Following Brutal Saturday Night Crash, Owosso Speedway Implements Seating Restrictions and Upgrades Safety

📸 Fast Lane Images

Owosso, MI - During the opening two laps of the 4th Annual Bob Finley Memorial for the Outlaw Super Late Models on Saturday at Owosso Speedway, everyone's heart stopped for a moment when disaster struck in turn one. Canadian standout, JR Fitzpatrick, while behind the wheel of the Bobby Blount No.16, experienced a hung throttle entering turn one. The result was a head-on impact to the turn one wall, climbing the fence, and flipping onto his roof. Fitzpatrick suffered minor injuries, including fractures in his foot, but was able to climb from the car under his own power. Thankfully, fans who sat just feet away from the impact, were also spared.

The crash took the entire property by surprise. Outlaw Super Late Models are not supposed to go upside down. Catch fencing at pavement race tracks is not supposed to be torn down and put back up again. Those antics are typically saved for Sprint Cars, Midgets, and specifically the Gateway Dirt Nationals and Chili Bowl Nationals. But on Saturday at Owosso Speedway, it was necessary after the turn one catch fence did exactly what it was designed to do, to a T. It kept JR Fitzpatrick's car inside the race track and protected the fans that sat behind it.

The fence was repaired, and the remaining 99 laps of the race were completed without any other major incident. However, just because "all is well that ends well" doesn't mean it will always be that way. So, the staff at Owosso Speedway is being proactive this week, making sure that Owosso Speedway remains a safe place to enjoy racing.

In an update provided to MARC News, Owosso Speedway owner Rex Wheeler announced several steps the speedway is taking to ensure that spectators and drivers alike remain protected during this dangerous sport of auto racing.

After a detailed inspection of the crash location in turn one, Wheeler says that the proper repairs are taking place this week. Nearly two-dozen catch fence poles are being replaced and upgraded with turnouts toward the race track, similar to what was installed in the new build on the backstretch. Additionally, new catch fence cabling will be installed along with over 200 feet of new catch fence. All this technology is designed to make sure that the race cars and their debris stay inside the race track at all times, and protect race fans and teams from potential harm. But that's not where the proactive actions stop.

Wheeler says that two sections of grandstands located in turn one will be removed. Thanks to a new grandstand location in turn two, a section of the former Rockford Speedway grandstands, fans and teams can enjoy the races from a less brutal impact zone on the race track, and behind the newer "NASCAR grade" catch fence.

For spectators who still want to watch from turn one? Wheeler says that a new six-foot-tall containment fence will be added at least 20 feet from the concrete wall, adding further separation from the fans to the track.

The construction and improvement to the turn one area is not just a result of JR Fitzpatrick's crash. Many on social media commented on the crash from Saturday night, remembering Nick Lechota's wicked crash during Hot Shoe 100 practice in 2025. The crash was similar to Fitzpatrick's, with a stuck throttle entering turn one resulting in a destroyed race car, and a broken arm for Lechota.

Wheeler says the improvements to the facility are not expected to impact this weekend's $10,000 to win Big O' Classic 100 for the Turn One CRA Pro Series Presented by Chevrolet Performance. The construction and upgrades are expected to be completed by Friday afternoon.