A high-speed showcase ended in heartbreak Sunday afternoon when a 74-year-old Colorado man lost control of his car during the Abilene Airstrip Attack race event, rolling repeatedly before his vehicle burst into flames. He was killed instantly in the accident at Abilene Regional Airport.
According to the Abilene Police Department, the driver—identified as Gregory Vernon Ibsen of Colorado—was behind the wheel of a heavily modified 2006 Chevy Corvette. During one of the event’s timed runs, the car veered off course, tumbled multiple times, and caught fire. Ibsen was the only person in the car and was pronounced dead at the scene.
First responders acted swiftly to extinguish the flames and secure the area, but there was no chance to save him once the crash occurred. Authorities confirmed that no other spectators or participants were injured in the incident.
In a public notice, the Abilene Police Department extended condolences to Ibsen’s family and said they are continuing to investigate the cause of the crash.
The event in question, the Texas Airstrip Attack, had been scheduled for October 18–19, 2025, at Abilene Regional Airport. It’s part of a series of runway-style drag races on long straightaways, and organizers had touted the venue’s wide and long runway as ideal for very high trap speeds.
At this stage, the specific mechanical or human factor that triggered Ibsen’s loss of control remains unknown. Whether a tire failure, suspension issue, driver error or something else is to blame is under investigation. Event organizers have not released any further statements.
For many, the race events are thrilling spectacles of speed, precision, and pushing the limits. But Sunday’s tragedy offers a stark reminder that when margins are thin and vehicles are pushed near their extremes, fatal risk is never far away.
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