Land speed race car crashes
A local businessman and speed enthusiast crashed his land speed racer in Utah on Sunday and suffered serious injury, according to his family.
Rob Freyvogel of Penn Township crashed his car at a high speed, according to a post on the Facebook page of his company, Carbinite LSR.
Freyvogel “crashed his vehicle at about 350 mph,” Officer Nic Francis of the Wendover Police Department, told Gephardt Daily. “He was in critical condition.”
Freyvogel is known for his chase of speed in a car he calls the “Carbiliner,” which is 28 feet long, 3,000 pounds and has a 2,600-horsepower engine.
Sue Freyvogel said her husband suffered a serious head injury, and is on a breathing machine and being sedated in an intensive care unit.
She said there is uncertainty about his recovery, but there are positive signs, such as his response to pain and his pupils reacting.
“I don't know why this happened this way, or what the outcome will be,” Sue Freyvogel said through the post. “Please continue to pray, and we will update when possible.”
Gephardt Daily, a Utah-based online news service, reported that an unidentified man crashed on the Bonneville Salt Flats on Sunday.
The report said the man was competing in an event for those attempting to set world records in speed.
The report said authorities arrived at the crash at about 12:30 p.m., and they were not releasing the name or details of the accident.
Sue Freyvogel's statement confirmed her husband's involvement in the crash.
“I would first like to thank everyone for their prayers and well-wishes,” she said. “And very special thanks to the safety team, first responders, and the whole team at the hospital.”
Sue Freyvogel said she does not know the cause of the accident, but she trusted in the safety of the vehicle, and she said it was the safety features installed that kept her husband alive.
“The team did get it right when designing the car for safety,” she said. “He would not be alive if the car didn't do exactly what it was designed to do.”
She said family and friends will continue to rely on their faith in God to help them through a difficult time.
In a separate post, Carbinite LSR posted its address, 463 Brownsdale Road, Renfrew, PA 16053, where it will accept letters and cards for Rob and his family.
