivers and other classes set back and look how Brian treated his fans at the end of the night (GOOD NIGHT OR BAD) and try to use him as an example and your fan base will expand . I will miss Brian very much but God has decided he wanted Brian in heaven for the big checkerd flag.

Brian was one of the sweetest guys I knew. Even if he didn't know you. Not to mention he was a great racer. I just want to give my blessings to the entire Hetrick family. You are in my heart and prayers.

Amanda Stewart

Please bring your sprint cars to 34 Raceway on saturday night to honor our fallen friend, and celebrate his life. Brian we will miss you. It was a pleasure knowing you and racing with you. Forever a CHAMPION! Rest in peace my friend.

Jesse Wagler

We said our final goodbyes today. With tears in our eyes and lumps in our throats we listened to what his dearest Friends had to say about Brian. I have never been in a room with so many different people who all had one thing in common. Love, Respect, and Admiration for a Good man taken from us way to soon. We are all better people just because we knew him. He touched our lives in ways we didn't even expect. He makes me want to be a better person and that may be the best part of knowing Brian. Thank you for the memories. I will cherish them always.

Tell me how much money you got and I'll tell you how 
fast you can go!

This is from www.34raceway.com you can also see pics from the tribute there also.

ATTENTION RACE FANS

Words can not express our deepest appreciation to all of the drivers, pit crews, friends, families and race fans that came out to 34 Raceway to pay honor and respects to our fallen 2008 Sebastian Sandblasting Sprint Car Track Champion, Brian Hetrick, that sustained fatal injuries in a motorcycle accident.

The generosity and the respect that this racing community has shown to the Hetrick Family is indescribable. After passing contribution helmets through the crowd, the 50% share of the 50/50 money, the “34 Raceway” Track contribution and the New London Fire Department contributing their wages for the evening, the grand total raised was well over $4000 for Brian’s memorial funds. It’s unbelievable!

That’s what racing is all about, FAMILY, FRIENDS & RESPECT for one another. To our Racing Family, we are so proud to be involved with such a great racing community… You are the best! THANK YOU!

Jeff & Amy Laue
34 Raceway

Thank you 34 Raceway for putting on a great tribute to Brian, and the Hetrick family. It is wonderful to see everyone pull togeather when something tragic like this happens. RIP Brian "Champion Forever"

Jesse Wagler