RIP -- Jason Leffler -- Bridgeport Speedway

Man I don't even know. I don't know this guy or his family. I know who he is and I have seen him race on a handful of occasions. Seeing that picture of him and his son just kills me. I have a 1 1/2 year old son and since I have had him I just hate seeing this stuff. I read that Leffler was a single father raising his boy and when stuff like this happens it just really bothers me. Maybe it's because it hit home for being a kid in a single parent household, but I hate to see this kid have to deal with it at 5 years old.

This sport and world is very cold and cruel. There is a lot of stuff that happens that can't make sense to me. Fortunately kids are resilient at that age. I just hope he has a solid foundation around him to help him through this time. When I see stuff like this it drives home why I do what I do (insurance and retirement planning). It makes me want to help all of my friends that are local drivers at the short tracks I used to attend.

I used to be excited by the violence of the crashes, but as I have gotten older and the more I see them the more often I find myself grabbing my head saying "ohhh jesus" when these guys wreck.
 
MSNBC (the all politics all the time network) had more coverage of Leffler's death this morning than ESPN (the sports network). Are people seriously going to keep telling me that ESPN wants NASCAR coverage more than NBC Universal?
 
I just got up and heard the news on Fox. Terrible news. RIP. Reminds me how dangerous this sport can be.
 
Prayers go out to his family, I know it's going to be a tough Fathers Day for little Charlie. RIP Jason.
 
Sorry to hear this news .The pic of Jason with his boy immediately made me think of Davey with his kids . So sad.
 
It's strange. I saw a picture of Jason's Sprint car. The cage around the driver was intact. The car was pretty torn up, though.
 
It's strange. I saw a picture of Jason's Sprint car. The cage around the driver was intact. The car was pretty torn up, though.

Those of us who race and work on our own cars know that a cage isn't always going to save you. Racing is risky, when you race you don't really think about the risk you are taking, but in the back of your mined you know what the score is.
 
I am sorry for Jason.

But my mind keeps going back to his son. Life is precious, especially a child's.
He had every right to believe his dad was a hero, and so much more.

Todays reality has to be unimaginable for the little guy. All we can say is God bless him, and pray for him.
 
Those of us who race and work on our own cars know that a cage isn't always going to save you. Racing is risky, when you race you don't really think about the risk you are taking, but in the back of your mined you know what the score is.
Yeah, I understand that. I was just referencing the cage collapse on Shane Hmiel's sprint car.
 
SportsCenter has done a nice job of ignoring this story --- because a third string backup quarterback who can't throw a football is so much more important.

And people seriously think ESPN cares enough to outbid NBC Sports for Cup AND Nationwide TV rights?
I agree Andy, ESPN should have at least given this a mention. Now granted, Leffler wasn't exactly a superstar in our sport, but when a lesser known player in another sport decided to "come out" several weeks ago, ESPN wouldn't shut up about that for several days. They thought that was more newsworthy, I guess.
 
I agree Andy, ESPN should have at least given this a mention. Now granted, Leffler wasn't exactly a superstar in our sport, but when a lesser known player in another sport decided to "come out" several weeks ago, ESPN wouldn't shut up about that for several days. They thought that was more newsworthy, I guess.


Can't really compare the two. A gay athlete is more rare then some racer dying at the track.. Unfortunate but true. Now if Leffler was Jeff Gordon then Espn would probably lead with the story just like Earnhardt.
 
When I opened this thread this morning and read that the race had been cancelled and that there were already rumors (at the time of those posts) of Jason having passed away, I immediately thought of Dan Wheldon and knew it wasn't looking good. What a shame. He was so young. R.I.P.

As some of you have already said, my heart goes out to his whole family but especially to his little boy. Having lost a father myself suddenly (although it was health related and his health had been declining, it was still pretty unexpected), I can definitely empathize, especially considering the fact that for most of my childhood, my dad was a single dad too.

I could sit here and talk about how drivers know the risks of racing, how Jason and other drivers like Sr., Kenny Irwin, Adam Petty, etc. at least got to go out doing what they loved to do, and so on, but somehow that doesn't make it that much easier to deal with, at least not for me. I dunno. It's just so sad.
 
I'm going to miss Jason, can't compare it to the loss his loved ones feel, or the hole in their lives that can't be filled. RIP Jason and God bless.
 
Race hub did a very nice piece on Jason today. It's sad to see another young racer gone way to early. He will be missed.
 
RIP Jason Leffler.

It´s been some time since last death, Dan Wheldon, right?
 
Thanks TRL, now that I have the info I'll do it.
 
Been on a vacation the last week, I was watching sport center before I went to bed thursday night and seen about a 15 second story that seemed almost insulting to racing fans, but thats not the point. A good man and a good racer died and he is going to be sorely missed RIP and condolences to his family.
 
Tomorrow is fathers day I think. Say a prayer for the little man Charlie Dean.
 
Posted with mixed feelings, wanting folks to help Charlie Dean, but also in defense of Jason as well...
The following is the link, then the text (note the spacing is probably not good with my droid and the link may provide an easier read. Again rest in peace Jason, thank you for being a racer.)

http://www.sportingnews.com/nascar/...e-girlfriend-life-insurance-funds-investments


Jason Leffler devoted life to Charlie, had funds set up to take car of 5-year-old son, girlfriend says

— Jason Leffler, like every other racer, understood the risks of his profession. It's a conversation he had with his longtime girlfriend when his NASCAR prospects dried up and a return to the sprint car circuit was the only way he could compete on a regular basis.It wasn't a glamorous life, and it certainly wasn't going to make him rich. But it was a chance to race and, man, did Leffler love racing."We'd talked a lot about these cars and the dangers involved and Jason accepted it because he said all the time, 'I'd rather my son see me live a happy life then see me sitting in a job I hate being miserable,'" Julianna Patterson told The Associated Press on Monday. "Jason was amazing. He was ornery. His life was Charlie, racing, family and friends. In that order. But Charlie was the most important. Charlie was his entire world."MORE: Leffler wife, life insurance | Leffler honored | Should Cup driver race sprint cars?That was evident long before Leffler's death in an accident at a dirt track in New Jersey last Wednesday. The 37-year-old divorced father's Twitter feed and Instagram account were a loving tribute to 5-year-old Charlie Dean, his only child. There were photos of the first day of school, the two eating ice cream together, playing on the floor, hanging out at a racetrack, wearing matching sunglasses and, last month, Charlie's kindergarten graduation."Everybody knows how racers are, it's all they focus on," Leffler's older brother, Chris, told AP. "But fatherhood really changed him, that's for sure. It was all about Charlie. Jason took Charlie wherever he could, tried to show him everything. He really grew as an adult after Charlie was born because all his best intentions were for Charlie. He wasn't worried so much for himself anymore."On Monday, Leffler's girlfriend, brother and representatives at Spire Sports discussed his financial situation to clear up growing misconceptions and rumors about the estate he left behind for Charlie.His former sister-in-law told Sporting News on Friday that Leffler did not have life insurance when he died. But it's not that simple and some believe that was a deliberate attempt to solicit donations to an account that had been established for both Charlie and Leffler's ex-wife."It's insane that someone would bring this up, would bring up life insurance, within a day of this happening. We haven't even had the funeral yet," Patterson said. "Jason would never have left Charlie with nothing. Never. To suggest otherwise is not true and it's evil."I remember he went into Charlie's room one night before bed and said to him, 'Everything I do is for you,' and Charlie hugged him and said, 'You almost made me cry, Dad.' Those two loved each other more than anything in the entire world."MORE LEFFLER: Video: Career highlights | Drivers remember |Autopsy | Safety concernsThe reality is that disability and life insurance for racecar drivers are expensive and difficult to get — usually issued only by Lloyds of London — and the premiums are substantial. Leffler's last full Nationwide season was in 2011, and he'd run just 12 NASCAR races in 2012.He didn't have deep resources to buy insurance anymore; the night he was killed, the winner was guaranteed just $7,000. So perhaps Leffler didn't think life insurance was the best investment for Charlie Dean's future.But Leffler still invested specifically with his son in mind, his loved ones say, and took steps to ensure his son would be cared for before his death and in the event of his death. He had disability insurance and other policies, and funds established for Charlie."He absolutely bent over backward to do whatever was best for Charlie," said Chris Leffler, executor of the drivers' will. "He probably could have held on to a lot more in the divorce. But he sacrificed, did without, and has done whatever necessary to make sure Charlie is taken care of. I've seen a little bit of what's been insinuated and it's disappointing."Although Leffler made sure Charlie was provided for, The Charlie Dean Leffler Discretionary Trust was announced Saturday with three trustees. It was created in part because the racing community and fans often contribute regardless of need — more than $650,000 was raised for two-time Indianapolis 500 winner Dan Wheldon's family following his 2011 death — and to ensure any money donated went solely to Charlie's needs.Leffler, Charlie and Patterson had planned to move into a new apartment this weekend, and Charlie had been so excited for his new bed and the flags that were going to be hung in his new room. He'd only in the last year begun to understand his father's place in the racing world, and at Christmas when he was given Jimmie Johnson and Kasey Kahne trading cards, Charlie only wanted cards of his dad.He'd recently learned how to Google his father, Patterson said, and once even asked Leffler for his autograph. They lived together as a little family for two years, baking cookies and making every color of Jell-O possible, taking long walks with Charlie's compass and binoculars and playing sprint cars on the floor."All Jason would want now is for Charlie to know who his dad was, to be cared for and to know how much he loved his little dude," Patterson said. "He wasn't irresponsible, he wasn't careless and he wasn't reckless. He took every step possible because Charlie was his world."
 
Posted with mixed feelings, wanting folks to help Charlie Dean, but also in defense of Jason as well...
The following is the link, then the text (note the spacing is probably not good with my droid and the link may provide an easier read. Again rest in peace Jason, thank you for being a racer.)

http://www.sportingnews.com/nascar/...e-girlfriend-life-insurance-funds-investments


Jason Leffler devoted life to Charlie, had funds set up to take car of 5-year-old son, girlfriend says

— Jason Leffler, like every other racer, understood the risks of his profession. It's a conversation he had with his longtime girlfriend when his NASCAR prospects dried up and a return to the sprint car circuit was the only way he could compete on a regular basis.It wasn't a glamorous life, and it certainly wasn't going to make him rich. But it was a chance to race and, man, did Leffler love racing."We'd talked a lot about these cars and the dangers involved and Jason accepted it because he said all the time, 'I'd rather my son see me live a happy life then see me sitting in a job I hate being miserable,'" Julianna Patterson told The Associated Press on Monday. "Jason was amazing. He was ornery. His life was Charlie, racing, family and friends. In that order. But Charlie was the most important. Charlie was his entire world."MORE: Leffler wife, life insurance | Leffler honored | Should Cup driver race sprint cars?That was evident long before Leffler's death in an accident at a dirt track in New Jersey last Wednesday. The 37-year-old divorced father's Twitter feed and Instagram account were a loving tribute to 5-year-old Charlie Dean, his only child. There were photos of the first day of school, the two eating ice cream together, playing on the floor, hanging out at a racetrack, wearing matching sunglasses and, last month, Charlie's kindergarten graduation."Everybody knows how racers are, it's all they focus on," Leffler's older brother, Chris, told AP. "But fatherhood really changed him, that's for sure. It was all about Charlie. Jason took Charlie wherever he could, tried to show him everything. He really grew as an adult after Charlie was born because all his best intentions were for Charlie. He wasn't worried so much for himself anymore."On Monday, Leffler's girlfriend, brother and representatives at Spire Sports discussed his financial situation to clear up growing misconceptions and rumors about the estate he left behind for Charlie.His former sister-in-law told Sporting News on Friday that Leffler did not have life insurance when he died. But it's not that simple and some believe that was a deliberate attempt to solicit donations to an account that had been established for both Charlie and Leffler's ex-wife."It's insane that someone would bring this up, would bring up life insurance, within a day of this happening. We haven't even had the funeral yet," Patterson said. "Jason would never have left Charlie with nothing. Never. To suggest otherwise is not true and it's evil."I remember he went into Charlie's room one night before bed and said to him, 'Everything I do is for you,' and Charlie hugged him and said, 'You almost made me cry, Dad.' Those two loved each other more than anything in the entire world."MORE LEFFLER: Video: Career highlights | Drivers remember |Autopsy | Safety concernsThe reality is that disability and life insurance for racecar drivers are expensive and difficult to get — usually issued only by Lloyds of London — and the premiums are substantial. Leffler's last full Nationwide season was in 2011, and he'd run just 12 NASCAR races in 2012.He didn't have deep resources to buy insurance anymore; the night he was killed, the winner was guaranteed just $7,000. So perhaps Leffler didn't think life insurance was the best investment for Charlie Dean's future.But Leffler still invested specifically with his son in mind, his loved ones say, and took steps to ensure his son would be cared for before his death and in the event of his death. He had disability insurance and other policies, and funds established for Charlie."He absolutely bent over backward to do whatever was best for Charlie," said Chris Leffler, executor of the drivers' will. "He probably could have held on to a lot more in the divorce. But he sacrificed, did without, and has done whatever necessary to make sure Charlie is taken care of. I've seen a little bit of what's been insinuated and it's disappointing."Although Leffler made sure Charlie was provided for, The Charlie Dean Leffler Discretionary Trust was announced Saturday with three trustees. It was created in part because the racing community and fans often contribute regardless of need — more than $650,000 was raised for two-time Indianapolis 500 winner Dan Wheldon's family following his 2011 death — and to ensure any money donated went solely to Charlie's needs.Leffler, Charlie and Patterson had planned to move into a new apartment this weekend, and Charlie had been so excited for his new bed and the flags that were going to be hung in his new room. He'd only in the last year begun to understand his father's place in the racing world, and at Christmas when he was given Jimmie Johnson and Kasey Kahne trading cards, Charlie only wanted cards of his dad.He'd recently learned how to Google his father, Patterson said, and once even asked Leffler for his autograph. They lived together as a little family for two years, baking cookies and making every color of Jell-O possible, taking long walks with Charlie's compass and binoculars and playing sprint cars on the floor."All Jason would want now is for Charlie to know who his dad was, to be cared for and to know how much he loved his little dude," Patterson said. "He wasn't irresponsible, he wasn't careless and he wasn't reckless. He took every step possible because Charlie was his world."

His ex-wife seems like a real piece of work. Thinking about you today Jason, RIP
 
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