“Devastated” Erik Jones Offers Prayers as Winchester Stands Strong After EF-3 Tornado Leaves 38 Injured

An EF-3 tornado ravaged Randolph County, Indiana on Thursday, but spared the iconic Winchester Speedway, dubbed as “the world’s fastest ½ mile”. With winds reaching 155-165 mph, this storm was the strongest to hit the area in the last 38 years. It caused significant damage, injuring 38 people but miraculously missed the half-mile.

The official social media accounts of the half-mile track announced the somewhat “good” news to fans hours after the shattering situation. Nevertheless, the racing community joined up to offer their collective condolences with journalists like Matt Weaver and Cup Series driver for Legacy Motor Club, Erik Jones, sending out thoughts and prayers for the people affected by the unfortunate event.

3-time Winchester 400 Winner Erik Jones Pays his Tribute

LMC’s #43 has a particularly strong connection to Winchester Speedway. Jones is a three-time winner of the prestigious Winchester 400, a super late model stock car race held annually at the track since 1970. This iconic race has served as a launching pad for several elite NASCAR drivers with the likes of Rusty Wallace, Mike Martin, and Kyle Busch being only a few of them.

The “good” news from Winchester Speedway was amplified by motorsports journalist Matt Weaver, who shared a screenshot of the official statement which read, “Our thoughts at this time are to the families and businesses devastated by the storms that hit Winchester tonight. The funnels hovered over the track and landed two miles east.”

Other major motorsports personalities like Bob Pockrass, Jonathan Fjeld, and Seth Eggert echoed this news by reposting Weaver’s original post on Twitter.

Erik Jones too shared his support on Twitter, stating, “Devastated to hear about the tornado that touched down in Winchester, Indiana this week. Over the last several years, I’ve been lucky to have made many positive connections with the people of Winchester. My heart is with all that have been impacted.”

While the racing world breathes a collective sigh of relief for the iconic track, the focus has quickly shifted to recovery efforts.

Statement from The Mayor

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The mayor of Winchester reported at least 38 injuries and significant damage in areas surrounding the Winchester speedway. In a press conference on Friday morning, McCoy stated, “Winchester was very lucky, all things considered. I praise the lord for this one. It could have been really bad.”

The Red Cross has set up an emergency shelter at the Winchester High School to assist those displaced by the storm. The Community Foundation of Randolph County and Second Harvest Food Bank are managing financial donations to aid the Winchester community. Residents of Randolph and Jefferson counties are encouraged to report storm damage to Indiana 211 to help the Indiana Department of Homeland Security (IDHS) determine the full extent of the devastation. Although there have been no reported casualties, neighboring Ohio saw three individuals lose their lives due to this natural disaster.

NASCAR fans and the racing community at large can likely expect to see further announcements from drivers and organizations in the coming days.

Read More: NASCAR Fans Left Praying as Town of the “World’s Fastest 1/2 Mile” Declared a Site of “Mass Casualty”