Peter Lenz Gone at 13

[fasternyou929]

Just heard it from a friend at Indy, Peter fell off his bike and was hit by another rider. If you ever had a chance to see him ride, you know what we all just lost.

[ceo012384]

I just heard this. Isn't azoom a friend of his/his family?

This is awful....

http://www.inquisitr.com/83325/peter-lenz-death/

['73 H1 Triple]

I just read the article on Comcast
http://www.comcast.net/articles/spor...olis.GP-Crash/

Excerpt from the article

Despite being only 13 years old and listing his profession on the Grand Prix website as ``kid,'' Lenz was already a well-known racer. He had been riding bikes for six years, won nine national championships and nine regional titles, and appeared to be a rising star in a series that bills itself as a prep for riders 12 to 18 who hope to compete at a higher level.

[tached1000rr]

sad indeed....

[SteveP]

RIP buddy.

[101lifts2]

This kid is 13...prolly weighs 90lbs. Can't expect too much when you get run over by a bike.

RIP

[Dave]

damn, rip

[tallywacker]

Can't wait for the media to turn this into some form of child abuse for letting their child ride...

[Hydrant]

RIP Peter.

From the Indianapolis Star.

http://www.indystar.com/article/20100829/SPORTS/8290394

Young racer had experience, but was it enough?
Associated Press
Posted: August 29, 2010


Despite being only 13 years old and listing his profession on the Grand Prix website as "kid," Pete Lenz was already a well-known racer. He had been riding bikes for six years, won nine national championships and nine regional titles, and appeared to be a rising star in a series that bills itself as a prep for riders 12 to 18 who hope to compete at a higher level.
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* Teen rider killed during warmup lap

Those races are not typically held in conjunction with MotoGP events.

Lenz died today from fatal injuries in a warm-up lap when he collided with another rider.

Track officials confirmed that Lenz is the youngest racer killed at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, which opened in 1909 and has been used by numerous series ever since.

Lenz's death will almost certainly spark a debate about how young is too young for racers to be competing on one of the world's best-known tracks, whether it's inside a car or riding a motorcycle capable of speeds well over 100 mph.

Speedway officials declined to comment on the issue but pointed out that East Coast Region riders also compete at Virginia International Raceway and Road America, while the West Coast Region holds races at Miller Motorsports Park in Utah and Portland International Raceway.

MotoGP riders Colin Edwards and Ben Spies competed at even higher levels as teens. Edwards ran his first 250cc race at 17, while Spies made his first start in the 125cc series at 12.

Racing conditions were not ideal this weekend.

Hot, dry weather turned Indianapolis Motor Speedway's bumpy, 2.621-mile course into a slick track that was challenging even for the world's best riders.

Reigning world champ Valentino Rossi fell four times since practice opened Friday, including a spill Sunday morning during a 20-minute warmup session. Spies and points leader Jorge Lorenzo also acknowledged after qualifying Saturday that the track was difficult.

The Moto2 race Sunday was shortened after a big wreck took out four drivers on the first lap. Eight drivers did not finish that race.

Lenz had three third-place finishes this season in the 125GP class and had won three races in the MD250H class, which was the race being run Sunday.

[Hydrant]

Also from the Indianapolis Star.

http://www.indystar.com/article/2010...d_topheadlines

Teen rider killed during warmup lap
By Tania E. Lopez
Posted: August 29, 2010





Tragedy clouded the MotoGP race Sunday after a 13-year-old rider was killed in an accident at Indianapolis Motor Speedway..

Peter Lenz, Vancouver, Wash., died after suffering injuries in a crash before the start of the U.S. Grand Prix Riders Union race. The accident occurred sometime after 10:20 a.m. during a warm-up lap, but officials did not confirm the fatality pending notification of Lenz’s mother, IMS spokesman Eric Powell said.

Stewart Aitken-Cade, chief steward of USGPRU, said Lenz died after falling and being hit by another rider. The other rider, Xavier Zayat, was not 8injured.

The USGPRU is for riders ages 12- 18 who hope to eventually compete at higher levels such as MotoGP.

The fatality is the first at the Speedway since Oct. 22, 2003, when IndyCar Series driver Tony Renna was killed in a crash during testing.

Motorcycle racers are more exposed to dangerous conditions than race car drivers because, although they wear protective gear, they don’t have a steel frame around them like in a car.

American MotoGP rider Ben Spies, who finished second Sunday, said he found out about Lenz’s death about 90 minutes before the main event. He said fellow American rider Colin Edwards knew Lenz well.

“Colin was, I guess, quite close with him. And, you know, I could see it crushed Colin pretty bad before the race,” Spies said. “It’s the race in life, unfortunately. There’s nothing really that can be said right now that’s positive.

“I told myself before the race, I was riding my heart out for him today. I’ve lost a teammate in the past, my best friend. He was at an age at least he knew what he was doing; he obviously loved it. He knew how dangerous it could be.”

Aitken-Cade said Lenz was the first fatality in the nine-year 8history of the series.
“It’s a reality of any form of motor sports,” he said. “Anytime a racer loses his life this way, it’s tough.”

Aitken-Cade described Lenz as a “heck of a racer, very accomplished. He was a great kid, very fast, very talented.” He also said he didn’t believe the young riders in the USGPRU series were in over their heads on the 2.6-mile Indy road course.

Lenz’s father, Michael, was at the race. The family issued a statement that read: “On behalf of the Lenz family, we would like to thank Peter’s friends and supporters for all their help throughout the years. We are deeply saddened by this tragic loss but know Peter is racing even faster in the sky. Our thoughts and prayers are now with the other racer and his family, who were also involved in this tragedy.”

Lenz was an up-and-coming star in a series that showcases young talent. He got his first motorcycle at age 5 and began racing it shortly thereafter. At 11, he became the youngest licensed expert racer in American Federation of Motorcyclists history as well as the youngest to win an AFM race.

He missed most of the 2009 season recovering from injuries sustained when he crashed into a tire wall at Portland (Ore.) International Raceway. He required several surgeries to repair a severed radial nerve and several broken bones: tibia, femur, fibula just above the boot line and 8humerus just above the elbow.

He returned this season and won four times in his first 12 races. He led the USGPRA points standings.

Helen Watkins, 48, Carmel, was with her 12-year-old son when she heard the news. Sunday was the first time the two had attended a MotoGP event.

“That’s really sad,” Watkins said. “But you can’t stop kids from doing what they want to do. You have to back their hobbies and interests. My thoughts go out to their families.”
Jared Watkins, 12, agreed with his mother that Lenz’s death was tragic, but he couldn’t help but admire the young motorcyclist.

“It’s good that he followed his dreams,” Jared said. “It’s better than other ways of dying — to be on this amazing track.”

By 6 p.m., there were 358 comments left on Lenz’s Facebook fan page expressing condolences to the family.

More than 136,000 race fans attended during the weekend, the Speedway’s Powell said. They represented the kind of diverse mix IMS is trying to lure.

“Up until today’s tragedy,” he said, “the weekend had a good vibe.”