Andrew Kunas, NWWT Publicist
VANCOUVER, Wash. – Sad news was delivered to the racing community Wednesday morning when it was announced that Tyson Perez passed away.
Perez, who is from Australia, was a popular crewmember for Forney, Texas driver Travis Rilat, who won the IXL Metal Conditioner NorthWest Wingless Tour event at Grays Harbor Raceway last Thursday. Rilat and Perez were both critically burned in a methanol explosion Sunday in Sedro-Woolley, Wash. and were airlifted to Harborview Medical Center in Seattle.
Perez succumbed to his injuries this morning. Rilat remains at Harborview Medical Center in stable condition and is expected to stay in the Harborview burn unit for at least the next two to three months according to a recent ASCS press release.
The staff and drivers of the NorthWest Wingless Tour wish to express their condolences to the family of Tyson Perez and wish Travis Rilat a speedy recovery, along with Jeff Bell and Wayne Johnson, who suffered serious injuries at Grays Harbor Raceway on Saturday night.
When the NorthWest Wingless Tour next hits the track on Friday, July 30th at Willamette Speedway in Lebanon, Ore. the NWWT will be accepting donations to be sent to Bell, Johnson, Rilat and the Perez Family to help with medical and other expenses. The NWWT is attempting to set up a helmet pass through the grandstands as of this writing. Anyone wishing to donate that evening is strongly urged to do so and it will be greatly appreciated.