GREAT BEND, Kan. — Veteran drag racer Ronnie Hobbs died Friday night from injuries suffered in a crash during the Mid-West Drag Racing Series event at SRCA Dragstrip.
Hobbs lost control of his screw-blown “Texas Rattlesnake” ’17 GT350 Mustang, impacted the right-side retaining wall and exited the racing surface. He died at the scene.
A Texas native, Hobbs was the president and CEO of Lone Star Corp., an electrical contractor.
Hobbs was a regular with the Mid-West Drag Racing Series and entered the Great Bend event seventh in the standings.
MWDRS and SRCA Dragstrip officials postponed the rest of the Great Bend Nationals following the incident out of respect for Hobbs and his family. Officials and racers spent Saturday morning remembering Hobbs.
“The loss of Ronnie Hobbs is a huge blow to us and the drag racing world and everybody affected by it,” said Keith Haney, founder and owner, MWDRS. “He was a total advocate for MWDRS, period. Just a tremendous loss. He was doing what he loved, that’s for sure. He really loved drag racing. Not that that makes it any easier or any better. All of us at the MWDRS offer our deepest condolences to Ronnie’s family, friends and fans.”
