R.I.P. Bruce Sarver

[Anteater]

http://www.bakersfield.com/newsalert/story/5689793p-5707411c.html

Former National Hot Rod Association Top Fuel and Funny Car driver Bruce Sarver of Bakersfield is dead at the age of 43, victim of a self-inflicted gunshot wound, Kern County Coroner Jim Malouf confirmed Friday morning.

Sarver, a two-time winner in the NHRA's Funny Car class, killed himself sometime Thursday, Malouf said.

Sarver turned professional in 1996 and twice over a five-year career finished in the top 10 in Funny Car standings and in 1998 he placed 10th in Top Fuel points. He won two Funny Car events, including a season-opening win at Pomona in 2001, and had two runner-up finishes in Top Fuel. Sarver raced Top Fuel from 1996-1998, took a year off from racing in 1999 before resuming in the Funny Car class in 2000.

Sarver began his racing career at the age of 12 in karting. From 1975-1994 he won 176 major karting events, including the Central Valley Championship four times. He entered into Pro Stock division racing at Mesa Marin in 1985 and raced there until 1994.

Sarver is survived by his 15-year-old son Cole.

http://www.nhra.com/2002/images/drivers/b_sarver.jpg

Sad news. :(

[nrc]

Sad indeed. :(

[Ziggy]

Didn't he gas himself?

wtf :confused:

[Anteater]

The weekend of the NHRA finals, I met with a friend who works for Swift, which produced the chassis for the Toyota Celica Funny car that Bruce Sarver drove in '02. We discussed the Toyota, and recalled how Gary Scelzi switched from Top Fuel to drive the Toyota, then he was replaced by Bruce Sarver midseason. Sarver had some success with the car, but I believe the Toyota Funny Car program ceased sometime after '02 (please correct me if I'm wrong).

The next day, I learned that Gary Scelzi had just won the NHRA Funny Car championship. I thought it was a good story, given how his Funny Car career had gotten off to such a rocky start in '02. That made me wonder what had become of Bruce Sarver. When I saw the death notice in my paper, I was shocked and saddened. He killed himself 4 days after Scelzi won the championship; I can't help but wonder what was going through his mind before he pulled the trigger. :(

[JohnHKart]

I remember watching him race and this is really a shame. It's amazing you see these guys come in and out of the NHRA but then later they are totally forgotten.

John