Sunday, July 21, 1996
Accident claims two lives at pro racing circuit SundayBy Patrick
Marantal
Summer Bruin Staff
What began as a day at the races ended abruptly when rookie
driver Jeff Krosnoff, 31, was killed last Sunday after his car spun
out of control and flew over a concrete wall into a catch
fence.
Krosnoff, a UCLA alumnus, was driving at speeds over 180 mph
during the Toronto Molson-Indy when he ran over the tire of another
car.
Medical personnel attempted to resuscitate Krosnoff at the scene
but he was already experiencing full traumatic cardiac arrest
because of the crash, according to a press release.
Krosnoff was later pronounced dead at the Toronto Western
Hospital due to head injuries and multiple fractures.
Track marshal Gary Arvin was also killed during the accident. He
had been standing behind the concrete wall to monitor track
conditions when Krosnoff lost control of his vehicle.
"My heart goes out to the friends and families of Gary Arvin and
Jeff Krosnoff," said Barry Green, an Indy-car team owner. "I never
met Gary, but I did get to know Jeff a little bit. He genuinely
loved what he did."
At age 19, Krosnoff took part in his first race through the Jim
Russell Racing School for Formula Fords and won. He continued his
career and eventually moved on to the Formula Mazda Pro Series.
For three years, he raced in the series while attending classes
at UCLA. Krosnoff graduated from the university in 1987 with a
bachelor’s degree in psychology.
"Jeff was someone who in a short period of time you couldn’t
help but grow very close to," said Cal Wells, co-owner of
Arciero-Wells Racing. "He was an individual that had a multitude of
attributes that went beyond the fact that he was a tremendous
athlete."
"(But) his intelligence, his humor and his education transcended
his profession," Wells added. "Collectively, it provided a
tremendous human being. He will be greatly missed."
A year after graduation, Krosnoff was regarded as a rising
talent by Sportscar Magazine after he received various awards from
the 1988 Race Truck Rookie of the Year to the Star of Tomorrow from
the Mazda Pro Series.
Krosnoff then competed for five years in the Japanese Formula
3000 and took part in the 24 Hours of LeMans three times during his
career.
After his term in Japan, Krosnoff decided to return to the
United States. He then joined Arciero-Wells Racing for his Indy-car
debut and participated in 11 events during his first season.
Friends emphasized Krosnoff’s proficiency in driving and his
rising prominence in the racing profession.
"He was much more than a driver to me, he was a good friend. He
was a very dedicated person. The sad part is that things were going
pretty well for him," said fellow race car driver David Kudrave.
"His goal was achieved but it was just starting to take off. We’ve
just got to remember him for the good times."
In the wake of the accident, a team of coroner and police
officials are still investigating the circumstances surrounding
Krosnoff’s death.
Krosnoff is survived by his wife Tracy and his parents, Jack and
Jeanne. An outdoor memorial service will be held at Descanso
Gardens in the Los Angeles area on Monday, July 22. The service
will be open to family, friends and members of the racing
family.
The family has set up the Jeff Krosnoff Memorial Fund which will
be donated to a charity at a later date.
With reports from Bruin wire services