8.16.07 - Crash At Thompson Kills Driver
Blewett Brothers' Duel For Lead In Whelen Modified Event Turns Tragic

THOMPSON - A NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour driver was killed as a result of a crash during the New England Dodge Dealers 150 Thursday night at Thompson International Speedway, two sources said.

According to two sources at the track, John Blewett III, 33, died after a collision involving a car driven by his brother, Jimmy Blewett, 26. After the accident, John Blewett was taken by ambulance to Hubbard Regional Hospital in Webster, Mass., where he was pronounced dead, sources said.

The accident took place at 9:48 p.m. as the Blewett brothers, both from Howell, N. J., were racing for the lead following a restart of the race on lap 107.

Jimmy's car ended up on top of John's car just beyond the apex of turns 1 and 2 on the 0.625-mile oval, and the fourth- place car of Woody Pitkat also was involved in the collision.

Jimmy Blewett exited his car immediately after the crash and began jumping and waving his hands frantically to get the attention of track safety workers. Safety crews rushed to the scene.

At least four state police cruisers were on scene less than 15 minutes later. By 10: 05 p.m., state police officers were measuring areas around the crash scene as crews worked to remove John Blewett from his car.

The crowd of about 8,000, most still in the frontstretch grandstands, was silent. All that could be heard around the track was the hum of gererator power on the midway outside of the frontstretch.

By that point, most of the drivers in the race, who had been stopped on the frontstrech after the wreck, had already gotten out of their cars and were congregating with crews in the infield area below turns 1 and 2.

At 10:12 p. m., John Blewett was removed from the car and moved to an ambulance that had been parked nearby.

An ashen-faced track official, walking back from the scene, said only, "It's bad."

At 10:20 p.m., the ambulance carrying John Blewett slowly drove away from the crash scene to pit exit road off the backstretch of the track and exited the track. At 10:33 both cars were being removed from the track.

Shortly after the cars were cleared away, track announcer Russ Dowd announced that the race was being stopped with 106 laps completed.

The brothers began an aggressive battle for the lead on lap 89.

Jimmy was leading on a lap 89 restart when John moved to second behind him. The two made contact for the first time on lap 90 in turn 4. On lap 93, John went by Jimmy for the lead in turn 2, only to give way to a move by Jimmy in turn 4.

John went back by for the lead again before the caution flew on lap 94. After a restart on lap 98, Jimmy went back to the front before another caution on lap 100.

On the ensuing restart on lap 107, Jimmy got sideways coming to the green and the two crisscrossed down the front, with John going to the low lane into turn 1. In the corner Jimmy got loose, coming down into his brother. During the contact between the two, Jimmy's car ended on top of John's.

John Blewett III had competed on the Modified Tour since 1995. Thursday's event was his 164th career start. He had 10 career victories in the division.

Jimmy has raced in the division since 2004 and was making his 36th career start. He has two wins in the division.

It was at this same event on Aug. 19, 2004, that driver Tom Baldwin of Freeport, N. Y., was killed after his car slid into a light standard in the infield during a wreck. Baldwin was the last driver killed at the track and the last Modified driver killed in an event.

Both brothers also competed in Thompson's weekly SK Modified division and were involved together in an accident on a restart early in the event.

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I ran a lot of the tracks John did and I remember seeing him at Flemington when I first started racing and wondering who was driving that car. One of my favorites to watch. I think I speak for everyone when I say we'll miss him in the pits and on the track.